Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe

The Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe (abbreviation: AROCWE, Russian: Архиепископия православных русских церквей в Западной Европе), also called Archdiocese of Parishes of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe (Russian: Архиепископия приходов русской традиции в Западной Европе), is a Paris-headquartered diocese consisting of parishes in Russian orthodox tradition, located in Western Europe. The diocese hails from the Provisional Administration of Russian Parishes in Western Europe, created in 1921.

Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Paris, home to the archdiocese
Location
TerritoryFrance, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands , Norway
HeadquartersParis
Statistics
Parishes67[1]
Information
DenominationEastern Orthodox Church
RiteByzantine
Music: Russian Chant, Byzantine Chant
Calendar: Julian
Established1920/1921
Website
archeveche.eu

At the time of the creation of the exarchate, the diocese comprised Russian Orthodox parishes that were under administration of the Russian émigré bishop Eulogius Georgiyevsky. The latter decided to switch under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as he was unwilling to continue his administrative subordination to the Moscow Patriarchate, then under full control of the Soviet State, nor was he willing to recognize the authority of the Yugoslavia-based Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, then headed by Anthony (Khrapovitsky).

In 1931, Metropolitan Eulogius, along with the clergy and laity who supported him, was admitted to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; these parishes received the status of a temporary Exarchate in Western Europe, which was abolished in 1965. After that, until 1971, this Association existed as the "Orthodox Archdiocese of France and Western Europe and Russian Western European churches of diaspora". In 1971, the archdiocese was again accepted into the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. New reorganization was implemented on 19 June 1999, when Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople created the exarchate by granting it a tomos. 27 November 2018 Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople abolish tomos of 1999; the former exarchate's parishes were instructed to join the relevant dioceses of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.[2][3][4] The archdiocese, whose legally binding Statute (Article 11) expressly says that its primate must be a bishop of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,[5] continues to exist as a legal entity, nevertheless.[6]

Having voted to continue as a legal entity in February 2019, the Archdiocese as an entity failed to pass a resolution to switch to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow on 28 September 2019 as was proposed by its primate Archbishop John (Renneteau), who had personally joined the Moscow Patriarchate.[7] 7 October 2019 Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow confirmed the acceptance of clerics and parishes "who expressed such a desire".[8] Not all parishes and clerics of the former Exarchate followed Archbishop John, joining various jurisdictions such as the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of France[9] (under the Ecumenical Patriarchate), the Romanian Orthodox Church,[10] the Bulgarian Orthodox Church[11][12] and the Serbian Orthodox Church.[11]

History

During the 19th century, several parishes were created for the Russian diaspora in various countries of Western Europe, under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1861, Alexander Nevsky Church was built in Paris, and soon became the main regional center of Russian Orthodoxy. Within the Russian Orthodox Church, jurisdiction over parishes in Western Europe was granted to the Metropolitan of Saint Petersburg.[13]

After the onset of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Russian Orthodox Christians based outside Russia, and those who fled there from the communist regime, found themselves in a very difficult situation. In 1920, Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgiyevsky) was sent to Western Europe in order to organize provisional administration. His jurisdiction was confirmed on 8 April 1921, by Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and Metropolitan Benjamin of Petersburg, who issued a decree creating the Provisional Administration of Russian Parishes in Western Europe, centered in Paris, and appointing Metropolitan Eulogius as its first hierarch.[14][15]

Faced with new political realities in Russia, and severe restrictions imposed by the Soviet regime upon the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Eulogius and other exiled Russian hierarchs found a temporary solution in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). During the early 1920s, the vast majority of Russian Orthodox Christians in diaspora supported ROCOR, united in their opposition to the Soviet government.[16]

At first, Metropolitan Eulogius was member of the ROCOR Synod, but in 1927 he came into conflict with the majority of ROCOR hierarchs and was subsequently suspended by them. In order to remove Metropolitan Eulogius from his office, ROCOR hierarchs decided to replace him with Metropolitan Seraphim (Lukyanov), but great majority of parishes in Western Europe remained loyal to Metropolitan Eulogius. Thus a split was created within the Russian community in Western Europe, between those who continued to follow Metropolitan Eulogius and those who recognized Metropolitan Seraphim as their new hierarch. Faced with those challenges, Metropolitan Eulogius appealed the Moscow Patriarchate, and received confirmation of his jurisdiction in Western Europe.[17]

