Clergy and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church MP appealed to the Council of Bishops with the support of Bishop Diomede • Sova • RIMA

Clergy and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church MP appealed to the Council of Bishops with the support of Bishop Diomede

On June 28, 19,987 clergy and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church MP sent an appeal to the bishops' council in support of Bishop Diomede, who was defrocked . “There are no violations of church canons in the actions of the Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomede. The appeals are based on the current Constitution of the Russian Federation,” they believe.

The authors of the appeal also call on the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church to “demand from the authorities the introduction of an alternative data recording system and approval of a passport form that does not offend the feelings of believers,” to accelerate the introduction of the subject “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” in Russian educational institutions according to Borodina’s program and to abandon the new style. In addition, the document condemns ecumenism “as a heresy.”

Serious concern was also expressed “for the safety of Bishop Diomede of Anadyr and Chukotka, who dared to voice the most pressing problems in the “Address” (dated 6 (19) 2007), which concern all Orthodox citizens and require their resolution at the Local Council.”

In July, a telegram was published from 137 laymen of the Chukotka diocese who came out in support of Bishop Diomede. “We will not accept any other Bishop instead of Bishop Diomede, because we consider the decision of the Council of Bishops to be unfair. Bishop Diomede and we, his flock, are not schismatics, but people who expressed pain about the fate of the Orthodox Church, who took advantage of the value of freedom and human rights noted in the document “Fundamentals of the teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church on dignity, freedom and human rights”, adopted at the Council of Bishops,” the text of the appeal says.

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