Russian Orthodox Church. Russian Orthodox Church, or Moscow Patriarchate Church structure of the Orthodox Church
Victor Eremeev, Big City,
How the Russian Orthodox Church works
Patriarch
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church bears the title “His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'” (but from the point of view of Christian theology, the head of the church is Christ, and the patriarch is the primate). His name is commemorated during the main Orthodox service, the liturgy, in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Patriarch is de jure accountable to the Local and Bishops' Councils: he is “first among equals” of bishops and governs only the Moscow diocese. De facto, church power is very highly centralized.
The Russian Church was not always headed by a patriarch: there was no patriarch from the baptism of Rus' in 988 until 1589 (governed by the metropolitans of Kyiv and Moscow), from 1721 to 1917 (governed by the “Department of Orthodox Confession” - the Synod headed by the chief prosecutor) and from 1925 to 1943.
Synod
The Holy Synod deals with personnel issues - including the election of new bishops and their movement from diocese to diocese, as well as the approval of the composition of the so-called patriarchal commissions dealing with the canonization of saints, matters of monasticism, etc. It is on behalf of the Synod that the main church reform of Patriarch Kirill is carried out - the disaggregation of dioceses: dioceses are divided into smaller ones - it is believed that this way they are easier to manage, and bishops become closer to the people and the clergy.
The Synod convenes several times a year and consists of one and a half dozen metropolitans and bishops. Two of them - the manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Barsanuphius of Saransk and Mordovia, and the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk - are considered the most influential people in the patriarchate. The head of the Synod is the patriarch.
Local cathedral
The collegial highest governing body of the church. All layers of the church people are represented in it - delegates from the episcopate, white clergy, monks of both sexes and laity. A local council is called to distinguish it from the Ecumenical Council, at which delegates from all sixteen Orthodox churches of the world should gather to resolve pan-Orthodox issues (however, the Ecumenical Council has not been held since the 14th century). It was believed (and was enshrined in the charter of the church) that it was the local councils that held the highest power in the Russian Orthodox Church; in fact, over the past century, the council was convened only to elect a new patriarch. This practice was finally legalized in the new edition of the charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, adopted in February 2013.
The difference is not just formal: the idea of the Local Council is that the church includes people of different ranks; although they are not equal to each other, they become a church only together. This idea is usually called conciliarity, emphasizing that this is the nature of the Orthodox Church, in contrast to the Catholic Church with its rigid hierarchy. Today this idea is becoming less and less popular in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Bishops' Council
The Congress of all bishops of the Russian Church, which takes place at least once every four years. It is the Council of Bishops that decides all the main church issues. During the three years of Kirill's patriarchate, the number of bishops increased by about a third - today there are about 300 of them. The work of the cathedral begins with the report of the patriarch - this is always the most complete (including statistical) information about the state of affairs in the church. No one is present at the meetings, except for the bishops and a narrow circle of employees of the Patriarchate.
Inter-conciliar presence
A new advisory body, the creation of which became one of the symbols of Patriarch Kirill’s reforms. By design, it is extremely democratic: it includes expert experts from various areas of church life - bishops, priests and laity. There are even a few women. Consists of a presidium and 13 thematic commissions. The Inter-Council Presence prepares draft documents, which are then discussed in the public domain (including in a special community on LiveJournal).
Over the four years of work, the loudest discussions flared up around documents on the Church Slavonic and Russian languages of worship and regulations on monasticism, which encroached on the structure of life of monastic communities.
Supreme Church Council
A new, rather mysterious body of church governance was created in 2011 during the reforms of Patriarch Kirill. This is a kind of church cabinet of ministers: it includes all the heads of synodal departments, committees and commissions, and is headed by the Patriarch of the All-Russian Central Council. The only body of the highest church government (except for the Local Council), in the work of which lay people take part. No one is allowed to attend the meetings of the All-Russian Central Council except members of the council; its decisions are never published and are strictly classified; you can only learn anything about the All-Russian Central Council from the official news on the Patriarchate website. The only public decision of the All-Russian Central Council was a statement after the announcement of the Pussy Riot verdict, in which the church distanced itself from the court decision.
Hello dears!
Today we will continue with you the topic started here: and continued here:
But you and I got a little distracted. Perhaps we’ll finish with the structure in order to go further in the next post (already next week).
The main structural unit is the parish. What is meant by parish is not at all what drug addicted citizens mean, but a certain territorial district in which there is an Orthodox church with by the way(that is, with clergy and clergy) who performs church rites for the laity (parishioners). :-) The word “parish” comes (like many things in Orthodoxy, which is natural) from the Greek language. The term παροικία can be literally translated as what is near the house. According to the latest data, the Russian Orthodox Church has more than 30,000 parishes. How my good friend and a person in the subject corrected me a little mka
(I recommend his magazine to everyone) several parishes located in close proximity to each other are united on a territorial basis into deaneries (dean offices), headed by a dean (dean). I initially thought that deanery was an outdated system - but it turns out it’s not :-) Previously, it was very common, especially among the military clergy.
In addition to parishes, there are several other types of smallest, so to speak, territorial units of the Church - monasteries, hermitages, metochions, brotherhoods (sisterhoods) and missions.
Dormition courtyard of the Optina Pustyn monastery in St. Petersburg
A monastery means an association of monks or nuns (we’ll talk about this later), living in one complex of buildings and obeying one monastic charter under the control of an abbot (abbess), that is, abbot (we’ll also mention this later).
