RTOC Continues Sowing Schisms

A General Informational Sharing: (report with interesting comments): RTOC Continues to Sow Schisms

Russian language original report and article: (more PHOTOS) ⤵   http://internetsobor.org/alternativnoe-pravoslavie/tcerkovnye-novosti/alternativnoe-pravoslavie/riptc-prodolzhaet-seiat-raskol Kindly translated from the original Russian, by Orthodox brother Vladimir Djambov in Sofia. Some explanatory words added here and there, as needed, to better clarify the full meaning to English-only  readers, by Rd. Daniel. Thank you, brother in Christ, Vladimir! RTOC Continues Sowing Schisms (PHOTOS)   Author: Интернет Собор, posted on August 4, 2015. Posted in Alternative Orthodoxy (Views: 50)   Tags: rtoc , greece , schisms  On the Internet appeared a site of "the Russian Orthodox Church in Greece" under the omophorion of RTOC Archbishop Tikhon Pasechnik.  http://rtocingreece.blogspot.com/ http://rtocingreece.blogspot.com/2015/07/20062015.html It is reported on this page about the "historic meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, 20.06.2015g., [June 20, 2015 Gregorian?] Chaired by Archbishop Tikhon [Pasechnik] and the second and the last participant in that Synod was mentioned Archbishop. Benjamin Rusalenko, [who both have no relation to ROCOR – ed. InternetSobor] which meetings was held at the " Resurrection of Christ Cathedral" in Boston, USA and with the participation by a delegation of three Greek priests of the [RTOC] Russian Orthodox Church Abroad" – an Archimandrite and two priests.  Established in result, was a "Russian Orthodox Church in Greece".  They discussed issues connected with  the structuring of the new organization and the implementation of the "Russian Orthodox Church in Greece" (i.e., RTOC) on the territory of Greece.  Naturally, there was confirmed, a common confession of faith.  Thus, Tikhon Pasechnik has now engaged himself to 'nourish' [okormlenie] – besides RTOC, also a Russian Church Abroad, as well as, concurrently [combining more than one office], in Greece.  Also, it is fully possible, that he has become the first bishop in the history of the Russian Church, whose archepastoral leg has brought a nourishing omophorion on the ground of Orthodox Greece.  Of course, it is now to be expected – as this has already been tried in Serbia – is a "fraternal episcopal hyrotonia [consecration]" (there is a candidate – Archimandrite Filaretos) and one more schism would be finally established.  A joint liturgy was celebrated at the Church of Christ's Resurrection in Boston, all present Archbishops ministered – Tikhon and Benjamin, together with  RTOC priests and with three Greek clergy. For one more RTOC bishop – Stefan Sabelnik, overcoming the distance between Trenton and Boston, of 280 miles, and further just to minister, has obviously proved beyond his powers... [he was absent from this RTOC gathering,  very likely because of his very poor health and because he is normally bedridden].     Thus, RTOC has created yet another schism, this time now, in the Greek Church. As they used to say in the USSR: "from our table – to your table".      P.S. Taking into consideration the secrecy surrounding this event, one can assume that 'Archimandrite' Filaretos is no more, and in his stead there is now a "bishop Filaretos" – one more fruit of the "temporary fraternal care" by Archbishop Tikhon Pasechnik.   Comments# What do they need this for? [Зачем им это надо?] – Fr. Valery Leonichev 08/04/2015 19:14 Of course about 30% an assessment of the said RTOC meeting:  – this is already much too [secretive, conspiratorial], but still, we must ask,  why do those Greek and Russian "zealots"  not wish to live together? POLL: The percentage of the listing of the possible reasons for the confrontation: the many opposing minds and disunity among the "fragments" of the ROCOR, that did not unite with the MP Pro-Active and skilful work by agents of influence, towards the destruction of the free and canonical ROCOR. – 30% Each and everyone fancies himself to be the true heir, the guardian and the continuer of the traditions of the ROCOR. (the "White deed", "Russkost – Russianness or Russian character", "nepredreshentsy" [ones who have not changed robes]) – 19% What disunites is the different ideological preferences of the church hierarchy. (Liberal democracy, or monarchical absolutism, or national socialism, or indifferentism ) – 17% What