Documents

Several months ago, on the website of the “ROCA Diocese of Australia and New Zealand,” Bishop Andrei Erastov published an article titled “Trojan Horses,” where he makes some questionable and misleading statements. Although he admits grave canonical errors in the establishment of his new “religious group,” he offers no repentance for such transgressions. Justifying his own transgressions by blaming others is not a Christian virtue. Read more →

On the day of the Orthodox Christian Pascha, when the Church triumphantly and joyfully celebrates the beginning of its eternal being with God, we Christians, with unearthly joy, heed this sacred Paschal greeting - CHRIST IS RISEN! For we become partakers of eternal life, given to us by the Conqueror of death, our Savior, Redeemer and our Lord Jesus Christ! Read more →

Could any feast be more dear, holy, or close to us than this feast of the Resurrection? Christ has given us victory over the biggest tyrant; death and corruption. Which other tyrant can do us harm? Christ, in the Holy Gospel tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be made full” (John 15:11). Today, all of us are participants in this one insurmountable joy; the joy of the Resurrection of Christ, the joy of our regeneration. Read more →

Much of this article will consist of an excerpt from a previous article written by the same author (“A Point of No Return”). The purpose here is two-fold. First, focus must be brought upon one of the major divisions (and the source of this schism) between what is now referred to as the World Orthodox and the True Orthodox. This issue is often called the Calendar Question. The source of this division is the Papacy. Then, it is important to bring attention to what is transpiring today between the World Orthodox and the Papacy. Gradually, and with great caution, the World Orthodox leaders are preparing for union with the Roman Papacy. Have we not noticed both so-called patriarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate and that of Constantinople vying for the seat on the right-hand side of the Pope? Have we not noticed the occasional “trial-balloon” news articles announcing the “possible” visit of the pope to Russia? Why is this still semi-official? Because they still fear the adverse reaction from their laity and certain clergy (especially in Russia) to such bold attempts at a union. Let us not allow them to fear in vain. Read more →

Составлен на заседании Архиерейского Синода РИПЦ прошедшем с 14/ 27 января по 19 января/ 1 февраля 2020 года Read more →

In Greece, the basic rights of the True Orthodox were already protected by non-profit civil societies, companies, and unions of persons. When this law concerning the registration of Religious Legal Entities (RLE) came out, it was rejected by most True Orthodox believers and ignored. It would simply have fallen into disuse by the True Orthodox and probably recalled at least as far as the True Orthodox were concerned, because as we will see, it offered denial of the Faith to the True Orthodox in exchange only for worldly benefits. However, the Synod of G.O.C. of Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens saw in this law an opportunity to have privileges from the Greek Government and also a way to stifle all other True Orthodox groups of Greece and all other dissenters of their plans. Read more →

To build a union that is good and lasting upon a solid foundation takes wisdom, an uncompromising canonical will, an Orthodox ecclesiology, and the Grace and Will of God. To unite on the weak principles of one’s own varied desires, without an Orthodox ecclesiology, while disregarding the Holy Canons and pretending to proclaim God’s Will, may only lead to more of the same – schism. What we see forming at this recent Lesna convention is a compounded collection of schismatics, each spinning his own rhetoric of acceptance for the other’s questionable background and uncanonical maneuvers, each contradicting his previous position, all in order to reach an arrangement of mutual benefit. Read more →

The joyful all-forgiving mood, according to the word of St. John Chrysostom, read at matins, covers this Paschal night both the pious and indifferent, the kind and unkind. Such is the gift of a special, mysterious grace, bestowed on believers without merit and deeds in anticipation of the joys of paradise received by Orthodox Christians from the Lord. Read more →

“Why seek ye the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) This question of the two angels at the Most-Holy Tomb of Christ to the Myrrh-bearing women is the joyful announcement to them of the Resurrection of Christ. Living this very Resurrection of Christ, nothing can diminish our joy. We must continuously hear in our hearts the words of the Book of Revelation which say, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:18). Our Christ is alive evermore! Read more →

We are given Great Lent every year as a time to repent for our sinful life during the year that has past since the last Pascha. If we exclude Great Week, which is actually a separate fast, Great Lent is approximately one-tenth of the whole year. We use this one-tenth of the year as a totally spiritual tithe to offer back to our soul that which we ourselves have deprived our soul of during the year. We are not precisely offering something to God. Nor are we “offering our struggles” for some poor souls. No, not at all! We are struggling for our own soul. We are repairing our own inner chamber! Read more →

Why do you marvel, O Mary? Why are you amazed at what has come to pass? “I have given birth in time to a timeless Son” (Second Kathisma Matins of the Feast of the Holy Nativity) Read more →

