Session of the Holy Synod opens at the Patriarchal and Synodal Centre of the Russian Orthodox Church in the south of Russia

On 6 June 2012, a regular session of the spring-winter session of the Holy Synod opened at the Patriarchal and Synodal Spiritual, Administrative and Cultural Centre of the Russian Orthodox Church in the south of Russia.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova; Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Saransk and Mordovia, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations are permanent members of the Holy Synod.

Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan and Metropolitan Vikentiy of Tashkent and Uzbekistan were also included as permanent members by the decision of the Holy Synod of 5 October 2011 (minutes 99) pending the approval by the Bishops’ Council.

Metropolitan Nifont of Lutsk and Volyn, Metropolitan Nikon of Ufa and Sterlitamak, Metropolitan Pavel of Ryazan and Mikhailov, Bishop Tikhon of Maikop and Adygea, and Bishop Aristarkh of Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk have been invited to take part in the spring-summer-2012 session of the Holy Synod.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed members of the Holy Synod, saying:

“I would like to cordially greet all participants in the Holy Synod’s session held for the first time at the Patriarchal and Synodal Spiritual, Administrative and Cultural Centre of the Russian Orthodox Church in the south of Russia.

“Today is a remarkable day, which will bear its positive influence on many days in future. I mean the opening and consecration of the Synodal Centre in the south of Russia. Historically, Moscow and St. Petersburg used to be synodal capitals. We have held session of the Holy Synod in Kiev – the mother of Russian cities for many years, and we have called Kiev a Synodal capital, too. From now on we have an opportunity to hold regular sessions of the Holy Synod here in the south.

“Besides, we can transfer certain functions of the Moscow Patriarchate here in order to be closer to our southern dioceses and to the Local Orthodox sister churches with their centres located not so far in Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. It is also very important to hold meetings of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches thus consolidating the unity of our Churches. I believe that this place will largely serve to the effecting of this noble purpose.

I wholeheartedly greet members of the Holy Synod and invite you to begin our work.”

The Holy Synod will continue its work on June 7. The minutes will be published after the session.