Epistle of the Sobor of Bishops

Epistle of the Sobor of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad

to the clerics, monks and lay people both in the fatherland and to those who are

in the diaspora 

We, the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, gathered together in the Eastern Canadian Diocease on the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, by the prayers of Most Holy Theotokos, St. Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor of all of Russia, were able to hold a long awaited Sobor of Bishops in Montreal at Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Mansonville, at the grave of our last First Hierarch, Blessed Metropolitan Vitaly.  

We thank all our clergy and flock, who in our troubled times preserved their faithfulness to the Church Abroad, their courage, their sober minds, and who lent their support in prayers and love for their bishops, who remained in such a small number.  In the past few years, many events occurred in Our Church, that had a strong influence on our church life, and our church administration.  The enemy of the mankind is taking up arms with all of his strength against those, who are trying to follow the path of salvation, the path of the Truth, and preserve brotherly unity in the Spirit of Sobornost.  To strengthen us against the evil powers, the Sobor decided to carry out a long awaited canonization of His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky), the third First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad - in the firm hope that prayers and heavenly intercession of our holy Vladyka will help us to overcome our discordances.

We are also appealing to all bishops, clergy and laypeople, who disturbed the unity of Sobornost and parted from canonical communion with Our Church, to rethink and to return to the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and to stand on that path of salvation, where our Church always walked, opposing the forces of Apostasy.

Our Sobor, in the present conditions of extreme disorder of the church administration, when the Sobor of Bishops in Our Church is reduced to two Bishops and the choice of the First Hierarch today became impossible, took measures for the organization of church life by creating two church districts - American and Eurasian, - which will allow us to correctly organize church administration locally  and in dioceses, temporarily remaining without the guardianship of a bishop. Therefore,  we call upon all our clerics and lay people, who kept faithful to Holy Orthodoxy and to the spiritual principles of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad to unite around our Sobor of Bishops, and their archpastors, to continue our predecessors' path to salvation, and repenting of our sins, which is what our Orthodox Church is calling us to do during these days of Holy Great Lent, blamelessly reach the Bright Resurrection of Christ and the glory of God prepared by the King of Heaven for His loyal children.  "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).

March 27/April 9 2008

+Bishop Vladimir of San-Francisco and Western America

+Bishop Anastasy of Vladivostok and the Far East