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Published by Strana.ru/Portal-credo.ru,
August 5, 2003
A bishop who is not
power-seeking but one who seeks to serve
(tr. by A.
Smirensky, posted 7 August 2003)
Following Metropolitan Anthony’s
Death, The Sourozh Eparchy May Transfer To The
Patriarchate Of Constantinople
From an interview about the late
Metropolitan Anthony Bloom
The last assembly of Sourozh
eparchy (London) in July took place without her
head, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom. The question
about the eparchy’s status practically did not
come up even during recesses. How the situation
will be resolved in the near future came up in an
interview between Strana.Ru’s correspondent and
Archpriest Vladimir Arkhipov, who was present at
the assembly.
-- Father Vladimir, it is no secret
that there were strong speculations about the
possible transfer of the Russian Orthodox Church’s
Sourozh (England) Eparchy’s to the Constantinople
patriarchate. Would such changes in the Sourozh
Eparchy take place following Metropolitan
Anthony’s death?
- I can say that I spoke with
Vladyka Anthony on this subject, and he obviously
did not want this. I think that the transfer will
not take place because Metropolitan Anthony was a
person extremely loyal to his Church and his
confession. I know that he did everything possible
to keep the simmering conflict from boiling over.
He did whatever he could.
I believe that all his disciples (should
they remain in control of the eparchy),
particularly Vladyka Basil (Osborn) who was
designated by the Synod as the administrator of
the Sourozh eparchy, will also do everything
possible to prevent the transfer. Should a
situation arise when circumstances would become
beyond their competence or strength, then one
cannot exclude that the Sourozh eparchy’s parishes
could decide to go to the Constantinople
patriarchate. In this case the decision does not
rest entirely with them. As for their wishes, they
will try to remain faithful to Vladyka Anthony, to
his intentions and his wishes.
What do you consider Metropolitan
Anthony was (and is) for the Russian Orthodox
Church?
- The Lord sends such people to us
very rarely.
This was a person of exceptional
honesty and veracity within himself, before his
God and before every individual. Without such
qualities Š honesty, veracity or, as he liked to
say, transparency Š there can be no real faith. It
cannot be engendered in the heart of some other
person. God will be unable to speak in another
heart.
Metropolitan Anthony was a
standard, a contemporary example who happened to
be a holy man. This was a person who understood
Christianity with clarity, guarding everyone by
his example from turning Orthodoxy into a branch
of a cult.
He took such a position that no one
of his flock nor anyone who wanted to follow his
example would be tempted to turn to seek of signs
and wonders which, as the Gospel cautions, will
not be given. Metropolitan Anthony avoided any
kind of emotional exclamations with respect to
numberless "renovations" of icons, weeping ones,
and other "miracles" which now fill the Church and
human consciousness. He treated all this soberly
and with caution.
This was an example of a sober,
clear, and an enlightened understanding of the
Gospels and his life consisted of his personal
relation to Christ. Anyone who wanted to follow
him could see in him a real, living example of
such a relationship.
You met Metropolitan Anthony some
time ago and knew him well. Could you share some
personal recollections about him?
My personal recollection is of a
profound gratitude. He blessed me to become a
priest many years ago. Actually, we developed a
father-son relationship and in the last several
years it has become even stronger. I have personal
recollections about his exceptional warmth, peace
and his pure and crystal-clear relations with God.
Whenever I saw Vladyka Anthony I felt a lifting of
all my expectations, feelings and thoughts.
I saw him often and I also had
several opportunities to visit him in London so my
memory of him is of a relation to a father.
Although I have another spiritual and neither one
can replace the other, but there was always a
feeling of gratitude, and an appreciation of his
ability to maintain such a pure and loyal
relationship to God and the Church at times when
he needed to bear the Cross. The circumstances
surrounding him do not reflect his true state
which far from everyone can understand or accept.
Vladyka Anthony had a clear and exceptional
understanding that the cross he bore was not a
simple one. He understood this but never declined
to bear it, expressing only gratitude to God for
everything.
He avoided and ran away from any
kind of pomp, an external affectation, which
inevitably accompanies hierarchal services. This
was one of the directions he took in his services
in the eparchy, which did not please everyone. He
was firm about this: to avoid any kind of external
actions which were not related to the service of a
bishop. Because such external entourage distracts
the people from the one who serves God. Vladyko
understood this very well saying, "I am a bishop
who does not lord it over you but who serves you."
This is a very important point, a very important
principle. A bishop who is not power-seeking but
one who seeks to serve.
It is rare for people who have
attained such a high position, or any position,
who manage to maintain such principles.
Source: Russia Religion News -
http:www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews
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