Pustyn is a separate settlement, remote from the monastery, usually for the residence of ascetics. A metochion is real estate belonging to a specific monastery, far from that very monastery. Previously, this system was actively used as a place of overnight stay for pilgrims going to pay their respects to this particular monastery, but now the system has changed somewhat. It is rather a “branch” of a particular monastery.
Brotherhoods and sisterhoods are almost a complete anachronism. This system of uniting Orthodox people in territories where another religion was used was intensively used. Particularly famous are the Orthodox brotherhoods of the 14th-17th centuries in the territory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. 
Seal of the famous Lviv Orthodox brotherhood.
And finally, a mission is a pastoral and missionary institution that set the task of reviving Orthodox church life or introducing people of other faiths and pagans to Orthodoxy. Nowadays it is also an anachronism.
The next and larger administrative-territorial unit is the diocese. It is headed by a bishop (bishop) and includes both parishes in a certain territory, as well as monasteries, deaneries, diocesan institutions, metochions, religious educational institutions, brotherhoods, sisterhoods and missions. At the moment there are 160 dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church.
In addition, there is such an organization of the church community as a vicariate (vicar diocese). This is a union of several deaneries or parishes, which are subordinate not to the diocesan bishop, but to a special bishop - a vicar (more on this later) 
Tikhon, Bishop of Podolsk, Vicar of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'
With larger units everything is more complicated. Since 2011, a 3-tier system of subordination has been implemented within the Russian Orthodox Church, namely Diocese - Metropolis - Patriarchate (that is, the apparatus of the Patriarch). Thus, the metropolitanate, which includes dioceses and vicariates, should be the largest administrative-territorial Russian Orthodox Church. It should, but it isn't. There are currently 46 metropolitanates in the Russian Orthodox Church. The Metropolis is governed by the Metropolitan.
But there are also metropolitan districts, which are governed by a local synod chaired by the head of the metropolitan district. At the moment, the Russian Orthodox Church has 2 metropolitan districts - the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District and the Central Asian Metropolitan District.
Dioceses of the Orthodox Church of Moldova
But that's not all. Not everyone. Within the Russian Orthodox Church, at the moment, there are still church organizations of the same level as the metropolis and the metropolitan district, and even higher - 1 exarchate, 3 self-governing churches, 2 autonomous churches and two more self-governing with broad autonomy. It's complicated:-)))
3 self-governing churches exist in territories where there are disputes with other Autocephalous Orthodox Churches. These are the Orthodox Church of Moldova (disputes with the Romanian Orthodox Church), the Latvian Orthodox Church (former disputes with the Orthodox Church of Constantinople) and the Estonian Orthodox Church (disputes with the Orthodox Church of Constantinople). The autonomy of such churches is limited. They act on the basis of a special decree of the Patriarch, which is called “Tomos”.
Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn - stauropegial cathedral of the Estonian Orthodox Church
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is a self-governing church with broad autonomy. Such a rare status is quite understandable, given the situation in the early 90s, when the Orthodox Church in Ukraine had serious conflicts with the Uniates, as well as major internal problems, as a result of which it was divided into the UOC MP (Moscow Patriarchate) and the UOC KP (Kyiv Patriarchate), autocephaly is not recognized. The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has the same status, which after the signing of the Act on Canonical Communion in 2007 became part of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Primate of the ROCOR Hilarion
The Chinese and Japanese Orthodox Churches have the status of an Autonomous Church within the Russian Orthodox Church. The first actually exists only on paper, and the latter is headed by the well-known Metropolitan of Tokyo and All Japan Daniel (in the world Ikuo Nushiro), a man who for a long time was the leader in online voting regarding the election of the new Patriarch in 2009. Autonomous Church - has the most complete autonomy and is closest to autocephalous status. 
Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan.
And finally, the Belarusian Orthodox Church within the Russian Orthodox Church has the status of an Exarchate. An exarchate is an administrative-territorial unit in a given Orthodox Church, foreign to the state of a particular patriarch, headed by an exarch, that is, the vicar of the Patriarch. This exarchate was created back in 1989 and in its status it is close to a self-governing church. Back in 1990, the Russian Orthodox Church had 3 exarchates, but only one remained - the Belarusian one.
Dioceses of the Belarusian Exarchate.
It seems that we have at least decided on the structure.
It remains only to add about the educational institutions of the Church. There are 4 levels of training possible. Grassroots is a religious school, which is equivalent to secondary specialized education. That is, by and large, this is a school with in-depth study of the Law of God. There are currently 33 religious schools.
The step above is the Seminary (from the Latin term seminarium - nursery). Seminaries are already preparing future clergy. Nowadays, the teaching in the Seminary is much more complex than just a couple of years ago, and this is due to the reform of church education carried out by Patriarch Kirill.
The Russian Orthodox Church currently has 52 theological seminaries, including such exotic ones as Tokyo and the seminary in Jordanville (USA)
The next level is institutions of higher professional religious education, which include religious universities and institutes. There are 8 of them, and the most famous, perhaps, will be the Russian Orthodox University. Not only future (and current) priests, but also ordinary applicants can enter the same RPU.
Well, the top level of spiritual education is studying at the Theological Academy. There are 6 of them. Plus one Church-wide graduate school and doctoral program named after St. Cyril and Methodius.
Emblem Church postgraduate and doctoral studies
The current system of higher theological education in Russia should be 3-stage:
1) Bachelor's degree: 4 compulsory years + 1 practical year of study and defense of the Thesis for the degree “B” Bachelor of Divinity».