splits apart is the exclusive monarchical ambition, of the desire for power of the bishops. – 13% These divisions are  according to educational, cultural, class, and the psychological communities of the leading members of the clergy and of the church activists. (Émigrés, "former Komsomol members" [of the youth communists' organisation], or the so-called "catacombniks" dissidents) – 7% The different understandings of the accuracy of the interpretation of the dogmatics and compliance with the Church Canons. ( hidden "Crypto-ecumenism" – "catacomb fundamentalism", "Name worshiping" – "Name machism", "blagodatchiki" [ones who have Grace, Grace-centered?] – "bez-blagodatchiki" [ones who have no Grace] and "Tsar admirers" – "Tsar-machists") – 6% Other varied reasons. – 5% The different understandings of the national-patriotic places in the hierarchy of their priorities. ("Russian messianism", or Russian Nazism, or «"universal" ROCA"»), etc. – 3% Total votes – 86 # RE: Зачем им это надо? — Eugene 08/04/2015 22:50 I think the cause listed here,  with the 30% is quite a noteworthy score. The fact that all the remaining problems can – in the absence of external negative impacts or influences,  – be resolved one way or another, although this would take some time to accomplish. After all, if the Orthodox faithful are trying – with God's help – to find the truth, then it shall be revealed to them. And there is an  external impact, which is deliberately looking for an excuse to separate, which can play on [ feed on], all existing open issues and artificially inflate them, thus preventing their natural resolving. As far as thereare a lot of open issues, as soon as some agreement is achieved on one issue, it  is noticed [planned], that immediately another issue begins to be artificially inflated disproportionately. # RE: Зачем им это надо? — Fr. Valery Leonichev 08/04/2015 23:25 If your, dear Eugene, remarks about the merits of these evaluations is true, then we can assume the following considerations: 1. "External impact" "can play" [emanate] from the inside. 2. This influence comes from certain "higher" (or their eaves-drop pers) in the groups. 3. This is the influence of certain activists. 4. This is the influence of the "special" ones, who have long been in the different groups (there are exceptions). 5. This work of the "special" ones is co-ordinated/orchestrated  ..... Shall we continue? [as to who is doing this, or why]. # RE: Зачем им это надо? — Eugene 08/05/2015 02:43 Yes, "external impact" is anyway effected through "internal" actions and manipulations. I think that one should add here,  the using.... of other people's weaknesses. # RE: Зачем им это надо? – Metropolitan Agafangel 08/05/2015 4:27 Missing out from this analysis, is  the item "personal stupidity" – I [for one] would vote for it, as a major cause for all of this division.  Incidentally, this fact  does not deny the remaining contributing items here listed,  but it rather explains well, the possibility of their synergy [combination]. # RE: Зачем им это надо? – Fr. Valery Leonichev 08/05/2015 4:48 Both "personal stupidity" and "weaknesses" that are used by the various church-adversaries, as well as the "action of demons," and "the external impact/influences", too, act and have success where there is no Christ and no Spirit of His.  And so – these fightings  and divisions are possible and really do act when there is no Christianity in the various church groups; the other numerous reasons and factors "have success" only when there is lacking in us, the Chief One for Whom [i.e. Christ], we have [supposedly] gathered together. # RE: Зачем им это надо? – Metropolitan Agafangel 08/05/2015 5:06 The Lord chooses who are the  worthy ones. Everything else is vanity. Therefore we must also try to live in such a way that the Lord would choose us. # RE: Зачем им это надо? – Fr. Valery Leonichev 08/05/2015 5:16 At that, we would be happy to be among the number of the "chosen" ones, but how is one to see the "vanity" around and the foppery in oneself? Everything is so "important", "traditional", "patriotic", and "heroic" ....)))) # RE: Зачем им это надо? –  Metropolitan Agafangel 08/05/2015 5:31 The chosen ones never know that they are elected [by God].  This is what the parable of the Last Judgment is about.  The same also is true for those who consider themselves to be "true" [genuine].  It's only God Who can indicate that.