On 19th July 2023, the Bishops’ Conference of the Russian Orthodox Church was held at the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
The Bishops’ Conference took place in compliance with a decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of 29th December 2022 (Minutes No. 121), which resolved “to convene a Bishops’ Conference on 19th July 2023, bringing together all diocesan and auxiliary bishops in the territory of Russia without fail, as well as bishops from the dioceses in other countries – for whom it is possible to come to Moscow –with the view of holding a brotherly discussion of current issues concerning the life of the Church.”
Among the participants in the meeting was Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch of Africa.
A keynote speech was delivered by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.
A document “On Distortions of the Orthodox Doctrine on the Church in the Deeds of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Hierarchs and in Speeches of Its Representatives,” drafted by the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission, was a focal point in a report presented by its chairman, Metropolitan Hilarion of Hungary and Budapest.
Hegumenness Ksenia (Chernega), head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Legal Administration, gave an overview of the latest amendments to the secular legislation.
Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, reported on the concluding document of the Bishops’ Conference.
After deliberations, participants in the Bishops’ Conference adopted its Resolution.
As the Resolution states, “the Bishops Conference regrets to state that among the instruments of the political forces hostile to Orthodoxy are the leaders of the Patriarchate of Constantinople blinded by the thirst for satisfying private interests and ambitions. Having considered the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission’s document ‘On Distortions of the Orthodox Doctrine on the Church in the Deeds of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Hierarchs and in Speeches of Its Representatives,’ the Bishops’ Conference expresses its agreement with this document’s conclusion and submits it to the Holy Synod.”
Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa
