Russian Orthodox Patriarch Meets With Riga Mayor

In a meeting with the mayor of Riga, Nil Ushakov, Russian Orthodox Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) has called upon the Latvian government to recognize Russian as an official language of the Latvian state, noting that nearly half of the Latvian population speaks Russian as its first language and yet have been disenfranchised in the country as non-citizens despite their long residency in it. More here.

Conference of Russian Orthodox Hierarchs Abroad Held in London

A conference of Russian Orthodox hierarchs serving outside the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate involving diocesan and auxiliary hierarchs of both dioceses directly under the Patriarchate and under the autonomous Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) as well as Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk has been held in London, England. Hierarchs representing dioceses in North America, Oceania, and Western Europe were present for the conference.

In addition to concelebrating together the gathered hierarchs discussed issues relating to joint pastoral work between the various dioceses (previously separated by the split between the Russian Orthodox Church in the USSR and the ROCOR), 'internal missionary work' relating to the Belorussian/Russian/Ukrainian Diasporas, 'external' missionary work amongst the non-Orthodox peoples of the West, differences in liturgical practice, and variations in how converts are received into the Russian Orthodox Church outside the former USSR.

A summary of the conference, which also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the organization of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox diocese in the United Kingdom, can be found here.

Metropolitan Anthony of Kiev

Joyous feast! Today marks the 75th anniversary of the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kiev, a onetime contender for the patriarchal cathedra of the Russian Orthodox Church and the founding first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) after the triumph of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War.

The future Metropolitan Anthony was born in March 1863 to members of the eastern Ukrainian nobility from the area of Kharkov as Aleksey, so named after St. Alexis of Rome. As a child Aleksey desired to live the monastic life and became closely involved in the divine services, even meeting, while serving in the sanctuary, the future missionary St. Nicholas (Kasatkin) of Tokyo in St. Petersburg. While still a child the future metropolitan even composed a Slavonic-language service to Sts. Cyril and Methodius that was later approved for use by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

After finishing his primary education Aleksey entered the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and at the age of twenty-two, having finished his theological studies, was tonsured a monk with the name Anthony and ordained first to the deaconate and then to the priesthood. Fr. Anthony served as an inspector at his alma mater, but was exiled to the Kholm Theological Seminary in the western reaches of the Russian Empire when he refused to denounce the seminarians under his care to the authorities.

Fr. Anthony remained in Kholm for a year before being recalled to St. Petersburg to teach at the Academy. During his time as a professor Fr. Anthony strongly defended the movement calling for the restoration of the Russian Orthodox Church's patriarchate and attracted many of the seminarians, among them the future Patriarch St. Tikhon (Bellavin), to the monastic life through his example. At the age of twenty-seven Fr. Anthony was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and appointed rector of the Academy, becoming its youngest rector ever and a year later being transferred to serve as rector of the Moscow Theological Academy.

Due to the dislike of the newly enthroned Metropolitan of Moscow Fr. Anthony was transferred from the former imperial capital to Kazan, where he taught at the Kazan Theological Academy before being elected to the episcopate at the age of thirty-four as Bishop of Christopol' and auxiliary of the Eparchy of Kazan. Within three years Bishop Anthony was elected ruling Bishop of Ufa, where he soon doubled the number of parishes in his diocese and ordained many non-Russians to the priesthood to minister to the area's native pagans and Muslims.

In 1902 Bishop Anthony was transferred to the Eparchy of Zhytomyr in Volhynia in the western reaches of the Russian Empire. During his twelve years in Volhynia Bishop Anthony did much to uproot the corruption that had been prevalent in the diocesan administration and amongst the Eparchy's clergy while also renewing the spiritual life of his flock and strengthening its witness to the area's many Ukrainian Catholics, Roman Catholics, and Jews. Despite the political tensions of the times Bishop Anthony, who was elevated to the rank of archbishop in 1906, protected Volhynia's Jews from pogroms by ultranationalists while also defending the institution of the monarchy during the revolutionary fervor of 1905. Archbishop Anthony also oversaw the renewal of the Pochaev Lavra, which built its great Cathedral of the Trinity during Archbishop Anthony's episcopate.