2) Mgraduate school: 2-year program at a higher educational institution - the Theological Academy, and after defending the Dissertation, the apologist receives the degree “M” Master of Theology».
3) Postgraduate studies: 3-year program at the Theological Academy, the result of which is the writing of a Candidate's dissertation for the degree of “Candidate of Theological Sciences”.
That's all for now, next week we'll talk about the ranks and attire of clergy.
To be continued...
Have a nice time of day!
The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest autocephalous church in the world. Its history dates back to apostolic times. The Russian Church survived a schism, the fall of the monarchy, years of atheism, war and persecution, the fall of the USSR and the formation of a new canonical territory. We have collected theses that will help you better understand the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Russian Orthodox Church: history
- The history of the Russian Orthodox Church begins in apostolic times. When Christ's disciples left to bring the Word of God to people, the territory of future Rus' turned out to be the path of the Apostle Andrew. There is a legend that the Apostle Andrew came to the Crimean land. The people who lived there were pagans and worshiped idols. The Apostle Andrew preached Christ to them.
- Nevertheless, from the time when the apostle walked through the territory of future Rus' until the Baptism of Rus', nine centuries passed. Many believe that the history of the Russian Church began in apostolic times, for others the “reference point” is the Baptism of Rus' in 988, and still others believe that the Russian Orthodox Church was born in the 4th century. In 1448, the first Autocephalous church organization appeared, its center was located in Moscow. Then the Russian bishops for the first time elected Metropolitan Jonah as Primate of the Church without the participation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
- In 1589-1593, Autocephaly was formally recognized and the Church gained independence. Initially, under the Patriarch there was no functioning Council of Bishops - the Holy Synod, which distinguished the Russian Orthodox Church from other Churches.
- The Russian Orthodox Church has also survived difficult pages of its own history. Namely, church reform, when the term “Old Believers” appeared.
- During the time of Peter I, the Holy Synod became the state body performing the function of church-wide administration. Due to the Tsar's innovations, the clergy became a rather closed society, and the Church lost its financial independence.
- But the most difficult times for the Russian Orthodox Church came during the years of atheism after the fall of the monarchy. By 1939 the Church was practically destroyed. Many clergy were convicted or killed. Persecution did not allow believers to openly pray and visit temples, and the temples themselves were desecrated or destroyed.
- After the collapse of the USSR, when repression of the Church and the clergy ceased, the “canonical territory” of the Russian Orthodox Church became a problem, as many former republics separated. Thanks to the act of canonical communion, local Churches remained “an integral self-governing part of the Local Russian Orthodox Church.”
- In October 2011, the Holy Synod approved the reform of the diocesan structure with a three-level management system - Patriarchate - Metropolis - Diocese.
Russian Orthodox Church: structure and management
The order of the Church hierarchy in the modern Russian Orthodox Church looks like this:
- Patriarch
- Metropolitan
- Bishop
- Priest
- Deacon
Patriarch
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church since 2009 is Patriarch Kirill.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' was elected to the Primate's ministry at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 27-28, 2009.
Structure of the Russian Orthodox Church (metropolises, dioceses)
There are more than three hundred dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church, which are united into metropolitanates. Initially, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the title of metropolitan was awarded only to the Primate. Metropolitans still decide the most important issues in the Russian Orthodox Church, but its head is still the Patriarch.
List of metropolises of the Russian Orthodox Church:
Altai Metropolis
Archangel Metropolis
Astrakhan Metropolitanate
Bashkortostan Metropolitanate
Belgorod Metropolitanate
Bryansk Metropolis
Buryat Metropolis
Vladimir Metropolis
Volgograd Metropolis
Vologda Metropolis
Voronezh Metropolitanate
Vyatka Metropolis
Don Metropolis
Ekaterinburg Metropolis
Transbaikal Metropolis
Ivanovo Metropolis
Irkutsk Metropolis
Kaliningrad Metropolitanate
Kaluga Metropolis
Karelian Metropolis
Kostroma Metropolis
Krasnoyarsk Metropolis
Kuban Metropolis
Kuzbass Metropolis
Kurgan Metropolis
Kursk Metropolis
Lipetsk Metropolis
Mari Metropolis
Metropolis of Minsk (Belarusian Exarchate)
Mordovian Metropolis
Murmansk Metropolitanate
Metropolis of Nizhny Novgorod
Novgorod Metropolis
Novosibirsk Metropolitanate
Omsk Metropolis
Orenburg Metropolis
Oryol Metropolis
Penza Metropolis
Perm Metropolis
Amur Metropolis
Primorsky Metropolis
Pskov Metropolis
Ryazan Metropolitanate
Samara Metropolis
St. Petersburg Metropolis
Saratov Metropolitanate
Simbirsk Metropolis
Smolensk Metropolis
Stavropol Metropolis
Tambov Metropolis
Tatarstan Metropolis
Tver Metropolis
Tobolsk Metropolis
Tomsk Metropolis
Tula Metropolis
Udmurt Metropolis
Khanty-Mansi Metropolis
Chelyabinsk Metropolis
Chuvash Metropolis
Yaroslavl Metropolis
One of the fifteen Local Orthodox Churches is the Russian Orthodox Church. This is a multinational Local Church, which is in doctrinal unity and prayerful and canonical communion with other Local Orthodox Churches. “Moscow Patriarchate” is another official name of the Russian Orthodox Church. (In the pre-revolutionary period, the official name of the Russian Orthodox Church was the “Russian Greek-Catholic Orthodox Church.”)
