Holy Vladikas, Most Reverend Fathers-Archpastors!
To stand before you today as the newly elected bishop of the Russian True Orthodox Church is truly a great honor, for this is not a splinter of a synod, as a number of such consider themselves to be today. The Russian True Orthodox Church stands as the true Apostolic heir of the Russian Orthodox Church through the oneness of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Catacombs and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
Following the repose of our Holy Hierarch and Confessor Philaret, Metropolitan and first hierarch of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, there began a period of confusion, which affected both the Catacomb Church and the ROCOR, and lasted for several decades. This period of confusion was greatly intensified by the loss of most of our older, experienced clergy and bishops, who by that time were replaced by younger inexperienced clergy and bishops raised and influenced by a much more secular and atheistic social environment than ever before.
The sincere new generation of clergy had to grapple with any number of contemporary pastoral issues, ranging from common morality, to heresies such as Ecumenism, Cyprianism, Sergianism, Secular Humanism, etc. The insincere clergy presented an equally destabilizing factor. This factor was the infiltration of the Church by clergy and laity coming from the Moscow Patriarchate, determined to bring the ROCOR under the subjugation of the Moscow Patriarchate. Their diabolical efforts succeded in 2007. This attack brought an end to ROCOR, and still had the potential of destroying whatever might be left of the Catacomb Church.
Nonetheless, God’s promise that “the gates of hades shall not prevail against the (Church)” remains intact. In spite of its size, over the past two decades the Synod of the Russian True Orthodox Church has risen to be that beacon which its name implies with an ecclesiology, which confirms its Apostolic Succession and canonicity being the continuation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Faith and Ecclesiology of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors as represented by the Holy Patriarch Tikhon, and the ROCOR of Metropolitans Anthony, Anastasi, Philaret and Vitaly.
Of course, there is still much work to be done. In some cases, the period of confusion continues. The Ecumenist and Sergianist schismatics continue to attack the flock of Christ. Our Synod must continue to nourish our God-given flock with the Holy Sacraments, instruction and example. Similarly, we must dedicate our efforts to bring back the splinter-synods, and people scattered by the apostacy and betrayal created by those who intentionally steered ROCOR onto the reefs of spiritual destruction.
Laboring together in our Lord's vineyard, may He hear our prayer: “O Lord look down from heaven and behold, and visit this vine, and perfect that which Thy right hand hath planted.”