A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 21 - Tuesday, May 25th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Divided Orthodox Church Ready to Reunite MOSCOW, (Moscow News), May 18, 2004 -- The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Aleksy II, and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Metropolitan of East America and New York Laurus declared on Tuesday that they intend to reunite the church. This decision was taken during negotiations between the heads of the two Russian Orthodox Churches, Moscow patriarchy was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying. The common wish of the Moscow patriarchy and the Russian Church Abroad to overcome the tragic division of our people that happened as a consequence of the revolution and civil war was expressed, the patriarchy said. The main role in the reunification will be given to the commissions established by the two parts of the church in December. They worked separately recently and it is expected that they will start joint work. They are to determine the status of the Church Abroad and to develop common principles of relationship between the Orthodox Church and the state, unorthodox communities and secular organizations. This is the first official visit by Metropolitan Laurus to Russia. He came with a delegation of hierarchs and priests from the church. A split in the Russian Orthodox Church took place in 1917, after the October Revolution. In 1927, Moscow Metropolitan Sergy signed a declaration recognizing the Soviet authorities. This declaration was the main obstacle blocking a merger of the churches.
The residence of
the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad is situated in
Jordanville, NY. It has about 250 congregations
all over the world - 30 of them in Russia. Since
the 1990s Aleksy II has sent letters to its heads
calling for a reconciliation but received no
answer. In October 2003 Russian President Vladimir
Putin met bishops of the church and sent an
invitation to Laurus who was elected head of the
church in 2001. |
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