Of the 136 dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate, 68 are located on the territory of the Russian Federation (more than 12.5 thousand parishes), 35 in Ukraine (more than 10 thousand parishes), 11 in Belarus (more than 1.3 thousand parishes), 6 in Moldova (more than 1.5 thousands of parishes), 3 in Kazakhstan, one each in Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are united into the Tashkent and Central Asian diocese.
In the far Abroad, the Russian Orthodox Church has 8 dioceses: Argentine and South American, Berlin and Germany, Brussels and Belgium, Budapest and Hungary, Vienna and Austria, The Hague and the Netherlands, Korsun (uniting parishes in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland ) and Surozhskaya (in Great Britain and Ireland). The parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA and Canada are governed by vicars of the Moscow diocese with the rights of diocesan bishops.
Like other Local Orthodox Churches, the Russian Orthodox Church has a hierarchical governance structure. The highest bodies of church authority and governance in the Russian Orthodox Church are the Local Council, the Council of Bishops and the Holy Synod, headed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The Church is divided into dioceses, which can be united into metropolitan districts, exarchates, autonomous and self-governing Churches. Dioceses include parishes, monasteries, religious educational institutions and other canonical institutions. Parishes are united into deaneries.
Higher church administration
Local Council
The highest authority in the field of doctrine and canonical structure in the Russian Orthodox Church belongs to the Local Council, consisting of bishops, representatives of the clergy, monastics and laity. The Local Council is convened to elect the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', as well as to resolve other issues of a doctrinal and canonical nature. The timing of the convening of the Local Council is determined by the Council of Bishops or, in exceptional cases, by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (locum tenens of the patriarchal throne) and the Holy Synod.
According to the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Local Council interprets the teaching of the Orthodox Church on the basis of Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, preserving doctrinal and canonical unity with the Local Orthodox Churches; resolves canonical, liturgical, pastoral issues, ensuring the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church, preserving the purity of the Orthodox faith, Christian morality and piety; approves, changes, cancels and clarifies its decrees concerning church life; approves the resolutions of the Council of Bishops relating to dogma and canonical structure; canonizes saints; elects the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and establishes the procedure for such election; defines and adjusts the principles of relations between the Church and the state; expresses, when necessary, concern about the problems of our time.
The Chairman of the Local Council is the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and in the absence of the Patriarch - the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne. The quorum of the Council is 2/3 of the legally elected delegates, including 2/3 of the bishops of the total number of hierarchs who are members of the Council. Decisions at the Local Council, with the exception of special cases, are made by a majority vote.
An important role in the work of the Local Council is played by the Bishops' Conference, consisting of all bishops who are members of the Council. The task of the Conference is to discuss those resolutions of the Council that are of particular importance and which raise doubts from the point of view of compliance with Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, dogmas and canons, as well as maintaining church peace and unity. If any decision of the Council or part of it is rejected by the majority of the bishops present, then it is submitted for repeated council consideration. If, after this, the majority of the hierarchs present at the Council reject it, then it loses its force.
In the modern history of the Russian Orthodox Church there have been 5 Local Councils - 1917–1918, 1945, 1971, 1988 and 1990. The Council of 1917–1918 restored the patriarchate in the Russian Church, elected All-Russian Patriarch Tikhon (Belavin) and made many other decisions that were important for church life. The 1945 Council elected Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky), the 1971 Council elected Patriarch Pimen (Izvekov). The 1988 Council was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'; it adopted the new Charter of the Russian Church. The Local Council of 1990 elected the now living Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II (Ridiger).
At the Local Council of 1990, each diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church was represented by a ruling bishop, one clergyman and one layman (laywoman). In addition, vicar bishops, rectors of theological schools, heads of synodal departments, and representatives of monasteries took part in the Council.
Bishops' Council
The highest body of hierarchical government in the Russian Orthodox Church is the Council of Bishops. According to the Charter adopted in 2000, the Council of Bishops is not accountable to the Local Council and its decisions do not require approval by a higher church authority, with the exception of decisions relating to doctrine and canonical structure, which are approved by the Local Council. According to the previous Charter, adopted in 1988, the Council of Bishops was accountable to the Local Council. And the Council of 1917–1918 did not provide for any other higher church authority at all, except for the Local Council consisting of bishops, clergy and laity. The change in the charter in 2000 was due to both practical considerations and the desire to return to the more ancient practice, according to which the highest power in the Church belongs to the Council of Bishops, and not to any church body with the participation of the laity.
The Council of Bishops consists of diocesan bishops, as well as suffragan bishops who head synodal institutions and theological academies or have canonical jurisdiction over the parishes under their jurisdiction. The Council of Bishops is convened by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (locum tenens) and the Holy Synod at least once every four years and on the eve of the Local Council, as well as in exceptional cases provided for by the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The responsibilities of the Council of Bishops include: maintaining the purity and integrity of Orthodox dogma and the norms of Christian morality; adoption of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church and introduction of changes and additions to it; preservation of the dogmatic and canonical unity of the Russian Orthodox Church; resolving fundamental theological, canonical, liturgical and pastoral issues relating to both the internal and external activities of the Church; canonization of saints and approval of liturgical rites; competent interpretation of the holy canons and other church laws; expression of pastoral concern for contemporary issues; determining the nature of relations with government agencies; maintaining relations with Local Orthodox Churches; the creation, reorganization and liquidation of self-governing Churches, exarchates and dioceses, as well as the determination of their boundaries and names; creation, reorganization and liquidation of synodal institutions; approval of the procedure for owning, using and disposing of the property of the Russian Orthodox Church; on the eve of the Local Council, making proposals on the agenda, program, regulations of meetings and structure of the Council, as well as on the procedure for electing the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', if such an election is expected; monitoring the implementation of the decisions of the Local Council; judgment on the activities of the Holy Synod and synodal institutions; approval, repeal and amendments to the legislative acts of the Holy Synod; creation and abolition of church governing bodies; establishing a procedure for all ecclesiastical courts; review of financial reports submitted by the Holy Synod; approval of new church-wide awards.
