Moscow bishopric

Today the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church opens in Moscow, which, according to its charter, is convened at least once every four years. The last time the Council of Bishops was held was in 2004.

Ruling bishops from Russian regions, CIS countries and foreign dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church (plus suffragan bishops who head synodal institutions and theological academies) came to the capital to participate in the Council. For the first time, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, headed by its First Hierarch, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, is taking part in the Council.
The Council will open with a report by Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'. Many important problems require a conciliar solution.

Its main theme is expected to be the unity of the Church. On the one hand, the Russian Orthodox Church has grown into the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, on the other hand, it risks losing its Ukrainian part: many experts predict the imminent creation of an autocephalous church in Ukraine. Therefore, one of the main items on the Council’s agenda will be a discussion of the problems of church schism and the position of the canonical Church in Ukraine.

The day before, the Holy Synod heard a report from Metropolitan Kirill on the development of the draft “Fundamentals of the teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church on dignity, freedom and human rights,” which at the Council should be adopted as an official document reflecting the position of the Church on human rights. Work on the project lasted for several years, its individual parts were discussed at conferences and round tables - and provoked sharp criticism from secular human rights activists for the vagueness of the wording and the vagueness of the statements. To what extent it was possible to distinguish between democratic norms and the doctrine of salvation, which essentially puts the church concept at the forefront, we will learn only after the publication of the document.

Another provision that awaits episcopal approval is the formation of a church court. Developed taking into account feedback sent from dioceses, the draft “Regulations on the ecclesiastical court of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)” was presented at a meeting of the Holy Synod back in April. The Council must adopt the draft, revised taking into account the comments of the Synod members, but what these comments are remains a mystery - it seems that the final document was not seen by anyone except its drafters.

Bishop Diomede of Anadyr and Chukotka, who refused to come to the Council, nevertheless, it seems, will not avoid consideration of his “personal matter.” The rebel bishop’s letters and appeals were subjected to theological and canonical analysis, as Metropolitan Philaret, head of the theological commission of the Russian Orthodox Church, said at yesterday’s Synod. Patriarch Alexy previously declared his readiness “for the benefit of church unity” to raise any issues at the Council—the “Diomede problem” will be a serious test of this readiness.

The public learns about the decisions made by the Council from briefings, press conferences and final documents - most reports and meetings of working groups of the media, even church media, are closed. However, almost the entire first day of the Council’s work is public, which is already an achievement: previously, the Bishops’ Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church were completely closed to the press.