The Synod of Bishops of the Russian True Orthodox Church convened its regular meeting from November 08/21 to November 10/23, 2018. Read more →

From the year 2000, as the Synod of ROCOR began officially to accept the canonicity of the MP and initiated union talks with it, the Church both inside and outside of Russia that remained faithful to the truth began to separate into so-called “splinters” (oskolki), small Synods not in communion with each other. Most of them claimed that their canonical existence, like that of ROCOR, was based on Patriarch Tikhon’s ukaz no. 362. Read more →

The thesis of this Report is that since its foundation in 1920 the Russian Church Abroad has remained on the right path as long as it has acknowledged itself to be a part of the True Russian Church in the Homeland and has rejected three temptations: (A) the temptation of ecumenism coming from outside the Russian Church, (B) the temptation of recognizing the false sergianist church of the Sovietized Moscow Patriarchate as the “Mother Church” in the Homeland, and (C) the temptation of recognizing itself as having dominion over the True Church inside Russia. I shall examine each of these temptations in turn, from a historical point of view. Read more →

In this informative critique of the so-called “Great" and “Holy” Council that was held in Kolymvari of Crete in the year 2016, I will attempt to explain why this council caused unrest even though nothing really novel for the “World Orthodox” was discussed in this meeting. We will analyse this Synod starting from its supposed goals, the idiosyncratic reaction of the conservative “World Orthodox” to this Synod, and the futile interim of those who remain in “World Orthodoxy”. And finally we will demonstrate how this council gives victory to the sagacious stand of the True Orthodox. Read more →

The purpose of this article is to address a number of related questions and topics regularly demonstrated to be of concern to people previously from the Moscow Patriarchate (MP), currently in the Moscow Patriarchate, or, as is the case today, people formerly within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) and, since 2007, unconditionally joined to the Moscow Patriarchate by Metropolitan Laurus (ROCOR-MP). The common thread of these three groups is their relationship to the Moscow Patriarchate. Read more →

Documents set are going to be continued Read more →

11/24 ноября 2015 г. Преосвященнейший Стефан, епископ Северо-Американский, опубликовал Заявление, в котором объявил, что Северо-Американская Епархия переходит на автономное управление, его Преосвященство выходит из состава Синода РИПЦ и председатель синода РИПЦ архиепископ Тихон далее не будет поминатся в храмах Северо-Американской епархии за богослужениями. Read more →

Assessing this alliance, where the confession of Faith was allowed to suffer a fall, as a loss of continuity with previous decisions of the Synod of the Greek TOC, and given the schismatic nature of the Synod in Resistance, the Synod of the RTOC continues to consider the present confession of Faith and the canonical status of the Greek TOC as being flawed. Read more →

От Канцелярии Синода Русской Истинно-Православной Церкви Read more →

In considering the recent union between the synod of the GTOC under Archbishop Kallinikos and the Synod in Resistance (Cyprianites), or for that matter, the possible union of any of the Greek synods since the wholesale apostasy of the Greek Church in 1924, and the subsequent emergence of the many competing True Orthodox synods, one might consider that a miraculous event has transpired. If, on the other hand, all that has occurred was a merger between a True Orthodox synod and a heretical synod, we have witnessed a tragedy, or another apostasy. As the saying goes; adding clean water to polluted water does not cleanse the polluted water. It merely pollutes the clean water. Read more →

At first glance, Cyprianism appears to offer a “middle-of-the-road” ecclesiology to those seeking to avoid harshly judging “World Orthodoxy,” from Sergianism to the “New Calendar,” to Ecumenism. In certain cases, the ecclesiology of Cyprianism offers special solace to those coming to True Orthodox jurisdictions from “World Orthodoxy” jurisdictions. For many such clergy and laity, it is difficult to admit that they were in error to the extent that they were not in the True Church of Christ. Without giving serious thought to the consequences of their self-contradicting ecclesiology, they console themselves with the erroneous perspective that they left a flawed or ailing church to join a purer version – a True Orthodox jurisdiction. This error not only impedes their own salvation, but it also infects the True Orthodox jurisdiction with the virus of “Crypto-Ecumenism.” Read more →

There have been a number of articles and letters recently published and circulated on the internet which address the different parts of the Russian Church (i.e., those standing in opposition to the Moscow Patriarchate and its newly acquired ROCOR (under Met. Hilarion). They call upon these groups to come together and unite as one body of hierarchs and faithful. Certain authors have been critical of the bishops of these disparate jurisdictions, accusing them of personal ambitions, personality flaws, or even fanaticism or extremism. Others have blamed the current stalemate condition on certain clergy for their strict Orthodox perspectives and interpretations. Read more →

Vitaly Shumilo, “Church Gazette” Read more →

Archpriest Stefan Sabelnik Read more →