The document was approved at a meeting of the Holy Synod on March 24, 2022 (Journal No. 5).
1. The Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa (hereinafter referred to as the “Exarchate”) is a canonical division of the Russian Orthodox Church, created for the purpose of coordinating the liturgical, catechization, publishing, charitable, educational and missionary activities of dioceses and other canonical divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church which are located on the territory of the Exarchate and are included in it.
2. Decisions regarding the creation or dissolution of the Exarchate, its name, territorial borders and the composition of its dioceses are made by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the “Holy Synod”) with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the “Council of Bishops”).
3. The area of the Exarchate’s pastoral responsibility includes the following countries:
The Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, State of Eritrea, Republic of Djibouti, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of the Seychelles, Central African Republic, Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Chad, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Niger, State of Libya, Tunisia Republic, Algerian People’s Democratic Republic, Kingdom of Morocco, Republic of Cape Verde, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Republic of Senegal, Republic of the Gambia, Republic of Mali, Burkina Faso, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guinea, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Liberia, Republic of Cote Ivory Coast, Republic of Ghana, Togolese Republic, Republic of Benin, Republic of South Africa, Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Botswana, Republic of Zimbabwe, Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Angola, Republic of Zambia, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Madagascar, Republic Mauritius, Union of Comoros, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabonese Republic, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.
4. The Exarchate carries out its activities in accordance with the holy canons, the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, as adopted by the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000 (hereinafter referred to as the “Canonical Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church”), other internal regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church, these Regulations, and in the case of registration of the Exarchate with the state as a legal entity – in accordance with the Charter of the Exarchate.
5. Decisions of Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, Councils of Bishops and the Holy Synod, as well as decrees and orders of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ are binding on the Exarchate, as well as on its constituent dioceses and other canonical divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
6. The Supreme Ecclesiastical Court and the Court of the Council of Bishops are the ecclesiastical courts of highest appeal for the Exarchate.
7. Supreme ecclesiastical authority within the Exarchate belongs to the Synod of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa (hereinafter referred to as the “Synod of the Exarchate”), headed by the Patriarchal Exarch of Africa (hereinafter referred to as the “Exarch”) with his title determined by the Holy Synod, and consisting of the diocesan bishops of the dioceses of the Exarchate. Vicar bishops from the dioceses of the Exarchate may, at the invitation of the Exarch, participate in meetings of the Synod with the right of casting an advisory vote.
8. The Holy Synod makes decisions regarding the registration of the Exarchate with the state.
9. The Regulations regarding the Exarchate and the Charter of the Exarchate are adopted by the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ (hereinafter referred to as the “Patriarch”).
10. The Synod of the Exarchate:
a) submits drafts of Exarchate diocesan charters, as well as amendments (additions) to them, for review by the Holy Synod and approval by the Patriarch;
b) ensures that the Exarchate maintains unity with the Russian Orthodox Church;
c) upon the recommendation of the Exarch, elects the secretary of the Synod of the Exarchate from among the bishops of the Exarchate, although the duties of the secretary of the Synod may be temporarily assigned to the Exarch himself;
d) submits, in the prescribed manner, for review by the Holy Synod, proposals for local or churchwide glorification of ascetics of piety who labored within the territory of the Exarchate;
e) establishes the general governing bodies of the Exarchate, appoints their heads and reviews annual reports on their activities;
f) approves Regulations regarding the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate, in accordance with Regulations regarding the Ecclesiastical Court of the Russian Orthodox Church;
g) elects members of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate with a fixed term in office;
h) approves decisions of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate in cases provided for by the Regulations regarding the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate;
i) may perform the functions of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate in the absence of a sufficient number bishops in the Exarchate that are available for election to the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate;
j) being in contact with the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, resolves issues of interfaith and interreligious relations, as well as relations with state authorities on the territory of the Exarchate;
k) establishes the award system of the Exarchate, corresponding with the award system in place in the Russian Orthodox Church;
l) submits for approval by the Holy Synod candidates for the positions of rectors of religious educational institutions and abbots (abbesses) of monasteries within the dioceses of the Exarchate, as proposed by their diocesan bishops; such submissions are considered by the Holy Synod, taking into account the opinion of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Office for Foreign Institutions;
m) in the case of registration of the Exarchate as a legal entity with the state, submits for approval to the Patriarch the order of ownership, use and disposal Exarchate property;
o) in accordance with the procedure established for foreign institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church, establishes legal entities and liquidates them;
o) appoints and dismisses members of the Exarchate Audit Commission;
p) decides on other matters related to the internal and external activities of the Exarchate;
c) may publish messages to the clergy and laity of the Exarchate.
Sessions of the Synod of the Exarchate are held as necessary, but at least once every six months. The Synod of the Exarchate is able to pass decisions with a quorum of at least 2/3 of its members present at a session. Decisions of the Synod of the Exarchate are made by a majority vote among the members present. In case of a draw, the vote of the chairman is decisive.
