Expansion of Sretensky Monastery Planned

Plans are being made for the expansion of Moscow's Monastery of the Presentation, which is the city's largest in population (with 40 monks and 150 seminarians in residence), but smallest in size. The Monastery hopes to build a Church of the Holy New Martyrs of Rus' 'on the Blood' in memory of the New Martyrs murdered by the Soviet secret police at Lubyanka (which is next door to the Monastery and was built on part of its pre-Revolution territory), which may be consecrated in 1917 during the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution. More here.

New Milan Synod Metropolitan

The Milan Synod has elevated one of its North American hierarchs to the rank of metropolitan and will be consecrating two auxiliary bishops to assist him in his pastoral duties despite the rather small size of the Synod's North American flock. More on that here.

The Milan Synod also recently posted a rather confused and confusing statement on one of its news websites saying that it is "not in fraternal relation with any Russian churches ('in the catacombs'), only the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Rus'." How this can be when the Russian Orthodox Church does not have any communion with the Milan Synod is unclear.

Update: According to Milan Synod sources the new metropolitan will head a self-governing/autonomous church with jurisdiction over the British Isles and the Americas. Archimandrite Fanourios (Michael) has already been consecrated auxiliary Bishop of Lincoln. Archimandrite Michael (Acosta) will be consecrated at a later date. More on that here. The newly autonomous church under the Milan Synod in North America lists 31 parishes, missions, and monastic communities on its website.

Remains of 5,000 Purge Victims Uncovered in Tatarstan

The Russian Orthodox Church's Diocese of Kazan' has called upon the government of the Republic of Tatarstan (a member state of the Russian Federation) to establish a memorial to victims of Stalin's purges at Holy Dormition Monastery in Sviyazhsk following the discovery there of the remains of some 5,000 people killed between the 1920s and the 1940s when the site was used as an NKVD (later KGB) camp. The victims' remains were found during work to restore the monastery, which prior to its return to the Church in 1997 had been used as a mental institution and boarding school for delinquent boys (as well as the above). More here.