Hegumen Andrei. Letter to parishioners

Dear parishioners,

I appeal to you with an explanation of the current church situation.

The Metropolitan’s actions over the last few years have consistently faced resistance from the Church’s people. This happened in Australia, in Russia, and in America. Why is this happening? Is this because the Church is inundated with FSB agents, as the Metropolitan suggests? Or is this because people are ignorant, do not know the canons and do not respect the hierarchy? – Not at all. The reason is that “the Body of the Church itself, namely the people, are the guardian of piety within the Church” (Encyclical Letter of the Eastern Patriarchs). Any and all falsehood introduced into the Church meets resistance from the faithful. In the Church – the Body of Christ, the conscience of the church people reacts to every falsehood, similarly to how the immune system reacts to any infection in the human body.

So, what is wrong with the approach taken by Metropolitan Agafangel? – His actions are influenced by his misconceptions about the Church. The Metropolitan expresses his misconceptions about the Church in words and also shows them by his actions. Metropolitan Agafangel’s church is a hierarchical structure like any other worldly organization. The leader is in charge and everything is subject to his will. However, the Church is not governed by the will of a man, but by the will of God. A quote from Metropolitan Anthony of blessed memory has been preserved: “The Church is governed by the Holy Spirit, but the bishops interfere with His actions.”

When Met. Agafangel encounters resistance from the Church to his plans he does not give up, he does not back down, but uses his authority to cut away the disobedient from the Church. In this manner, he cuts away from the Church everything spiritually alive, everything sincere, conscientious, fervent. Having subjected the synod of bishops to his total control, now the Metropolitan is creating an “obedient church” where instead of all the canons and rules, there will only be Rule №1: “The boss is always right”.

We are being accused of creating a schism. This is a lie. A person can only be blamed for an action if he has an option to act differently. For example, a person who went to the beach instead of to church can be blamed for not attending church. However, if the person did not attend church because he was paralysed and confined to his bed, such an accusation is unfair. Those who accuse us of creating a schism obviously believe that we can act differently. Otherwise, their accusation would not make sense.

Let us now look at our situation. What options are available to the priests under the omophorion of Vl. Andronik? To submit to the decree of the synod, which sent our Vladika into retirement and deprived him of his diocese? But this would mean to accept injustice and iniquity. We know very well that Vl. Andronik has done nothing deserving such a severe punishment. I still have not met anyone who would dare to assert that the decision of the synod against Vl Andronik was just. To agree with this injustice would mean to become accountable for it to a certain extent.

However, there are people who recognize that the Synod has committed an injustice, but insist that we must accept this decision. This is the slippery slope of the Pharisee’s thought process. Let them show us where in the Gospel does Christ approve untruth and injustice? And if they cannot do this, then why do they lie against the Truth? We must act in accordance with God’s will in every situation. We must mentally ask ourselves: “Lord, how do You want me to act?”. How could it be pleasing to God for us to agree with injustice? This line of thought is close to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. A Prophet said to such people: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good – evil, who put darkness for light, and light-darkness” (Is 5, 20.).

Thus, we do not have another option which is morally acceptable. It is not we that are creating a schism, instead we are being cut off from the Church because we are not fit to be the building material for the church structure being built by Metropolitan Agafangel.

There is also another option: to go over to the Greek Old Calendar Church. But why do I have to go somewhere? We should neither run away nor hide but instead defend truth. On the other hand the Russian Church passed through incredible trials in the 20th century: firstly the persecution from atheists and, secondly, sergianism. Sergianism is a phenomenon of a false church – formally canonical and “Orthodox”, but foreign to Christ. The spiritual understanding of sergianism, obtained through the past experiences of the Russian Church, is especially valuable in our times, the time before the appearance of Antichrist. The Greek Church didn’t live through sergianism, and does not have this experience.

Many of us are confused and ask: Who should we believe? Our rector, who will be responsible for us before God? Or self-proclaimed teachers who distribute their messages, with lots of words, but little thought?

We should believe in God, not people. The truth will be revealed to a pure heart after a fervent and sincere prayer, to anyone who loves the truth and wants to know it. Only a spiritual feeling is able to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Our Church is in a deep crisis. Formally, we have a Council of Bishops and a Synod, but in reality, this is all a fiction. The Church is governed solely by the Metropolitan, who has usurped all power in the Church. This structure, appearing formally lawful, is in reality uncanonical, and is damaging to the Church. Throughout church history, even from the times of the Apostles, we know that difficult issues were resolved by the convening of councils. Recently two dioceses under Vl. Andronik and Vl. Sophrony initiated the convening of the All-Diaspora Council.

Are we acting lawfully in convening the All-Diaspora Council? According to a strict application of the rules such an action is not lawful, because an All-Diaspora Council can only be initiated by the Metropolitan and the Synod. However, since the Metropolitan and the Synod are themselves the cause of the disease, we cannot expect them to cure the illness. Met. Agafangel has caught us in a canonical trap from which there is no escape, if you follow the letter of the law. Given our situation, we are following the only correct and
lawful path, not the letter of the law.

Our situation is similar to that of the Church in Western Russia after the Brest Union (1596). Michael, the Metropolitan of Kiev, and five bishops, secretly signed a union with the Catholics. Then the two bishops, who remained loyal to Orthodoxy, along with the faithful, convened a church council and excommunicated the apostates.

We are living through a historic moment: the All-Diaspora Council will be convened. The task of the Council is to restore the canonical, conciliar structure of our Church. Everyone must participate in the preparations for this Council: firstly, through general church prayers for the success of the Council, secondly, in the election of the delegates, and, thirdly, in expressing their wishes and thoughts.

Temptations are inevitable with all good initiatives. This is a spiritual law. Such a great and important initiative as the convening of the All-Diaspora Council, especially in these difficult and exceptional circumstances, must pass through a crucible of temptations. And, unfortunately, we are seeing that many are confused and are not overcoming the temptations.

As rector of the parish, I appeal to you with a word of exhortation: do not succumb to the temptations, do not believe those who speak out loudly reproaching this good initiative. Otherwise the All-Diaspora Council will be held, but without you. And thus your only option will be a late repentance.

H. Andrei