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The Resolutions The Sobor of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad took place from 5/18 November to 7/20 November 2004 in Mansonville (Canada) and was presided over by Metropolitan Vitaly, the First-Hierarch of ROCA. From Protocol №1 of the Sobor of
Bishops The session began at 11 a.m., opening with the singing of the prayer: «Today hath the grace of the Holy Spirit brought us together...». Present were: Metropolitan Vitaly, the First-Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the President of the Sobor of Bishops, Bp. Sergii of Montreal and Eastern Canada, Bp. Vladimir of San Francisco and Western America, Bp. Varfolomey of Edmonton and Western Canada, Bp. Antonii of Los Angeles and South America, Bp. Viktor of Slaviansk and Southern Russia, Mitred Protopriest Veniamin Zhukoff, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, Protopriest Nikolai Semenov, assistant to Metropolitan Vitaly in the Western European eparchy. Ustav We resolved: - To rescind the decision made on 23 October/5 November 2001 regarding the naming of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad as «The Russian Orthodox Church in Exile». - To rescind the resolution regarding the Ustav approved on 15/28 November 2003 on account of the practical difficulties of employing it in the life of the Church and to return to the former Ustav, approved by the ROCA Sobor of Bishops in 1964 with essential changes to it in §1 and §2. Pr. 1 - The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad is an inseparable, self-governing part of the local Orthodox Church of Russia, as per the Decree of Patriarch St. Tikhon, the Holy Synod and the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council of 7/20 November 1920, №362. These conditions made provision for the physical impossibility of communicating with the Supreme Church Authority in Russia, just as they did for the cessation of activity on the part of this authority, subsequently destroyed by the theomachs. The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad is the successor of the thousand-year-old Russian Orthodox Church. Pr. 2 - The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad consists of eparchies and their parishes, governed by a lawful hierarchy; of ecclesiastical communities; of spiritual missions and monasteries, together with the hallowed sites and objects belonging to them, both abroad and in Russia. The election of a new member of the Synod of Bishops We resolved to elect His Eminence, Bishop Antonii of Los Angeles and South America, as a new member of the Synod of Bishops. The election of Vice-president of the Synod of Bishops We resolved to elect His Eminence, Bishop Sergii of Montreal and Eastern Canada, as the Vice-president of the Synod of Bishops. The Matter of Archbishop Varnava Bishop Vladimir made a report regarding the matter of Archbishop Varnava. Reports regarding the eparchies All present Hierarchs made oral reports regarding their eparchies. From Protocol
№2
of the Sobor of Bishops The signing of the protocol A supplemental clarification regarding the Ustav presented by the Secretary of the Synod of Bishops The Matter of Archbishop Varnava
Archbishop Varnava did not appear in response to the 18 September/ On the basis of the report made on the eve, the Sobor of Bishops passed decision №47/04/M, dated 6/19 November 2004 concerning the deposing of Archbishop Varnava. The anathematizing of «sergianism» After summarizing the antichristian essence of sergianism, and after studying the anathemas already laid down in this matter by the Catacomb Bishops, the Sobor of Bishops adopted the text of the anathematization of sergianism. The Resolution of the Sobor of Bishops concerning the heresy of sergianism «To those who affirm the antichristian sergianist heresy; to those who teach that the Church of Christ is ostensibly saved through union with Christ's enemies, who reject the podvig of martyrdom and confession of the faith, who set up a pseudo-church on the grounds of Judas, and who, for this purpose, permit the doctrine, canons and moral laws of Christianity to be violated; to those who direct Christians to worship a theomachic regime, ostensibly given by God, and to serve it not out of fear but for conscience's sake, blessing all its iniquities; to those who justify the persecution of the True Church of Christ by the theomachs, thinking that they thereby serve God, - as, indeed, did the continuators of the renovationist heresy, Metropolitan Sergii Stragorodskii and all his followers - Anathema!» A Conciliar Epistle The Sobor of Bishops worked out and adopted the text of an Epistle to all the faithful sons and daughters of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Metropolitan Vitaly's Declaration concerning the Lazarite Grouping In connection with the fact that the Lazarite grouping constantly shields itself with his name, His Eminence, Metropolitan Vitaly personally wrote a declaration concerning his non-recognition of the unlawful cheirotonias carried out by Archbishop Lazar and Bp. Veniamin: «I, Metropolitan Vitaly, consider the cheirotonias of hieromonks Dionisii, Germogen, Tikhon and Iriney, carried out by Archbishop Lazar and Bishop Veniamin to be unlawful. And I declare that I have no prayerful and liturgical communion with them». +Metropolitan Vitaly
(signature) From
Protocol
№3 of the Sobor of Bishops The signing of the
protocol The honouring of Metropolitan Vitaly with the designation of «Most-Blessed» DECISION For his many years of heading the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and more than fifty years of service as a hierarch, the Sobor of Bishops has decided to honour His Eminence, Metropolitan Vitaly, with the designation of «Most-Blessed». Concerning the Glorification of Metropolitan Philaret The establishment of a commission for the preparation of the glorification of ever-memorable Metropolitan Philaret among the saints. The Protocol of the Synod of Bishops Awards to the clergy The Synod of Bishops, which took place following the Sobor of Bishops, has resolved to award priest Alexander Prince Amilakhvari a golden pectoral cross for his selfless service to the Church of Christ. The documents were signed by: +Metropolitan Vitaly |
