A general assembly of the Archdiocese of Russian Parishes in Western Europe, or rather the part of it that joined the Moscow Patriarchate in 2019, is set to take place in Paris. The assembly was postponed in the summer, officially because of the heat. Since then, the agenda has shifted in Moscow’s favour.
This was reported by Orthozombies.
According to the article, the summer agenda included a proposal to elect bishops independently within the Archdiocese and even a possible move to another ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Two episcopal candidates proposed by the ageing Metropolitan John (Renneteau), Abbot Victor Crețu and Archpriest Anatoly Negruta, were not approved by the Moscow Patriarchate, which simply ignored letters from the Archdiocese.
“Renneteau then decided to act independently. But for some reason, he changed his mind. The agenda now includes the consecration of an entirely different candidate, the celibate Archpriest Matthew Leshchinsky. This nomination represents, at the very least, a compromise with Moscow,” the article states.
In addition, documents have been published on the website of the Diocese of Chersonesus, part of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Exarchate in France, purporting to prove that the plot of land on which the Alexander Nevsky Church on Rue Daru was built in the 19th century was purchased by Emperor Alexander II and the government-controlled Holy Synod. Following the Russian Revolution, the church became the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Parishes of Russian Tradition.
The documents “were discovered in local archives by independent researchers and founders of the Association for the Protection and Preservation of Russian Historical Heritage in France, Alain Banon and Sylvie Dutto.” Banon and Dutto are known for their active involvement in the legal proceedings through which the Russian Orthodox Church gained control of St Nicholas Cathedral in Nice. In other words, Metropolitan John and members of the Archdiocesan Council were being sent a clear message that the Moscow Patriarchate could take control of the cathedral, and potentially other properties as well.
“There are rumours that Archbishop Savva Tutunov is largely orchestrating the administrative decisions concerning the Archdiocese’s future within the Moscow Patriarchate. Just days ago, he announced that he had renounced his French citizenship. A native of Paris, he was a protégé of Archbishop Sergius Konovalov, who led the Archdiocese for many years under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 2001, Archbishop Sergius recalled how Metropolitan Kirill, now Patriarch, had already attempted to implement a plan to annex the Archdiocese, which at the time was an exarchate,” the article states.
As LF previously reported, members of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe, which joined the Moscow Patriarchate in 2019, have accused the Patriarchate of obstructing its operations, particularly by ignoring matters relating to episcopal appointments.
We previously reported that Archbishop Savva (Tutunov) of Zelenograd, one of the most prominent representatives of the nationalist wing of the Russian Orthodox Church, had formally renounced his French citizenship.