In 1930, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), acting as locum tenens of the Russian Patriarchal Throne, initiated proceedings against Metropolitan Eulogius because of his public support for Christians suffering under the Soviet regime. On 10 June 1930, a decree was issued, intended to remove Metropolitan Eulogius from his office, and replace him with Metropolitan Vladimir (Tikhonicky). Decree failed, on both accounts, since both hierarchs decided not to obey it. Moscow responded by sending another hierarch, Metropolitan Eleutherius (Bogoyavlensky), who arrived in Paris at the beginning of 1931. Faced with new jurisdictional crisis, second in four years, majority of parishes decided to remain loyal to Metropolitan Eulogius, while minority recognized Metropolitan Eleutherius. Since there also was another group, created earlier (1927) under Metropolitan Seraphim, Russian diaspora in Western Europe found itself divided into three fractions, headed by Eleutherius (Moscow), Seraphim (ROCOR) and Eulogius (independent).[18][19]

Under the Church of Constantinople
Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Eulogius (Georgiyevsky)

In order to regulate his canonical position, Metropolitan Eulogius petitioned Patriarch Photius II of Constantinople, asking to be received under his canonical care. On 17 February 1931, he was appointed an exarch, with provisional jurisdiction over Russian parishes in Western Europe, and thus a provisional exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was created.[20][21] That action caused a direct conflict between two Patriarchates (Constantinople and Moscow), leading to exchange of protests and accusations, without resolution.[22]

Metropolitan Eulogius remained under the jurisdiction of Constantinople until 1944, when he decided to lead his community back into the Moscow Patriarchate. Reunion was formalized in 1945, but many important questions remained unsolved. However, after his death in 1946, a further break occurred in 1947, with a large number of parishes once again entering the Patriarchate of Constantinople.[23][24]

The Provisional Exarchate was closed by Patriarch Athenagoras I through a letter dated 22 November 1965,[23] with an assembly meeting 16–18 February 1966 noting that such provisional ethnic structures were no longer necessary, given that the passage of several generations had allowed immigrants to become accustomed to their new lands, which were now made up of more and more converts to the faith. The implementation of those decisions was challenged, and subsequently reconsidered. On 22 January 1971, the same Patriarch Athenagoras I regulated the position of the archdiocese, under the Omophorion of the Patriarch of Constantinople, recognising its internal autonomy.[23]

New reorganization was implemented on 19 June 1999, when Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople created the exarchate by granting it a tomos.[23][25] According to the Exarchate's own account, Patriarch Bartholomew "recognised the full autonomy of the Archdiocese in administrative, pastoral and material terms".[26]

On 8 June 2006 the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople received Bishop Basil (Osborne) along with a number of parishes and clergy in the United Kingdom from Moscow Patriarchate's Diocese of Sourozh. This act was caused substantial controversy, as he had not been released from the Moscow Patriarchate. The same statement gave Bishop Basil the new title, Bishop of Amphipolis (taken from an ancient see in Greece that no longer has a bishop), and charged him with the care of parishes in Great Britain and Ireland, as auxiliary bishop under Archbishop Gabriel of Komana in Paris.[27] 9 June 2006 the Council of the archdiocese during an extraordinary meeting created the Episcopal Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland[28] At that time, no such parishes existed. After his appointment a number of parishes and communities, as well as some of the clergy and laity of the Diocese of Sourozh, followed Bishop Basil into the archdiocese and came to constitute the Episcopal Vicariate. Other parishes and communities were formed later, where none had previously existed, for example in Cumbria, and Northampton. Since the retirement of its bishop on 12 October 2009, it has become a deanery within the archdiocese.[29][30][31] The formal name has become the Deanery of Great Britain and Ireland within the Archdiocese of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe.