Archbishop Anthony remained unpopular in government circles for his support of the patriarchate and prevention of pogroms in Volhynia, but remained in Zhytomyr until Austria-Hungary discovered his involvement in missionary work amongst the Ruthenians living in northeastern Hungary as exarch of Ecumenical Patriarch Joachim III, at which point Vienna had pressure applied to have the archbishop transferred to the Eparchy of Kharkov in 1914.

When World War I began Archbishop Anthony became involved in caring for the wounded in local hospitals, visiting soldiers regardless of their nationality thanks to his command of the German language. He also took refugees from Serbia, among them the future Patriarch Barnabas, into his diocese, forging ties that would later be of vital importance to the survival of the ROCOR. Following the March Revolution in 1917 Archbishop Anthony was expelled from his diocese by the revolutionaries and retired to the Valaam Monastery for several months before being called back to Kharkov by his flock.

In late 1917 Archbishop Anthony arrived in Moscow to take part in the All-Russian Council then being held. When the patriarchate was restored and elections held Archbishop Anthony was the leading candidate of those proposed, receiving over a third of the votes in the first round of voting. When a lot of the top three was used to chose the next patriarch the archbishop's former pupil, St. Tikhon (Bellavin), was chosen by God to be the first restored Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.

Following the election Archbishop Anthony was elevated to the rank of metropolitan and, in 1918, transferred to the Eparchy of Kiev to replace the martyred Metropolitan St. Vladimir of Kiev. In Kiev he was imprisoned first by Ukrainian nationalists and then by the invading Poles before being liberated by the Whites in 1919. When the Soviets began occupying central Ukraine Metropolitan Anthony wanted to remain in his diocese, but was persuaded to board an evacuation ship to serve a thanksgiving for the capture of the Hagia Sophia by the Greeks (which had not taken place), with the ship weighing anchor as soon as the metropolitan was aboard.

In the huge Diaspora that formed following the end of the Russian Civil War Metropolitan Anthony initially thought that the refugees should submit to the Local Orthodox Churches on whose canonical territories they found themselves. Taking the precedent of the exiled Cypriot Orthodox Church, however, Metropolitan Anthony was persuaded in late 1920 to participate in Constantinople in the organization of a 'higher church authority,' with both the Church of Constantinople and Patriarch St. Tikhon approving the move that December.

In 1921 the headquarters of the 'higher church authority' were established in the former seat of the Orthodox Church of Austria-Hungary in Smreski Karlovci, Yugoslavia, and at the end of that year the first All-Diaspora Council took place there. In 1922 the authority was reorganized on the instruction of Patriarch St. Tikhon as the ROCOR with its own permanent local synod to direct its internal life until the Russian Orthodox Church in the USSR would be free again.

Metropolitan Anthony was recognized as the First Hierarch of the ROCOR and courageously led it throughout its early years, seeking to prevent the schisms of Metropolitans Eulogius of Paris and Platon of New York and also highlighting the war crimes committed by the Soviets both within the USSR and in northern China. In 1934 the aging Metropolitan Anthony together with St. Nicholas (Velimirovich) of Zhicha consecrated his spiritual son in monasticism, Archimandrite St. John (Maximovich), to the episcopacy as Bishop of Shanghai.

Two years after the consecration of St. John Metropolitan Anthony, then wheelchair-bound, reposed peacefully on this day in 1936 in Serbia. Three days later Patriarch Barnabas of the Serbian Orthodox Church together with six other hierarchs served Metropolitan Anthony's funeral in Belgrade's Cathedral of St. Michael, after which the metropolitan was buried in the city's new cemetery beneath the Chapel of the Icon of the Mother of God 'the Gatekeeper.'

More on Metropolitan Anthony's life and labors can be found here. May his memory be eternal!

Rue Daru Cathedral to Celebrate 150th Anniversary of Consecration

The Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Western Europe under the Ecumenical Patriarchate is preparing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the consecration of its diocesan seat, the Cathedral of St. Alexander of the Neva in Paris. The cathedral has long been a center of the large Russian community in the French capital and was the first Orthodox church to be built in the city. The upcoming anniversary of the cathedral's founding will be commemorated this September, with Archbishop Gabriel (de Vylder) of Comana leading the celebrations. More (in French) here.