Decisions at the Council are made by a simple majority of votes by open or secret ballot. None of the bishops who are members of the Council of Bishops can refuse to participate in its meetings, except in cases of illness or other important reason, which is recognized by the Council as valid. The quorum of the Council of Bishops consists of 2/3 of the hierarchs - its members.
In the modern history of the Russian Orthodox Church there have been 16 Councils of Bishops - in 1925, 1943, 1944, 1961, 1971, 1988, 1989, 1990 (three times), 1992 (twice), 1994, 1997, 2000 and 2004. The Council of 1925 bore the name “Bishops’ Conference” and was convened to elect a locum tenens of the patriarchal throne after the death of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon. The Council of 1943 elected His Holiness Patriarch Sergius. The Councils of 1944, 1971, 1988 and June 1990 were convened to prepare Local Councils. The 1961 Council of Bishops was convened to adopt a new Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church. The frequency of convening Councils of Bishops in the period from 1989 to 1997 was due to serious changes in the legal status of the Russian Church during the collapse of the USSR and the emergence of new states on its territory, as well as the need to respond to the Ukrainian schism, which was rapidly gaining strength. The Council of Bishops in 2000 was called “Jubilee” and was dedicated to the 2000th anniversary of Christianity. Finally, the 2004 Council was the first Council of Bishops convened in accordance with the new Charter, which prescribes the convening of Councils of Bishops once every 4 years.
Patriarch
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church bears the title “His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.” In the history of the Russian Orthodox Church there have been 15 patriarchs:
St. Job from December 11, 1586, Metropolitan of Moscow; from January 26, 1589 to early June 1605 Patriarch of All Russia
St. Hermogenes July 3, 1606 – February 17, 1612
Filaret June 24, 1619 – October 1, 1633
Joasaph I February 6, 1634 – November 28, 1640
Joseph March 27, 1642 – April 15, 1652
Nikon July 25, 1652 – December 12, 1666
Joasaph II February 10, 1667 – February 17, 1672
Pitirim July 7, 1672 – April 19, 1673
Joachim July 26, 1674 – March 17, 1690
Adrian 24 August 1690 – 16 October 1700
St. Tikhon November 5, 1917 – April 7, 1925
Sergius, from December 14, 1925, deputy patriarchal locum tenens, then locum tenens; September 11, 1943 – May 15, 1944 Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'
Alexy I February 4, 1945 – April 17, 1970
Pimen June 2, 1971 – May 3, 1990
Alexy II since June 10, 1990
The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' occupies fifth place in the diptychs of the Local Orthodox Churches after the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' in the diptychs of the Russian Orthodox Church is followed by the patriarchs of Georgian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Romanian, archbishops of Cyprus, Albania, Athens and all Greece, metropolitans of Warsaw and all Poland, the Czech Lands and Slovakia, America and Canada.
The Patriarch has primacy of honor among the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church. In his activities, the patriarch is accountable to the Local and Bishops' Councils. The rank of patriarch in the Russian Orthodox Church is for life. The name of the patriarch is exalted during divine services in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' is the diocesan bishop of the Moscow diocese, consisting of the city of Moscow and the Moscow region. In the administration of the Moscow diocese, the patriarch is assisted by the patriarchal vicar with the rights of a diocesan bishop, with the title of Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna. In practice, the Patriarch controls the parishes of the city of Moscow, and the Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna controls the parishes of the Moscow region. The Patriarch is, in addition, the holy archimandrite of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, a number of other monasteries of special historical significance, and governs all church stauropegies.
As the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the patriarch has care for the internal and external welfare of the Church and governs it together with the Holy Synod, being its chairman. Together with the Holy Synod, the Patriarch convenes Councils of Bishops, and, in exceptional cases, Local Councils, and presides over them. The Patriarch also convenes meetings of the Holy Synod.
Exercising his canonical authority, the patriarch is responsible for the implementation of the decisions of the Councils and the Holy Synod; presents reports to the Councils on the state of the Church; maintains the unity of the hierarchy of the Church; carries out supervisory supervision of all synodal institutions; addresses with pastoral messages to the entirety of the Russian Church; signs church-wide documents after approval by the Holy Synod; governs the Moscow Patriarchate; corresponds with the primates of the Orthodox Churches; represents the Russian Church in relations with the highest bodies of state power and administration; has a duty of petition and “grief” to government authorities; approves the statutes of self-governing Churches, exarchates and dioceses; accepts appeals from diocesan bishops of self-governing Churches; consecrates the chrism in a timely manner for distribution throughout all dioceses and parishes of the Russian Church.
