Some of the hierarchs of ROCOR MP abstained from defrocking bishop Diomid of Moscow Patriarchate
(Official Web-Site of MP – Vertograd, Moscow)Metropolitan Hilarion, the First-Hierarch of ROCOR MP, abstained from defrocking of anti-ecumenical Bishop Diomid of Anadyr and Chukotka, Moscow Patriarchate.
Bishop Diomid was known for his criticism of the leadership of Moscow Patriarchate for their contacts with the state and for their ecumenical activity. Bishop Diomid was supported by simple people of MP, it caused anxiety Metropolitan Kirill Gundyaev, Bishop Hilarion Alfeev and a number of other MP hierarchs known as ecumenists.
MP took two controversial decisions again Bishop Diomid at the Sobor of Bishops on June 27 and at the Synod of Bishops on June 28.
The Sobor of Bishops of MP stated that "Bishop Diomid is defrocked for his slanders and lies against the hierarchy".
The decision was taken by a vote of several hundreds in favor, three against, and at least two abstentions. Abstained were Metropolitan Hilarion of ROCOR MP and Archbisop Sergy of Ternopol at the Ukraine. Against were Bishop Pitirim of Syktyvkar and Vorkuta, Bishop Theodore of Kamenetsk-Podolsk and Bishop Vladimir of Pochaev. Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany and the rest of the hierarchs of ROCOR MP voted for defrocking Bishop Diomid.
This decision is anti-canonical because was no court, Bishop Diomid was not even invited for any court, and there was no investigation of his case. Besides the decision of the Synod has some other strange points. It says (in point 5 of the text) that the defrocking comes into force if Bishop Diomod refuses to repent for his activity during the next session of the Synod of Bishops.
The Synod of Bishops of MP took place next day, June 28. It decided that "Bishop Diomid of Anadyr and Chukotka is removed from rule of the diocese of Anadyr, and suspended from sacred functions".