Sunday, December 05, 2004

Decisions of the Hierarchical Sobor of the ROCOR (V), 2004

Abstracts from the resolutions of the Sobor:

"The Hierarchical Sobor of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (V) took place from November 5/18 to November 7/20, 2004 in Mansonville (Canada), presided over by Metropolitan Vitaly, First-Hierarch of the ROCOR.

Present were:
Metropolitan Vitaly, First-Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and Chairman of the Hierarchical Sobor, Bp. Sergius of Montreal and Eastern Canada, Bp. Vladimir of San Fransisco and Western America, Bp. Bartholomew of Edmonton and Western Canada, Bp. Antony of Los Angeles and South America, Bp. Victor of Slavyansk and South Russia, Mitred Protopriest Benjamin Joukoff, Secretary of the Hierarchical Synod, Protopriest Nikolai Semenov,
the assistant to Metropolitan Vitaly for the West European diocese.

They decreed:
- to revoke the decision of November 23, 2001 designating the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad as the "Russian Orthodox Church in Exile".
- to abolish the decision relative to the regulations accepted on November 15/28 of 2003, in connection with the practical difficulties of its application in Church life; to return to the previous regulations accepted by the Hierarchal Sobor of the ROCOR in 1964 with principal changes in paragraphs 1 and 2.

Election of the New Member Of Hierarchical Sobor
It was decreed to select as a new member of the Hierarchical Sobor the Right Reverend Bishop Antony of Los Angeles and South America.

Election of Deputy Chairman of the Hierarchical Sobor
It was decreed to select as Deputy Chairman of the Hierarchical Sobor Rt. Rev. Bishop Sergius of Montreal and Eastern Canada.

Anathema of "Sergianism"
After the account of the anti-Christian essence of Sergianism and after a report on the anathema already carried out on this question by the Catacomb Bishops, the Hierarchical Sobor accepted a text anathematizing Sergianism.

Bestowing of the title "Most Blessed" upon Metropolitan Vitaly
For many years of leading the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and more than fifty years service in the hierarchical dignity, the Hierarchical Sobor resolved to honor The Most Reverend Metropolitan Vitaly by title "Most Blessed".

On the Glorification of Metropolitan Philaret
Establishment of a Commission for the preparation of Glorification of Metropolitan Philaret of Blessed Memory.

Documents were signed by:
+Metropolitan Vitaly
+Bishop Sergius
+Bishop Vladimir
+Bishop Bartholomew
+Bishop Antony
+Bishop Victor
Mitred Protopriest Benjamin Joukoff, Secretary of the Hierarchical Sobor of the ROCOR"

[Translated from the Russian by Vertograd]