ROCOR to Allow Investigation of Romanov Relics from Brussels

The Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia has approved the investigation of Romanov relics previously interred in the Memorial Church of St. Job in Brussels, noting only that it expects a "pious attitude" on the part of those investigating the relics as efforts to conclusively identify the purportedly Romanov remains interred in St. Petersburg's Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul continue. The Synod Abroad's full statement can be found here.

Decisions Taken on Jerusalem, Western Rites by ROCOR Synod

At its recent session the full Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) took several decisions regarding the life of the ROCOR, among them organizing a stavropeghial vicariate under the supervision of Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan for the care of the ROCOR's Western Orthodox faithful, the appointment of Hegumen Tikhon (Amelchenya) as head of the Synodal Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, the elevation of Bishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal to the rank of archbishop, and the blessing of a request that the Kursk-Root Icon visit the Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan.

In addition to the reports on the dioceses by its members the Synod Abroad also heard a report from Archbishop Justinian (Ovchinnikov) of Narofominsk on the state of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox representation to the American Orthodox Church (OCA) in the United States. Bishop Job (Smakouz) of Kashira, head of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox representation to the Canadian Orthodox Church (OCA), was not present at the session. More here.

Synod Abroad Releases Epistle

The Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) has released an epistle in commemoration of the anniversaries of the ROCOR's organization and the reunion of the Moscow Patriarchate and the ROCOR. The full text can be found here.

ROCOR Synod Abroad Meets in NYC

The Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia began meeting today in New York to discuss the life of the ROCOR and the upcoming 4th anniversary of the reconciliation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the former USSR with the ROCOR. More here.

Synod of Metropolitan Agathangel Meets in the USA

Last week a meeting of the Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) under Metropolitan Agathangel (Pashkovskiy) of Odessa was held at the Tolstoy Foundation in Valley Cottage, New York. At the meeting the assembled hierarchs, most of whom have been consecrated since Metropolitan Agathangel's schism from the mainstream ROCOR in 2007, agreed to publish an appeal to their clergy and faithful not to return to the Moscow Patriarchate. The Synod also approved plans for the establishment of a new international headquarters and residence for its first hierarch in New York. The consecration of the new headquarters' church, which will be dedicated to St. Philaret (Vosnesenskiy) the Confessor of New York, is to be celebrated on 19 November.

During the meeting Metropolitan Agathangel informed the Synod of his conversation with deposed Patriarch Irinaios (Skopelitis) of Jerusalem, claiming that he was deposed for his anti-ecumenical stance and could therefore continue to remain in communion with the schism as the ROCOR had been in communion with him prior to the 2007 reunion with Moscow. (This despite the fact that the strongly anti-ecumenical Patriarch Diodorus (Karivalis) of Jerusalem was never deposed during his patriarchate and the fact that the ROCOR remained in communion with Jerusalem when Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) was enthroned in 2005.) This is pending the agreement of the Synod in Resistance of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Lastly, the Synod considered an appeal from Old Calendrist parishes in Georgia for reception into the ROCOR. More on the Synod's discussions can be found 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!

First 2011 Session of Russian Orthodox Synod Abroad

At the first 2011 session of the Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) preparations were begun for a hierarchical council of the ROCOR to be held this May and for the upcoming visit of Metropolitan Christopher (Pulec) of Prague of the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church. Fr. Oleg Smirnov of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand was also defrocked per his request. More here.

Epistle of the Synod Abroad on the 90th Anniversary of the ROCOR

The epistle of the Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia on the occasion of its 90th anniversary can be found here.