Disbandment by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and aftermath
Main article: Joining of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe to the Moscow Patriarchate

On 27 November 2018, the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate decided unanimously to dissolve its exarchate of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe.[32][33][34] According to communiqué, the Ecumenical Patriarchate "decided to revoke the patriarchal tomos of 1999 by which it granted pastoral care and administration of orthodox parishes of Russian tradition in Western Europe to His Archbishop-Exarch. [...] [T]he ecumenical patriarchate has decided to integrate and connect parishes to the various holy Metropolises of the ecumenical patriarchate in the countries where they are located."[35][36]

On 23 February, the AROCWE held its Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA). 191 out of the 206 voters voted against the dissolution, 15 voted in favor of the dissolution. A new assembly may possibly be held in June to choose a jurisdiction.[37] After the vote, Archbishop John of Charioupolis read a letter that Archbishop Anthony of Vienna and Budapest, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Synodal Department for the Administration of Institutions Abroad, had written. In his letter, Anthony wrote that the Russian Orthodox Church was ready to receive the AROCWE under its jurisdiction.[38][39][40] Following the assembly, the AROCWE published a communiqué that said: "For the moment, the life of the Archdiocese continues as on the eve of the EGA. In celebrations, the Archbishop commemorates the Ecumenical Patriarch and the parish clergy commemorate the Archbishop according to the canonical rule."[41][42][43]

On 14 September, Archbishop John (Renneteau) personally joined the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, and the ROC granted him the title of Archbishop of Dubna. According to the Russian media, the change of jurisdiction also applied to the clergymen subordinated to him and parishes that were willing to join the Moscow Patriarchate.[44][45][46] [47]

Structure and composition

As of December 2019, the archdiocese comprised 67 monasteries, parishes, and communities.[48] The AROCWE is financially independent.[49]

Perhaps the best known institution of the archdiocese was the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, founded in 1925 by Metropolitan Eulogius and sometime home of several well-known Orthodox theologians and writers of the twentieth century, including Georges Florovsky, Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff (although not Vladimir Lossky, who neither taught at St. Sergius nor was a member of the archdiocese, himself remaining loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate).

