Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris
The parishes of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe do not agree with the decision Fanara on the abolition of their status, believes Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev).
The decision of the Patriarchate of Constantinople concerning the abolition of the Western European Exarchate of Russian parishes fits into the logic of the recent actions of Constantinople, aimed at destroying Church unity and the destruction of existing structures. This opinion was expressed, glve DECR of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion Volokolamsky broadcast series “the Church and the world.”
“It’s just arbitrariness, arbitrarily, and do not think that the parishes of this Archdiocese with the decisions so easy to agree,” – said Metropolitan Hilarion.
According to the Hierarch, the clergy were not prepared to offer to join the local diocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
“There have developed their own traditions, primarily aimed at preservation of the Russian spirit, the Russian Church heritage. Worship in those parishes were committed mostly in Church Slavonic, and now Constantinople is actually abolishes this structure,” concluded the Metropolitan.
As reported by ALS, Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe have refused to implement the decision Fanara on its dissolution prior to the General Assembly of the clergy and delegates of the laity. On 27 November the Synod of the Church of Constantinople decided to cancel the Patriarchal Tomos of 1999, which Patriarch Bartholomew has provided the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe.