South American ROCOR Bishop Visits Venezuela Parishes

Bishop John (Berzins) of Caracas, administrator of the Eparchy of Buenos Aires of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), has made his first pastoral visit to his cathedra and the other Venezuelan parishes of the ROCOR. More (in Russian) here.

The country's parishes were largely established by the wave of imperial Russian and Soviet emigres and refugees leaving Europe after World War II. Although many later moved on to the United States and other countries, as was the case with my godmother's family, many also settled permanently in Venezuela and have been joined in recent years by a second wave of Russian Orthodox emigres from Belarus.