| The Russian Orthodox Church will communicate with the EU through its representative office in Strasbourg The recent establishment of a representative office of the Russian Orthodox Church in Strasbourg at the Council of Europe should not be viewed as a political step. The Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (DECR) tried to convince the Vremya Novostei newspaper correspondent of this. There are a number of international organizations in Strasbourg, to which in certain cases a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church may be invited. Previously, the parish rector was required to receive advice from the ruling bishop before each visit, who, in turn, must contact the DECR of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Holy Synod and the patriarch himself. In this case, it was considered unnecessary bureaucracy and the chain was shortened. True, in a conversation with a correspondent of the Vremya Novostey newspaper, Deputy Chairman of the DECR Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin nevertheless said that the Russian Orthodox Church hopes for the active participation of its representative in European processes. “The Council of Europe discusses many issues relating to the life of believers. These are issues of international peacekeeping, religious freedom, the legal status of religious organizations, conflicts between religious structures. It is not surprising that the Catholic Church has a powerful lobbying structure in Strasbourg. Also in Strasbourg is the permanent office of the Conference of European Churches. And the Russian Church wants to constantly be in dialogue with the European community,” explained Vsevolod Chaplin.
Let us recall that at the end of last week the Holy Synod decided to withdraw the parish of All Saints in the city of Strasbourg from the Korsun diocese, increase its status, establish a representative office of the Russian Orthodox Church and instruct it to represent the position of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Council of Europe. Hegumen Filaret (Bulekov), who previously served as rector of the Sergius parish in Johannesburg (South Africa), was appointed rector of the parish and official representative of the Russian Church in Strasbourg. As told by Fr. Vsevolod Chaplin, Abbot Filaret also headed the DECR communications service at one time, then served in Damascus. “This is a young, but already very experienced clergyman and church diplomat, a person who speaks excellent English and French, who knows how to find a common language with a variety of people, both ecclesiastical and secular,” noted Fr. Vsevolod.
According to the DECR deputy chairman, today Father Philaret is not given any specific tasks other than caring for the Strasbourg Orthodox flock: previously there was no permanently present rector in this parish. What topics the new representative of the Russian Orthodox Church will have to negotiate on and whether he intends to defend the position of the Moscow Patriarchate on Kosovo before the Council of Europe will depend on the timing of his arrival in Strasbourg. Kirill VASILENKO |
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