Episcopal ordinaries

‡ Deceased

See also

Notes

    References
    1. "Опубликована официальная статистика Западноевропейской архиепископии. Благовест-Инфо". www.blagovest-info.ru. 20 January 2020.
    2. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Communique of the Ecumenical Patriarchate". exarchat.eu. 27 November 2018.
    3. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Act of Canonical Subordination concerning the Parishes of our Archdiocese in Western Europe". exarchat.eu. 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
    4. "Communiqué (29/11/2018). - Announcements - The Ecumenical Patriarchate". www.patriarchate.org.
    5. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Statuts de l'Archevêché - Chapitre 1". www.exarchat.eu. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
    6. "Le Métropolite Emmanuel nommé locum tenens". Métropole Grecque Orthodoxe de France (in French) (published 4 September 2019). 2 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
    7. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Communiqué of the Office of the Archbishop of 29 September 2019". exarchat.eu. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
    8. "ЖУРНАЛЫ заседания Священного Синода от 7 октября 2019 года / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru".
    9. "Visite pastorale à Rennes à l'occasion de la fête paroissiale". Metropole Grecque Orthodoxe de France – Ιερά Μητρόπολις Γαλλίας (in French). 10 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
    10. Ivshina, Olga (13 November 2019). ""Видимость великого воссоединения": что происходит с русскими церквями в Европе". BBC Russian Service (in Russian). Retrieved 16 November 2019.
    11. Bomben fra Konstantinopel, 14 October 2019 - Orthodox Church of Denmark
    12. [http://www.ryskaortodoxakyrkan.se/3/budskap.html µMessage from the Bulgarian patriarch of America, Canada and Australia], Swedish translation, at the parish website of Kristi förklaring Orthodox parish in Stockholm, dated the Sunday of Orthodoxy, 2019
    13. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 37.
    14. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 37, 43.
    15. Kiminas 2009, p. 156.
    16. Kalkandjieva 2015.
    17. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 41-43.
    18. Kiminas 2009, p. 156-157.
    19. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 44-45.
    20. Kiminas 2009, p. 24, 157.
    21. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 45-46.
    22. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 46-48.
    23. Kiminas 2009, p. 157.
    24. Kalkandjieva 2015, p. 242-251.
    25. Cazabonne, Emma (4 December 2018). "Patriarchal Tomos of 1999". Orthodoxie.com. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
    26. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Brief history". Exarchat.org. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
    27. "Communiqué No 12-6 of the Council of the Archdiocese, meeting on 9 June 2006". dioceseinfo.org. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
    28. See details under Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sourozh.
    29. "Home Page". exarchate-uk.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2019. Following the retirement of Bishop Basil of Amphipolis as head of the Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland, the parishes and communities now constitute a deanery directly under the omophorion of Archbishop Gabriel of Comana.
    30. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Communiqué N° 05-09 du Conseil de l'Archevêché". Exarchat.org. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
    31. "Home Page". exarchate-uk.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2019. Following the retirement of Bishop Basil of Amphipolis as head of the Vicariate of Great Britain and Ireland, the parishes and communities now constitute a deanery directly under the omophorion of Archbishop Gabriel of Comana.
    32. "IT'S OFFICIAL: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE DISSOLVES RUSSIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF WESTERN EUROPE". ORTHODOXY IN DIALOGUE. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
    33. "ΑΠΟΚΛΕΙΣΤΙΚΟ: Το Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο κατήργησε την Εξαρχία των Κοινοτήτων Ρωσικής Παραδόσεως". ROMFEA (in Greek). 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
    34. Cazabonne, Emma (27 November 2018). "The Ecumenical Patriarchate has dissolved the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe". Orthodoxie.com. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
    35. "IT'S OFFICIAL: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE DISSOLVES RUSSIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF WESTERN EUROPE". ORTHODOXY IN DIALOGUE. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
    36. Panagiotisandriopoulos (28 November 2018). "Φως Φαναρίου : Η Αγία και Ιερά Σύνοδος ήρε τον Τόμο για την Εξαρχία των Ορθοδόξων Παροικιών Ρωσικής Παραδόσεως". Φως Φαναρίου. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
    37. Cazabonne, Emma (23 February 2019). "The Extraordinary General Assembly of the Archdiocese refused the dissolution". Orthodoxie.com. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
    38. "Proposals of Moscow Patriarchate for reunion with Archdiocese of Russian Churches in Western Europe". OrthoChristian.Com. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
    39. Panev, Jivko (25 February 2019). "Les propositions du Patriarcat de Moscou à l'Archevêché". Orthodoxie.com (in French). Retrieved 26 February 2019.
    40. Cazabonne, Emma (26 February 2019). "Propositions made by the Moscow Patriarchate to the Archdiocese". Orthodoxie.com. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
    41. "Communiqué of the Archdiocese - 23 February 2019 | Deanery of Great Britain and Ireland". www.exarchate.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
    42. Cazabonne, Emma (26 February 2019). "Communiqué of the Archdiocese, following the February 23 General Assembly". Orthodoxie.com. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
    43. "Communiqué of the Archdiocese - 23 February 2019". exarchat.eu. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
    44. "Head of "Russian exarchate" of Constantinople joins Russian Orthodox Church". www.interfax-religion.com. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
    45. "ЖУРНАЛ Священного Синода от 14 сентября 2019 года / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru". Патриархия.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 14 September 2019.
    46. "The Russian Orthodox Church Holy Synod integrates the head of the Archdiocese of the Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition as well as clergy and parishes who wish to follow him". mospat.ru. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
    47. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Pastoral message of Archbishop John, 14th september 2019". www.exarchat.eu. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
    48. "Опубликована официальная статистика Западноевропейской архиепископии". Благовест-Инфо. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
    49. "Russian Exarchate to keep financial independence, traditions within Russian Orthodox Church". www.interfax-religion.com. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
    50. "Archbishop Job released from his functions of Patriarchal Exarch of Orthodox parishes of Russian tradition in Western Europe | Deanery of Great Britain and Ireland". www.exarchate.org.uk. 28 November 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
    51. "Communiqué of the Archdiocesan Administration of 25 April 2016". www.exarchate.org.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
    52. "Pastoral message from the locum-tenens, his Eminence John, bishop of Charioupolis". www.exarchate.org.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
    53. "The decisions of the Holy Synod of Ecumenical Patriarchate". Orthodoxie.com. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
    54. "Ανακοινωθέν Αγίας και Ιεράς Συνόδου (31 Αυγ.2019)". www.ec-patr.org. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
    55. "Archevêché des églises russes en Europe occidentale - Communiqué du Bureau de l'Archevêque du 5 septembre 2019". www.exarchat.eu. Retrieved 14 September 2019.

    Sources

    Official websites

    Miscellaneous

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