New Bishop of Bishkek Arrives in Kyrgyzstan

The recently consecrated Bishop Feodosiy (Gazhu) of Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan has been presented in his new diocese, which has jurisdiction over the whole of the Orthodox Church in Kyrgyzstan. Bishop Feodosiy arrived in Kyrgyzstan after first spending time with Metropolitan Vikentiy (Morar) of Tashkent in Uzbekistan. More (in Russian) here.

Russian Orthodox Holy Synod Creates 10 Regional Metropolias, 13 New Dioceses

This is a little dated, but as I couldn't find any specifics on the recent fall session of the Holy Synod I thought I would post some here.

At the fall session of the Russian Orthodox Holy Synod earlier this month the Holy Synod decided to create a number of new eparchies for the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia and Kazakhstan. In European Russia the Holy Synod established the Eparchies of Balashov, Buzuluk, Kasimov, Orsk, Pokrovsk-Engels, and Skopin; in Siberia the Eparchies of the Amur (with its seat at Komsomolsk-na-Amure in Khabarovsk Territory), Bratsk, Kyzyl (for the Orthodox Church in Tyva), and Sayansk; and in Kazakhstan the Eparchies of Kokshetau, Petropavlovsk, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. In addition to the thirteen new eparchies it established the Holy Synod also approved the creation of ten regional metropolitanates for the Orthodox Church in Mordovia, the Irkutsk, Orenburg, Rostov-na-Donu, Ryazan, Saratov, and Sverdlovsk Regions, and the Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Primorye Territories.

Following its decisions on the diocesan structures of the Church the Holy Synod transferred Archbishops Panteleimon of Orlov to the Eparchy of Krasnoyarsk, Anthony of Krasnoyarsk to the Eparchy of Orlov, and Gabriel of Blagoveshchensk to the Eparchy of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Bishop Guriy of Magadan to the Eparchy of Petropavlovsk. It also elected Archimandrite Lukian (Kutsenko) as Bishop of Lodeynoye Pole and auxiliary of the Eparchy of St. Petersburg, Archimandrite Ioann (Pavlikhin) as Bishop of Magadan, Igumen Veniamin (Kirillov) as Bishop of Ardatov, Igumen Feofan (Kim) as Bishop of Kyzyl and Tyva, Igumen Ireney (Tafun) as Bishop of Orsk, Igumen Stefan (Gordeyev) as Bishop of Alatyr and auxiliary of the Eparchy of Cheboksary, Igumen Feodosiy (Gazh) as Bishop of Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan, Igumen Dionisiy (Poruba) as Bishop of Kasimov, Igumen Taras (Vladimirov) as Bishop of Balashov, Igumen Pakhomiy (Bruskov) as Bishop of Pokrovsk, Igumen Artisarkh (Yatsurin) as Bishop of the Amur, Igumen Yefraim (Prosyanka) as Bishop of Nikolayev and auxiliary of the Eparchy of Khabarovsk, Igumen Maksimilian (Klyuyev) as Bishop of Bratsk, Hieromonk Nikolai (Pogrebnyak) as Bishop of Balashikha and auxiliary of the Eparchy of Moscow, Hieromonk Guriy (Fedorov) as Bishop of Arsenev, and Hieromonk Vladimir (Samokhin) as Bishop of Skopin.

Lastly, in addition to dealing with other matters the Holy Synod also resolved to petition the next session of the Hierarchical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (consisting of all the metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops of the Church) to designate the Metropolitans of Astana and Tashkent as permanent members of the Holy Synod due to their leadership of the Orthodox Churches in Kazakhstan and Central Asia respectively.

A full account of the Holy Synod's recent session can be found here.

Bishop Cyril of Stavropol' Meets with Cossack Clergy

Bishop Kirill (Pokrovskiy) of Stavropol' has met with the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church serving Cossack communities and organizations in Russia proper to discuss issues in the lives of Russia's Cossacks. Singled out in particular were the growing influence of neo-paganism amongst the Cossacks and plans to resettle Cossacks immigrating from Kyrgyzstan in southern Russia. More (in Russian) here.

Church Vandals in Kyrgyzstan Arrested

Kirghiz police have arrested suspects in the recent church vandalism. More here.

Church Vandalized in Bishkek

Apparently crimes against churches are becoming more common as Kyrgyzstan becomes increasingly destabilized. St. Vladimir's Church in the country's capital, Bishkek, was vandalized this past weekend. Other Orthodox churches in the country as well as a cemetery have been vandalized, in most cases in the process of being searched for money and valuables. Interfax's story on the Bishkek robbery can be found here.