As the ruling bishop of the Moscow diocese, the patriarch does not have the right to direct and personal intervention in the affairs of other dioceses of the Russian Church. Nevertheless, the patriarch has a number of coordinating functions related to the activities of other bishops. According to the Charter, the Patriarch issues decrees on the election and appointment of diocesan bishops, heads of synodal institutions, vicar bishops, rectors of theological schools and other officials appointed by the Holy Synod; has care for the timely replacement of episcopal departments; entrusts bishops with temporary management of dioceses in the event of long-term illness, death or being under ecclesiastical court of diocesan bishops; monitors the fulfillment by bishops of their archpastoral duty to care for the dioceses; has the right to visit, in necessary cases, all dioceses of the Russian Church; gives fraternal advice to bishops both regarding their personal lives and regarding the performance of their archpastoral duty; in case of inattention to his advice, invites the Holy Synod to make an appropriate decision; accepts for consideration cases related to misunderstandings between bishops who voluntarily turn to his mediation without formal legal proceedings (the decisions of the patriarch in such cases are binding on both parties); accepts complaints against bishops and gives them due process; allows bishops leave for more than 14 days; awards bishops with established titles and highest church honors.
The Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' does not have direct canonical jurisdiction over the clergy and laity of dioceses not under his jurisdiction. However, in accordance with the Charter, church awards to clergy and laity of all dioceses are presented by the patriarch. This tradition is inherited from the synodal era, when, in the absence of a canonically elected primate, church awards were presented to clergy and laity by the sovereign emperor. In accordance with the same tradition, the patriarch, without being the direct head of religious educational institutions, approves the awarding of academic degrees and titles.
The right to try the patriarch, as well as the decision on his retirement, belongs to the Council of Bishops.
In the event of the death of the patriarch, his retirement, being on ecclesiastical trial, or any other reason making it impossible for him to fulfill the patriarchal office, the Holy Synod, chaired by the oldest ordained permanent member of the Holy Synod, immediately elects from among its permanent members a locum tenens of the patriarchal throne. During the interpatriarchal period, the Russian Orthodox Church is governed by the Holy Synod, chaired by a locum tenens; the name of the locum tenens is exalted during services in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church; the locum tenens performs the duties of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'; Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna enters into independent administration of the Moscow diocese.
No later than six months after the release of the patriarchal throne, the locum tenens and the Holy Synod convene a Local Council to elect a new patriarch. A candidate for patriarch must be a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church; have a higher theological education, sufficient experience in diocesan administration, be distinguished by their commitment to the canonical legal order, enjoy a good reputation and trust of the hierarchs, clergy and people, have a good witness from outsiders (1 Tim. 3 :7), be at least 40 years old.
Holy Synod
In the period between Councils of Bishops, the Russian Orthodox Church is governed by the Holy Synod, responsible to the Council of Bishops and consisting of a chairman - the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (or, in the event of his death, the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne), seven permanent and five temporary members. The permanent members of the Synod are: by department - Metropolitans of Kiev and All Ukraine; St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Krutitsky and Kolomensky; Minsky and Slutsky, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Chisinau and all of Moldova; by position - chairman of the Department for External Church Relations and manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. Temporary members of the Synod are called to attend one session, according to the seniority of their episcopal consecration.
The modern Holy Synod is not a direct successor to the pre-revolutionary Holy Synod and differs from it both in terms of powers and composition. The Holy Synod governed the Church on behalf of “His Imperial Majesty” and included as full members both bishops and priests, as well as a layman in the rank of chief prosecutor. All decisions of the Holy Synod came into force only after approval by the emperor. The title of “Holiness” passed to the pre-revolutionary Synod from the patriarch after the abolition of the patriarchate by Peter I; after the restoration of the patriarchate in 1917, this title again returned to the patriarch. The modern Synod is called “Holy” and consists exclusively of bishops. The decisions of the Synod are not approved by the patriarch, since the patriarch himself is a member of the Synod and its chairman.
Meetings of the Holy Synod are convened by the patriarch (or, in the event of his death, by the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne). As a rule, the meetings of the Synod are closed. Diocesan bishops, heads of synodal institutions and rectors of Theological Academies may be present in the Synod with the right of an advisory vote when considering cases concerning the dioceses, institutions, schools they govern or their exercise of church-wide obedience.
Matters in the Holy Synod are decided by the general consent of all members participating in the meeting or by a majority vote. No one present at the Synod may abstain from voting. Each of the members of the Synod, in case of disagreement with the decision made, may submit a separate opinion, which must be stated at the same meeting and submitted in writing no later than three days from the date of the meeting. Separate opinions are attached to the case, but do not stop its decision.
The duties of the Holy Synod include concern for the intact preservation and interpretation of the Orthodox faith, the norms of Christian morality and piety; serving the internal unity of the Church; maintaining unity with other Orthodox Churches; organization of internal and external activities of the Church; interpretation of canonical decrees and resolution of difficulties associated with their application; regulation of liturgical issues; issuing disciplinary decisions concerning clergy, monastics and church workers; assessment of the most important events in the field of interchurch, interfaith and interreligious relations; maintaining interfaith and interreligious ties; coordination of peacekeeping activities of the Russian Orthodox Church; expression of pastoral concern for social problems; addressing special messages to all children of the Russian Orthodox Church; maintaining proper relations between Church and state; a number of other functions.
The Holy Synod elects, appoints, in exceptional cases moves bishops and dismisses them; summons bishops to attend the Synod; considers reports of bishops on the state of dioceses; through its members, inspects the activities of bishops whenever it deems it necessary; determines the monetary maintenance of bishops. The Holy Synod appoints the heads of synodal institutions and, upon their proposal, their deputies; rectors of Theological academies and seminaries; abbots (abbesses) and governors of monasteries; bishops, clergy and laity to undergo responsible obedience abroad.
