Bishops’ Conference of the ROCA Diaspora District

On November 15 and December 6, 2024, a Bishops’ Conference of the ROCA Diaspora District was held (via Zoom) with the participation of the District Council.

The following issues were discussed:

1. The School of Theology

After 6 years, it appears that the format, in which the School of Theology functioned, has already exhausted itself. It is necessary to convene a meeting with our teachers to discuss what changes we can make in the next school year.

2. The rules for the reception into our Church of those who come from the Moscow Patriarchate (MP).

In previous years, ROCA received parishioners of the MP through confession and communion. But times are changing. The MP is increasingly deviating from the true Church in the direction of full apostasy.

Often, those who come to our services from the MP do not understand the difference between our Church and the MP. We must explain to such people that it is unacceptable for anyone to take communion with us, and then go to the church of the Moscow Patriarchate and commune there. There is a need to introduce stricter rules for reception from MP.

Archbishop Andronik shared that at a recent meeting of the North American Diocese, the following decision was made on the rules for reception parishioners who have been baptised in the MP.

•          If the baptism was performed in three immersions, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we must perform only chrismation.

•          If the baptism was performed through sprinkling, then full baptism and chrismation must be performed.

It goes without saying that it concerns only those who will join our Church in the future, and not those who are already our parishioners.

The Bishops will issue a decree on the new rules for reception from the MP.

3. It was decided to draw up a document that would define our attitude towards the MP, as well as some other issues such as Freemasonry, “Cyprianism”, vaccination against Covid, etc.

4. It is necessary to update information about clergy and parishes on our websites.

5. In our parishes there exists a different practice of celebrating the memory of St Philaret of New York – on the Sunday closest to November 8/21 (the day of his repose), and December 1/14 – the namesday of St. Philaret. It was decided to consider both dates as days of commemoration of St Philaret, leaving it to the discretion of the parish rector on which day to perform his service.