By God’s grace, in execution of the resolutions decided upon between 3/26 and 7/20 May 2003 by the Sobor of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (under the omofor of His Eminence, Metropolitan Vitaly), three new bishops were consecrated in the Cathedral of All the Saints Who Shone Forth In the Russian Land, in Paris (France).

On 15/28 June 2003, Antony (Rudei) was consecrated as the Bishop of Beltsk (Moldavia), the Vicar of the European eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. The consecration was performed by His Eminence, Varnava [Barnabas], the Archbishop of Cannes and of Europe, the Deputy First-Hierarch of ROCA, and by His Grace, Varfolomey [Bartholomew], the Bishop of Grenada. The Candidate was issued a Certificate of Consecration [Stavlennicheskaya Gramata], signed by Archbishop Varnava and Bishop Varfolomey, and bearing Archbishbishop Varnava’s hierarchical seal.

On 16/29 June 2003, Hieromonk Anastasy (Surzhik) was consecrated as the Bishop of Vladivostok and the Far Eastern jurisdiction of the ROCA(V) Synod of Bishops. The consecration was performed by the Most Reverend Bishops: Sergii, the Bishop of Mansonville; Varfolomey, the Bishop of Grenada; and Antony, the Bishop of Beltsk. The Candidate was issued a Certificate of Consecration, signed by the hierarchs who had performed the consecration.

On 17/30 June, Hieromonk Viktor (Pivovarov) was consecrated as the Bishop of Slavyansk, the Vicar of the European eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. [Priest Viktor had kept his former name – albeit, in honour of another saint – when he had been tonsured a monk.] The consecration was performed by the Most Reverend Bishops: Sergii, the Bishop of Mansonville; Varfolomey, the Bishop of Grenada; Antony, the Bishop of Beltsk; and Anastasy, the Bishop of Vladivostok and the Far East. The Candidate was issued a Certificate of Consecration, signed by the hierarchs who had performed the consecration.

To all the consecrated hierarchs: Eis pollas eti despota!