The Holy Synod creates and abolishes dioceses, changes their boundaries and names, followed by approval by the Council of Bishops; adopts regulations on diocesan institutions; approves the statutes of monasteries and carries out general supervision of monastic life; establishes stauropegia; on the recommendation of the Educational Committee, approves the charters and curricula of theological educational institutions, programs of theological seminaries and establishes new departments in theological academies; ensures that the actions of all church authorities in dioceses, deaneries and parishes comply with legal regulations; Conducts audits if necessary.
ORGANIZATION OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH.
Russian Orthodox Church is a multinational Local Autocephalous Church, which is in doctrinal unity and prayerful and canonical communion with other Local Orthodox Churches.
Jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church extends to persons of the Orthodox confession living in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church: in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Estonia, as well as to Orthodox Christians who voluntarily join it, living in other countries.
In 1988, the Russian Orthodox Church solemnly celebrated the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. In this anniversary year there were 67 dioceses, 21 monasteries, 6893 parishes, 2 Theological Academies and 3 Theological Seminaries.
Under the primatial omophorion of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', the fifteenth Patriarch in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church, elected in 1990, a comprehensive revival of church life is taking place. Currently, the Russian Orthodox Church has 132 (136 including the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church) dioceses in various states, more than 26,600 parishes (of which 12,665 are in Russia). Pastoral service is carried out by 175 bishops, including 132 diocesan and 32 vicars; 11 bishops are retired. There are 688 monasteries (Russia: 207 male and 226 female, Ukraine: 85 male and 80 female, other CIS countries: 35 male and 50 female, foreign countries: 2 male and 3 female). The education system of the Russian Orthodox Church currently includes 5 Theological Academies, 2 Orthodox universities, 1 Theological Institute, 34 theological seminaries, 36 theological schools and, in 2 dioceses, pastoral courses. There are regency and icon painting schools at several academies and seminaries. There are also parochial Sunday schools in most parishes.
The Russian Orthodox Church has a hierarchical management structure. The highest bodies of church power and administration are the Local Council, the Council of Bishops, the Holy Synod headed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'.
Local Council consists of bishops, representatives of the clergy, monastics and laity. The Local Council interprets the teaching of the Orthodox Church, maintaining doctrinal and canonical unity with the Local Orthodox Churches, resolves internal issues of church life, canonizes saints, elects the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and establishes the procedure for such election.
Bishops' Council consists of diocesan bishops, as well as suffragan bishops who head Synodal institutions and Theological academies or have canonical jurisdiction over the parishes under their jurisdiction. The competence of the Council of Bishops, among other things, includes preparing for the convening of the Local Council and monitoring the implementation of its decisions; adoption and amendment of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church; resolving fundamental theological, canonical, liturgical and pastoral issues; canonization of saints and approval of liturgical rites; competent interpretation of church laws; expression of pastoral concern for contemporary issues; determining the nature of relations with government agencies; maintaining relations with Local Orthodox Churches; creation, reorganization and liquidation of self-governing Churches, exarchates, dioceses, Synodal institutions; approval of new church-wide awards and the like.
Holy Synod, headed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', is the governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church in the period between Councils of Bishops.
His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' has primacy of honor among the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church. He takes care of the internal and external welfare of the Russian Orthodox Church and governs it together with the Holy Synod, being its Chairman. The Patriarch is elected by the Local Council from bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church who are at least 40 years old, who enjoy a good reputation and the trust of the hierarchs, clergy and people, who have a higher theological education and sufficient experience in diocesan administration, who are distinguished by their commitment to canonical law and order, who have “a good testimony from outsiders” (1 Tim. 3, 7). The rank of Patriarch is for life.
The executive bodies of the Patriarch and the Holy Synod are Synodal institutions. The Synodal institutions include the Department for External Church Relations, the Publishing Council, the Educational Committee, the Department of Catechesis and Religious Education, the Department of Charity and Social Service, the Missionary Department, the Department for Interaction with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Institutions, and the Department for Youth Affairs. The Moscow Patriarchate, as a Synodal institution, includes the Administration of Affairs. Each of the Synodal institutions is in charge of a range of church-wide affairs within the scope of its competence.
Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate represents the Russian Orthodox Church in its relations with the outside world. The department maintains relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and Local Orthodox Churches, heterodox churches and Christian associations, non-Christian religions, governmental, parliamentary, public organizations and institutions, intergovernmental, religious and public international organizations, secular media, cultural, economic, financial and tourism organizations . The DECR MP exercises, within the limits of its canonical powers, the hierarchical, administrative and financial-economic management of dioceses, missions, monasteries, parishes, representative offices and metochions of the Russian Orthodox Church in the far abroad, and also promotes the work of the metochions of Local Orthodox Churches on the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate. Within the framework of the DECR MP there are: the Orthodox Pilgrimage Service, which carries out trips of bishops, pastors and children of the Russian Church to shrines far abroad; The Communication Service, which maintains church-wide relations with secular media, monitors publications about the Russian Orthodox Church, maintains the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate on the Internet; The publications sector, which publishes the DECR Information Bulletin and the church-scientific magazine "Church and Time". Since 1989, the Department for External Church Relations has been headed by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.