The journals of the Synod of the Exarchate are signed by all its members, submitted to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch.
The Exarch is elected by the Holy Synod and appointed by Patriarchal Decree.
The Exarch is the diocesan bishop of the North African diocese and governs the Exarchate based on the canons, the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, these Regulations and the Charter of the Exarchate.
The Exarch, in consultation (when necessary) with the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate or with the Office for Foreign Institutions of the Moscow Patriarchate:
a) convenes the Synod of the Exarchate and presides over its sessions;
b) represents the Exarchate (without power of attorney) when dealing with civil authorities, citizens and legal entities located in the territory of the Exarchate and beyond;
c) exercises executive and administrative powers managing the institutions of the Exarchate;
d) issues decrees appointing persons to their respective positions as decided by the Synod of the Exarchate;
e) supervises the execution of decisions of Local and Bishops’ Councils, the Holy Synod and the Synod of the Exarchate by the diocesan bishops of the Exarchate and, in cases of improper execution of these decisions, issues a fraternal reprimand, and if ignored, may submit the issue for consideration by the Synod of the Exarchate, and then report the situation to the Patriarch;
f) gives fraternal advice to the bishops of the Exarchate regarding the governance of dioceses and their personal lives;
g) receives complaints against decisions or actions of the bishops of the Exarchate and considers such complaints without formal ecclesiastical proceedings independently or jointly with the Synod of the Exarchate; if it is impossible to reconcile the parties or otherwise resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the parties involved, he forwards the case for consideration by the Patriarch, along with his own opinion or the opinion of the Synod of the Exarchate;
h) accepts appeals against decisions of the diocesan courts of the dioceses of the Exarchate and forwards them for consideration by the Ecclesiastical Court of the Exarchate;
i) forwards to the Holy Synod, along with his comments, requests from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate for the founding of new parishes and monasteries; such petitions are considered taking into account the opinion of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions;
j) forwards to the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, with his comments, requests from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate for the transfer of clergy from dioceses within the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church to their dioceses; such petitions are considered taking into account the opinion of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions;
Note:
the assignment of a clergyman from a diocese within the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church to a diocese of the Exarchate is carried out through a decision of the Holy Synod, which also decides when to terminate such assignments;
the transfer of a clergyman (with the cleric’s letter of release being sent) from a diocese within the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church to a diocese within the Exarchate is carried out with the consent of the bishops of both dioceses and the written blessing of the Patriarch;
k) forwards to the Patriarch, with his comments, requests from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate for commendation of clergy; such requests are considered taking into account the opinion of the Moscow Patriarchate Office for Foreign Institutions;
l) receives copies of annual reports (including financial reports) sent to the Patriarch from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate, as well as copies of the Patriarch’s resolutions superimposed on these reports;
m) receives, in the form of a notification, information from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate about their planned trips outside their dioceses;
o) receives from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate, in the form of a notification, information about future visits to their dioceses by other bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as bishops of other Local Orthodox Churches;
o) has the right to visit, when necessary, all dioceses of the Exarchate;
p) may address messages to the clergy and laity of the entire Exarchate;
c) decides other issues in accordance with the norms of Orthodox church canon law and these Regulations.
16. The name of the Exarch is commemorated in all parishes of the Exarchate after the name of the Patriarch using the following form: “our lord, the Very Most Reverend (name), Metropolitan of (title), Patriarchal Exarch of Africa.”
17. The Exarch has the right of liturgical primacy and primacy in protocol in regards to the bishops of the Exarchate, as well as to sit in the Bishop’s Throne in all churches of the Exarchate.
18. Diocesan and vicar bishops of the Exarchate are elected and appointed by the Holy Synod.
19. Decisions on the creation or abolition of dioceses within the Exarchate and regarding the determination of their territorial boundaries are made by the Holy Synod with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.
20. The Exarchate includes the following dioceses: of Northern Africa (Arab Republic of Egypt, Republic of Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, State of Eritrea, Republic of Djibouti, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of Seychelles, Central African Republic, Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Chad , Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Niger, State of Libya, Republic of Tunisia, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Kingdom of Morocco, Republic of Cape Verde, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Republic of Senegal, Republic of the Gambia, Republic of Mali, Burkina Faso, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Republic, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Liberia, Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, Republic of Ghana, Togolese Republic, Republic of Benin) and of Southern Africa (Republic of South Africa, Kingdom of Lesotho, Kingdom of Eswatini, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Botswana, Republic of Zimbabwe , Republic of Mozambique, Republic of Angola, Republic of Zambia, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Mauritius, Union of Comoros, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon Republic, Republic Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe). This list of canonical divisions changes when other dioceses are formed or included in the Exarchate as per a decision of the Holy Synod.
21. The Exarchate receives the Holy Chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’.
