Following the survey of all the Hierarchs conducted by Metropolitan Vitaly, the First-Hierach of ROCA, the Synod of Bishops, at its 25 June/8 July 2004 session, adopted the following resolution concerning His Eminence Archbishop Varnava, who did not attend this meeting after being called to do so: The Decision Regarding Archbishop Varnava 36/04/М 25
June/ 8 July 2004 We heard: the Report concerning the destructive activities of Archbishop Varnava and, in part, concerning his refusal to recognize the decisions of the Sobor, the majority of which he himself signed, as well as his spreading of false information regarding the handling of affairs by the Synod of Bishops. The following charges are brought against Archbishop Varnava: 1) His refusal to recognize the Sobor's decision of 8/21 August 2002 concerning Archbishop Lazar's group and the corresponding Ukaz of 1/14 November 2003, as well as the fact of his providing all sorts of support to Lazar's group, up to and including the publication of his declarations and Epistles upon their official internet website. 2) His refusal to recognize the decisions of the Sobor of 16-20 May 2003, which were resolved upon and signed by Vladyka Metropolitan and Bishops Sergii, Vladimir and Varfolomey, with some of them having been signed by [Archbishop Varnava] himself. In a letter dated 14/27 December 2003, Archbishop Varnava declared that "[Their] candidacies were 'accepted' in the month of May in entirely abnormal circumstances', which he himself had been responsible for creating, and that "one can speak of such a 'Sobor' only conditionally". He contested the hierotonia of Fr. Viktor Pivovarov, which he himself had proposed, rejecting it in June in Paris, and, at the same time, slandering Fr. Victor in the matter of his family situation and his ordination. 3) His refusal to recognize the 15/28 November 2003 decisions of the Synod and calling this Synod of Bishops (at which he himself was present, sealing all its decisions with his signature) "a conference of proto-priests" and the manner in which it conducted its affairs - "a glaring outrage" (Letter dated 14/27 December 2003) In part: - In the matter of changing the status of eparchies in accordance with the Regulations Concerning ROCA, given the available written responses from all the Hierarchs, Archbishop Varnava declares that the decisions adopted concerning the creation of new eparchies in Russia, being groundless, are unlawful and, consequently, void". (a letter to the Secretary of the Synod, dated 9/22 December 2003). - In the matter of Hieromonk Seraphim (Baranchikov), Archbishop Varnava, having himself signed the decision concerning his defrocking, subsequently permitted him to serve sacrilegious "divine services". 4) Despite the decision of the Sobor of 1998, concerning the release of the Rumanian eparchy from ROCA control, Archbishop Varnava, on his own authority, arbitrarily placed it under his omofor on 20 January/2 February 2002, thus violating common ecclesiastical regulations, and, at the same time, assured the Rumanian priests that Metropolitan Vitaly's letter of 26 March/8 April 2002, also bearing the signatures of Bishops Sergii and Vladimir and pointing out the immutability of the decisions of the Sobor of 1998, possesses only an historical significance. 5) The false declaration that the Ukazes concerning his being retired bear forged signatures: "Neither Vladyka Metropolitan..., nor the other Hierarchs signed them, nor could they have signed them, inasmuch as that would have been a lawless act on their part", thus changing the subject from being one of a conciliar decision to being one of a supposed interference in another's eparchy. 6) His refusal to recognize the decisions concerning the removal of sanctions imposed upon mitred Proto-priest Veniamin Joukoff, for, as is evident from the Ukaz of 6/19 January 2004, numbered № 24/04/М: "a thorough investigation of the charges brought against Fr. Veniamin revealed that they were groundless and unlawful, for, in accordance with Canon 16 of the Council of Carthage, the imposition of sactions cannot be based "upon animosity or bias". We have resolved: In view of the above-indicated violations, which clearly bear witness to Archbishop Varnava's refusal to submit to the Supreme Ecclesiastical Authority, regarding an entire array of vital issues dealing with the ecclesiastical well-being and moral arrangement of church life, and taking into account the written responses of all the Hierarchs: To prohibit Archbishop Varnava from conducting any further sacred services until such time as he repents. To remind Archbishop Varnava that one who dares to conduct Divine Services while under ban is deprived of his priestly rank. +Metropolitan
Vitaly, First-Hierarch of ROCA |