Publishing Council of the Moscow Patriarchate- a collegial body consisting of representatives of Synodal institutions, religious educational institutions, church publishing houses and other institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Publishing Council at the church-wide level coordinates publishing activities, submits publishing plans for approval by the Holy Synod, and evaluates published manuscripts. The Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate publishes the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate" and the newspaper "Church Bulletin" - the official printed organs of the Moscow Patriarchate; publishes the collection "Theological Works", the official church calendar, maintains the chronicle of the Patriarchal ministry, and publishes official church documents. In addition, the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate is in charge of publishing the Holy Scriptures, liturgical and other books. The Publishing Council of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate are headed by Archpriest Vladimir Silovyov.
Educational Committee manages a network of theological educational institutions that train future clergy and clergy. Within the framework of the Educational Committee, educational programs for theological educational institutions are being coordinated and a unified educational standard is being developed for theological schools. The chairman of the educational committee is Archbishop Eugene of Vereisky.
Department of Religious Education and Catechesis coordinates work to disseminate religious education among the laity, including in secular educational institutions. The forms of religious education and catechesis of the laity are very diverse: Sunday schools at churches, circles for adults, groups preparing adults for baptism, Orthodox kindergartens, Orthodox groups in state kindergartens, Orthodox gymnasiums, schools and lyceums, catechist courses. Sunday schools are the most common form of catechesis. The Department is headed by Archimandrite John (Ekonomitsev).
About department of charity and social service carries out a number of socially significant church programs and coordinates social work at the church-wide level. A number of medical programs operate successfully. Among them, the work of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Moscow Patriarchate in the name of St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow (5th City Hospital) deserves special attention. In the context of the transition of medical services to a commercial basis, this medical institution is one of the few Moscow clinics where examination and treatment are provided free of charge. In addition, the Department has repeatedly supplied humanitarian aid to areas of natural disasters and conflicts. The Chairman of the Department is Metropolitan Sergius of Voronezh and Borisoglebsk.
Missionary department coordinates the missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. Today, this activity includes mainly internal mission, that is, work to return to the fold of the Church people who, as a result of the persecution of the Church in the 20th century, found themselves cut off from their fatherly faith. Another important area of missionary activity is opposition to destructive cults. The Chairman of the Missionary Department is Archbishop John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol.
Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies carries out pastoral work with military personnel and law enforcement officers. In addition, the Department's area of responsibility includes the pastoral care of prisoners. The Chairman of the Department is Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov.
Youth Affairs Department at the general church level, coordinates pastoral work with youth, organizes the interaction of church, public and state organizations in the spiritual and moral education of children and youth. The Department is headed by Archbishop Alexander of Kostroma and Galich.
Russian Orthodox Church is divided into Dioceses - local churches, headed by the bishop and uniting diocesan institutions, deaneries, parishes, monasteries, metochions, religious educational institutions, brotherhoods, sisterhoods and missions.
Parish called a community of Orthodox Christians, consisting of clergy and laity, united at the temple. The parish is a canonical division of the Russian Orthodox Church, is under the supervision of his diocesan bishop and under the leadership of the priest-rector appointed by him. The parish is formed by the voluntary consent of believing citizens of the Orthodox faith who have reached the age of majority, with the blessing of the diocesan bishop.
The highest governing body of the parish is the Parish Assembly, headed by the rector of the parish, who is ex officio the chairman of the Parish Assembly. The executive and administrative body of the Parish Assembly is the Parish Council; he is accountable to the rector and the Parish Assembly.
Brotherhoods and sisterhoods can be created by parishioners with the consent of the rector and with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods have the goal of attracting parishioners to participate in the care and work of maintaining churches in proper condition, in charity, mercy, religious and moral education and upbringing. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods at parishes are under the supervision of the rector. They begin their activities after the blessing of the diocesan bishop.
Monastery is a church institution in which a male or female community lives and operates, consisting of Orthodox Christians who have voluntarily chosen the monastic way of life for spiritual and moral improvement and joint confession of the Orthodox faith. The decision on the opening of monasteries belongs to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and the Holy Synod on the proposal of the diocesan bishop. Diocesan monasteries are under the supervision and canonical administration of diocesan bishops. Stavropegic monasteries are under the canonical management of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' or those Synodal institutions to which the Patriarch blesses such management.
Dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church can be united into Exarchates. The basis of such unification is the national-regional principle. Decisions on the creation or dissolution of Exarchates, as well as on their names and territorial boundaries, are made by the Council of Bishops. Currently, the Russian Orthodox Church has a Belarusian Exarchate, located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. The Belarusian Exarchate is headed by Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus.
The Moscow Patriarchate includes autonomous and self-governing churches. Their creation and determination of their boundaries falls within the competence of the Local or Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. Self-governing Churches carry out their activities on the basis and within the limits provided by the Patriarchal Tomos, issued in accordance with the decisions of the Local or Bishops' Council. Currently, the self-governing ones are: the Latvian Orthodox Church (Primate - Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia), the Orthodox Church of Moldova (Primate - Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and All Moldova), the Estonian Orthodox Church (Primate - Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia). The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is self-governing with broad autonomy rights. Its Primate is His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir.
The Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church and the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church are independent and free in matters of their internal governance and are connected with the Fullness of Ecumenical Orthodoxy through the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Primate of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church is His Eminence Daniel, Archbishop of Tokyo, Metropolitan of All Japan. The election of the Primate is carried out by the Local Council of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church, consisting of all its bishops and representatives of the clergy and laity elected to this Council. The candidacy of the Primate is approved by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The Primate of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church commemorates His Holiness the Patriarch during divine services.
The Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church currently consists of several communities of Orthodox believers who do not have constant pastoral care. Until the Council of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church is held, archpastoral care of its parishes is carried out by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church in accordance with the current canons.
