www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN DELEGATIONS OF THE RUSSIAN AND SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES

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NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN DELEGATIONS OF THE RUSSIAN AND SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia met at the Patriarchal residence in Chisty lane on 21 January 2002.

Taking part in the negotiations on the part of the Moscow Patriarchate were Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Archbishop Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk, first deputy Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations; Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR Secretary for InterOrthodox Relations and Institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad; Priest Vitaly Tarasjev, Rector of the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade.

The Serbian Orthodox Church was represented by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Crna Gora and Primorje, Bishop Justin of Timok and Hieromonk Anthony, Rector of the Represnetation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Moscow.

The problems of further strengthening of interaction between the two Churches were discussed.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and His Holiness Patriarch Pavle noted the importance of resuming the activity of the Representation of the Serbian Church in Moscow.

The key subject of the negotiations was the problem of schisms in Ukraine and Macedonia. Metropolitan Amfilohije of Crna Gora made a report on the danger of schism on Crna Gora. The Metropolitan emphasized that the situations in Ukraine and Monte Negro were very difficult, as the schismatics find support in the structures of power.
Bishop Justin of Timok explained that besides the schisms in Ukraine, Macedonia and the brewing schism in Monte Negro there the attempts are being made to create a schismatic jurisdiction of the Romanian Patriarchate in the canonical territory of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Kirill noted that what is happening is similar to the events in Moldova, where the Romanian Patriarchate appointed Bishop in the canonical territory of the Moldavian Church. According to Metropolitan Kirill, there are problems connected with the legislation of the European Union, which encourages division on ethnical lines.

It was agreed to set up a working group of the two Churches to oppose the schisms.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy said that the Russian and Serbian Churches encountered the same problems and would oppose them together. His Holiness Patriarch Pavle emphasized that the schisms have always been a source of evil doings, and God has entrusted the Primates and bishops of the Orthodox Churches to do anything possible to overcome them.

After the negotiations His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and His Holiness Patriarch Pavle answered the questions of the press.

His Holiness Patriarch Pavle expressed his gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church and its authorities for their prayerful support and thanked Minister Sergei Shoigu for Extraordinary Situations and the staff of his ministry for assistance rendered to the Serbian people. The Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church expressed his concern about serious encroachments on ecclesiastical life in Kosovo. I was the Bishop of Kosovo for thirty-four years and I can see quite clearly that a certain part of the Albanians seeks ethnical cleansing in Kosovo. While the Albanians have returned to Kosovo, the Serbians have no opportunity to do so.

His Holiness Patriarch Pavle answered the question about an intention of Pope John Paul II of Rome to visit Serbia. He said that the Serbian Orthodox Church on the level of the Holy Bishops' Council responded that the time has not come for Pope's visit to Yugoslavia.

[From the website of the Moscow Patriarchate]

Question: what's this business about representation churches? I've only heard this with regard to Moscow, and I guess I understand the principle; namely, that other Orthodox Churches would maintain a presence in Moscow close to that Church and its Patriarch. If I've got it wrong, what is the purpose of this, and do other Churches follow this practice?

AFAIK "representation churches' are like embassies in a nation's capital, representing their respective bodies and technically not under their host country's jurisdiction (the US embassy in Moscow is considered American soil, US territory). The OCA, considered a separate Church by its mother, the ROC (MP), has such a representation church in Moscow, St Catherine's. Even though it is in Russia, it is not under Patriarch Alexis but Metropolitan Theodosius. (I think it may serve in English too.)

I didn't know about any schism in Montenegro.

I tend to agree with Brendan that now isn't the time for Orthodox to follow secular nationalism and bicker over such things.

As for Moldova, face it — it is Romanian. It has not rejoined Romania politically (yet) simply for practical (economic) reasons. Patriarch Alexis should acknowledge it is Romanian, not Russia, and let Patriarch Teotcist have it.

http://oldworldrus.com

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[ 01-31-2002: Message edited by: Serge ]

Do we have any representational churches in the USA? Are the Patriarchial parishes now of this status or something else? I also thought when the two Serbian Orthodox jurisdictions in the USA reconciled that some system was worked out. It would be interesting to visit these representational churches.

axios