(Russian version)
An Appeal Of His Eminence Metropolitan Vitaly, the First-Hierarch Of ROCA
In 1920, the so-called "Great All-Russian
Exodus" took place. The glorious Russian Army under the leadership of Gen.
Wrangel and, with it, 3 million refugees left Russia forever. Gen.
Wrangel, expecting these events in advance, prepared over 160 vessels and,
following the Moleben, at which both those who were already aboard ship
and those who remained on shore made a full prostration to each other, we
embarked upon our wandering. I was a small boy at the time, but within the
depths of my soul I felt and realized that I was beholding my Native Land
for the last time, until it vanished beyond the horizon. Somewhere in this
entire mass of humanity was the future First-Hierarch of the Russian
Orthodox Church Abroad, Metropolitan Antonii (Khrapovitskii). During that
selfsame year, Patriarch Tikhon, recognizing the critical situation in
which Russia and the Orthodox Church found themselves, as well as the fact
that he could be liquidated at any moment, issued Ukase No. 362 concerning
the creation of a new Synod outside Russia. This was the beginning of the
Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. In Russia there remained yet another part
of the Russian Orthodox Church — the Catacomb Church. She became the hated
foe of the Communist Party. The government tried — and still tries, to
this day — to destroy Her, but, due to God's mercy, is unable to do so.
Another question which arose before Stalin and his company was what to do
with all the Orthodox who were left in our Native Land. The Communists
recognized that, try as they might to destroy the Faith in the people,
they were not successful at doing so, and, on the contrary, the immense
numbers of believers kept increasing. And so, the Party, in its opinion,
found a way out of this situation. It created the so-called Moscow
Patriarchate, the members of which, from the very beginning, were and
continue to be Party members and KGB-men, to this very day. Throughout the
entire 80-plus years of our existence we understood who we were dealing
with, and their Party also was aware that they would not be able to move
us from our resolute and steadfast path.
Time passed and carried off those of our hierarchs who were faithful to
the ideals of the ROCA to the very grave. There came a time when I
recognized that I was left all alone. I had the choice of writing the
final chapter of the Church Abroad or of embarking upon the road once
more, and of again carrying away the true Orthodox Church to freedom with
me. Our Church became small, but preserved her crystal-like purity. Now,
the diminished Church Abroad is experiencing a difficult and frightful
page of her history. The complete collapse of the Synod of Met. Laurus is
the result of the long-since begun fall of mankind, i.e., of the final
apocalyptic times. The gates of hell have swung open and regiments of
devils have cast themselves upon a humanity which is already spiritually
weakened, as it is.
I would like to address all the faithful sons and daughters of the Church
Abroad and remind them, yet again, of our glorious, marvelous and fairly
recent past, and to describe how I view their future. I can calmly assert,
with a clear conscience, that we have remained faithful to the ideology
and principles of the R.O.C. and of that free part of Her which was
created by Patriarch Tikhon — the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Let them
condemn us, but we know that we have not departed from off our way and
have not sold out to the foe. Cast your gaze about you and look Truth [or:
Righteousness (Pravda)] in the eye. Can your current arch-pastors and
pastors do the same? I think not. Just as the American Jurisdiction [then
known as The Metropolia, now as the OCA], in its day, was captivated by
the MP and went into enslavement to Moscow, so now, too, the Synod of Met.
Laurus is doing the same. There is still time to repent and to return to
the right path. If your spiritual leaders are not aware of this, your
duty, while it is not yet too late, is to point out to them the entire
absurdity of their way of thinking. Do not allow several rotten apples to
spoil the entire basket. As concerns you yourselves, personally, know
this: the doors of our churches are open wide for you. Here, a certain
moment has come to memory. It was in Berlin. During the service, two
elderly men walked into the church. They kept gazing roundabout them, as
though seeking someone. At that moment, the name of Metropolitan Anastasii
was proclaimed. The old men began to smile and crossed themselves,
understanding that they had found themselves in their own church,
specifically. And such a moment will come for you, as well, when they
begin to commemorate Aleksii in your churches. Can it be that your hearts
will not flinch with pain? And it will be even the worse for you if you
will be able to make the sign of the cross in that moment. The head of the
MP once chanced to remark: "While Vitaly lives, there can be no union!"
Only in this alone was he correct. While I live, our Church Abroad will
not be consumed by Moscow!
The Lord gave me the strength to lead His Church along the right path and
I am relying upon God's mercy to extend my earthly life until such time as
I might, once again, see our Church One and Indivisible.
Once more, I call all of you to repentance and mutual love.
Metropolitan Vitaly
29/12 July 2004
The Holy Chief Apostles, Peter and Paul