Interview on Russian Orthodoxy in New Zealand

An interesting interview with Fr. Vladimir Boikov, head of the New Zealand Deanery of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad's Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, can be found here.

Kuban Cossacks in USA Commemorate World War II Massacre

This past Sunday the Lienz Tragedy, when 20,000 Kuban Cossacks were rounded up and handed over to the Soviet Union for execution following World War II, was commemorated by Russian Orthodox clergy and Kuban Cossacks visiting the Russian cemetery in Jackson, New Jersey, with a memorial. The ataman of the Kuban Cossacks living abroad was in attendance and spoke about the massacre following the memorial. More here.

"Russian Community Calls Austin Home"

The Daily Texan has run an article on an Austin area parish currently pastored by an old internet friend of mine, Hieromonk Aidan (Keller), that can be found here.

Supreme Ecclesiastical Council Meets in Moscow

The first session of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church was held today in Moscow, Russia, under the chairmanship of Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of All Rus'. The Council was recently established to guide the life of the Church between hierarchical councils in accordance with the decisions of the All-Russian Council of 1917 and 1918, whose reforms were implemented in parts of the Russian Diaspora (including in what is now the American Orthodox Church), but not in Rus' itself due to the Bolshevik Revolution. More (in Russian) here.

Kursk Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign

Joyous feast! Today is one of the three feast days of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign. This particular icon has such a long title for several reasons. The first is that it is an icon of the Mother of God of the Sign, a portrayal of our Lady grounded in the sign foretold by St. Isaiah ("behold, a virgin shall conceive"). The second is the way in which it was found on the ground next to a tree root. The third is that the place in which the icon was found is close to the city of Kursk in central Russia.

The Kursk-Root Icon was first discovered in the 13th century near what were then the ruins of Kursk, which had been destroyed during the Tatar invasion. It was quickly revealed to be wonderworking as the place on the ground where the Icon was found became a spring as soon as it was picked up. Since then the Mother of God has continued to work miracles through her icon - restoring it after its desecration by the Tatars, saving the city of Kursk from the Polish invasion, and protecting the faithful in Russia and throughout the world from sickness and harm.

Today the Kursk-Root Icon is best known as the 'Protectress of the Diaspora,' having left Russia following the end of the Russian Civil War and taken up residence in the Russian Diaspora since then. Since its departure from Russia the Icon has remained close to the Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), at one time residing in a hermitage built for it in New York before being transferred to the Cathedral of the Sign (dedicated to the Icon) in New York City.

More on the history and meaning of the Kursk-Root Icon can be found here. May the protection and intercessions of the Mother of God be with us always!

Bishop John of Caracas Interviewed on South American Diocese

An interesting Russian-language interview with auxiliary Bishop John (Berzins) of Caracas about the history and current state of the South American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) can be found here. Encouragingly, Vladyka John speaks of the need to transition to using more Spanish in the divine services so that the younger generations in South America are not completely lost to Orthodoxy.

My godmother spent several years with her family in Caracas, Venezuela, before moving on to the United States (as so many did in those days) and her stories about the life of the Russian Diaspora there following World War II are generally happy ones - the interview with Bishop John is another fascinating glimpse into the life of a part of the ROCOR that the rest of us often forget existed, much less exists to this day. Enjoy!

All-Diaspora Russian Orthodox Youth Conference Scheduled for July 2011

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia has scheduled its twelfth All-Diaspora Youth Conference, which shall take place this July in Paris, France. Youth from both the many countries in which the ROCOR is present and the former USSR will be participating in the conference. More here.

Russian Foreign Minister Pledges Support for Church Activities

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov has pledged his ministry's support for the international activities of the Russian Orthodox Church, saying that the Church "promotes the strengthening of spiritual and cultural relations between the Russian [Diaspora] and the home country." More here.

Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) on the Exodus

Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of New York has issued a statement on yesterday's anniversary of the 90th year since the Exodus from the Crimea of the White Army together with thirty Russian Orthodox hierarchs and many clergy and laity besides. May the refugees' memories be eternal!