Archbishop John (Renneteau) and parishes following him admitted to ROC

Archbishop John (Renneteau). Photo: ortodoks.dk

On September 14, 2019, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church resolved to admit Archbishop John (Renneto), as well as all interested clergy and parishes of the Archbishopric of Orthodox Russian Churches in Western Europe to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. It is reported by patriarchia.ru.

The decision was made after considering an appeal of Archbishop John, in which he reported on the desire of the majority of clergy and parishes of the Archbishopric to preserve its existence by entering the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church and asked for accession to the Moscow Patriarchate along with clergy and parishes who wish to follow it.

Also in his address, Archbishop John said that in the near future a meeting of representatives of these parishes will be held, which will send His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church their proposals regarding the canonical form of their organization.

Following the discussion, members of the Holy Synod resolved (Journal No. 122):

- To accept Archbishop John (Renneto) in the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate with the title “Dubna”, as well as all the clergy under his leadership and parishes if they are willing to.

- To entrust Archbishop John of Dubna with the administration of the mentioned parishes.

- Upon receipt of an appeal from a meeting of parish representatives, to have an additional judgment in determining the canonical form of their organization, based on the historical features of the diocesan and parochial administration, as well as liturgical and pastoral traditions established by Metropolitan Eulogius, taking into account the conditions of existence of the church principality he heads in Western Europe.

Recall that the Archbishopric of Western European parishes of the Russian tradition was founded in 1921, when the temporary management of Russian churches in Western Europe was entrusted to His Eminence Archbishop Eulogius (Georgiyevsky) by the resolution of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus, the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council. Due to historical circumstances, in 1931, parishes headed by Metropolitan Eulogius were temporarily admitted to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople as an exarchate.

On November 27, 2018, the Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople decided to dissolve the Archdiocese; however, the latter refused to implement this decision before the general meeting of the clergy and laity.

In August this year, on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Department for Foreign Institutions of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony (Sevriuk), addressed the Archbishopric of Russian parishes in Western Europe with a proposal to join the Russian Orthodox Church. In response to this, Phanar invited the Russian Archdiocese to become a French Vicariate.

On August 31, Archbishop John (Renneteau) received a canonical leave letter from the Patriarchate of Constantinople with the possibility of transferring to another jurisdiction. Phanar later appointed Metropolitan Emmanuel of France as the head of the Western European Archdiocese.

On September 7, 2019, a meeting of the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Russian Churches in Western Europe took place in Paris, at which the issue of accession to the Moscow Patriarchate was considered. The majority of delegates voted “for” the transition, 104 people, but the proposal did not gain 2/3 of the votes required by French law.

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