www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News New Russian Patriarch

Dear Friends,

Just a note that the "Russian Old Orthodox Church" which is, of course, Old Rite, now have their own Patriarch.

He is His Holiness Patriarch Alexander Kalinin who is that Old Believer Church's Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus'.

Please join me in wishing His Holiness "Many Years!"

Alex

Many years Patriarch Alexander.

I know my friends in Erie are dancing in the streets over this great news.

Dear Steven,

I don't think Patriarch Alexander would be in communion with the Erie folk . . .

But I raise two fingers for him anyway!

Any Alexander . . .

Alex

Dear Alex,

the folks in Erie belong to the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad but are Russian Old Believers.

I have not been there yet because it is a long way from my home. But during the summer I will definitely attend.

Congradulations once again to Patriarch Alexander.

Dear Steven,

Yes, you are right absolutely!

But jurisdictional problems plague Old Believers too . . .

For example the Bielaya Krinitsa Old Believers and others have glorified their Old Rite Martyrs as saints and liturgically celebrate them in their services. St Ambrose the Old Believer bishop is a recent addition and they will be glorifying others soon.

The ROCOR Old Rite parish of the Nativity doesn't even have St Avvakum in their calendar or any other Old Believer saint or martyr.

Their union with ROCOR was based on the old model of the "Yedinoveriye" from the 19th century when the Russian Orthodox Niconian Church allowed Old Believers to join in communion with it as, for want of a better word, "Uniates."

To be "biritual" in Russian Orthodoxy used to mean the simultaneous service of a Niconian priest in both Niconian and Old Rite parishes!

The priestly Old Believer churches, such as the one Patriarch Alexander heads up, glorify their own saints and martyrs and are not in communion with or dependent upon the Niconian Moscow Patriarchate.

Alex

Dear Alex,

I have met many Orthodox Priests who could be called Uniates.

I have met one in particular who said the Old Calenderists refer to him as a Unitae. (I do not want to name names and get someone in trouble).

I am very sympathetic to these Priests.

After doing my own informal survey of Orthodox Southeastern PA I can honestly say we all have problems that need to be corrected.

Dear Steven,

Yes, some of my best friends are "uniates" too!

And it wouldn't bother me if someone called me that.

In fact, in addition to "Orthodox in communion with Rome," the "other" title in vogue at the time of the Union of Brest/Litovsk was "Greco-Uniates."

The "Yedinoveryie" in English is "United Believers."

They hardly ever sit for their services - and you know why?

Because "united we stand . . ."

It's really too bad we are in cyberspace and you can't throw anything at me . . .

Alex

Mnohaja i Blahaja Litja!!
(or however the Old Belivers do it: 3x maybe??)

Stefan-Ivan

Is this Patriarch recognized by most of the Old believers?

Does this mean that they have reached unity and are not as divided as before?

I'd like to know about their possition towards the West and Ecumenism, as far as I know I've noticed that the Old Believers are less anti-Roman than the ROCOR and the MP (after all they suffered persecutions under the mainstram Russian Church).

Mnohaja Lita Vladyko! Eis Polla Eti, Despota!

This is truly a great day for the Old Believers and all of their fans.

Remie, the bezpopovtsy (priestless) Old Believers will not recognize this patriarch or his hiearchy. My guess is that many of the popovtsy groups will acknowledge him.

As Brat Oleksander correctly pointed out, the Erie congregation is in an somewhat unusual position as they have accepted union with the ROCOR hierarchy to re-establish their own priesthood and recognize the ROCOR hierarchy.

Thanks Diak. I refered basically to the priestly Old Believers, if I'm not mistaken there are several groups in Russia.

Dear Alex,

Thanks for the news from the Old Believers in Russia. May I ask where you gathered the information, and if it possible to check the source of this news? It may be true, but it may want double checking...

There is an Old Believer Archbishop named Aristach (Kalinin). Perhaps he is the new Patriarch? He might have changed his name on becoming a Patriarch (a good old tradition).

Archbishop Aristach:
born in 1907 (which means he is now 95 years of age) in the Saratov oblast'
secular name Afanasii Spiridonovich Kalinin
ordained deacon 1951
ordained priest 1963, secretary to the bishop in Novozybkov and
priest at the catethedral there
made Archpriest in 1969 (therefore he was not a monk at the time - which means he may be a widower)
ordained bishop 1995
became "Archbisop of Novozybkov, Moscow and All Rusia" 1996

For those who are not too familiar with the "Russian Old Orthodox Church" which has its headquarters at Novozybkov (a small town in the Briansk oblast', very close to the borders
of Ukraine and Belarus', it is by far the smaller of the two Old Ritualist ecclesial communities having the three-fold hierarchy. In 1996 the
Nozozybkov group claimed 60 parishes in the former USSR and four parishes in Romania. The number may have increased since then.


Most people are more familiar with the "Russian Orthodox Old Ritualist Church", presently headed by Metropolitan Alimpij of Moscow and All Rus', headquartered in Moscow at the Rogozhskoie Cemetery. There are about 500 parishes. There is also a Metropoltan of this Church in Romania, with
jurisdiction over parishes and faithful in the diaspora. These are the ones who have a bishop in Oregon who is responsible for their communities in Canada, the USA and Australia. They originally derived their hierarchy from the Ecumenical
Patriarchate. The Erie parish mentioned is not with this group, either, but is in communion with the ROCA.

I would like to know more about this news, only to be certain that it is not a rumor, and that the Archbishop Aristarch is the one who is now Patriarch. It is worth checking, as this poor bishop who is 95 years old is taking on quite a trial with his new title and responsibility. He will certainly need the support of prayer!

If anyone wants to get the story from the source, and to know if it is really true, the telephone numbers of the Archbishop (Patriarch?) and the Chancery in Novozybkov are [+7] 8343/32632/34262
according to the 1999-2000 Orthodoxia directory from Regensburg.

Bless me a sinner, Venerable Father!

Just so you know I'm telling the truth , here is a link with an actual interview with Patriarch Alexander:

http://staroobrad.ru/arch-alex.htm

Alex (not the Patriarch)