Russian Synod Announces Reception of 102 African Priests into its Jurisdiction.

[Not David]

Russian Synod announces reception of 102 African priests into its jurisdiction, creation of African dioceses
"With the blessing of Pat. Kirill, Abp. Leonid recently traveled to Africa and met with many of the appealing priests. Today, at least 100 parishes of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, together with their priests, have declared their desire to move to the Russian Church. Many of them first appealed in 2019, after Pat. Theodoros first began commemorating the schismatic head of the OCU, “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko."

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy

 

[prodromos]

I'm glad they were able to find a way to free themselves from the bad choices of the Greek patriarchate. It will be difficult, as they will have to leave the church buildings, assuming many in their congregations will follow, and find new locations to slowly build new churches. This also means that funds are going to start drying up for Constantinople, although they might sell off some empty churches to make up for the short fall. Colour me cynical, but I don't see the Greek patriarchate in Africa repenting of their decisions anytime soon.

 

[Not David]

Kind of sad because this might create jurisdictional problems in Africa but also that it something the priests wanted because of the actions of the Alexandrian Church.

 

[E.C.]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were existing tensions between the aforementioned African clergy and the Patriarch of Alexandria. While I don't doubt the clergy here genuinely hold their opinion on the Ukraine Situation I wouldn't be surprised if it's a "last straw" situation.

 

[prodromos]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were existing tensions between the aforementioned African clergy and the Patriarch of Alexandria. While I don't doubt the clergy here genuinely hold their opinion on the Ukraine Situation I wouldn't be surprised if it's a "last straw" situation.

The "last straw" was patriarch Theodoros concelebrating with the schismatic Ukranian primate. Many of these priests had been in talks with the Russians since the end of 2019.

 

[Justin-H.S.]

With the Chinese economically colonizing Africa, this would be a geopolitical wrench thrown into their plans.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I still can’t believe the Ecumenical Patriarch did what he did. Scandalous. Embarrassing. Dangerous. This talk about walking away from church property gives me flashbacks to me Anglican days….ugh

 

[tapi]

I still can’t believe the Ecumenical Patriarch did what he did. Scandalous. Embarrassing. Dangerous. This talk about walking away from church property gives me flashbacks to me Anglican days….ugh

Creating a new canonical structure comprising the whole geographical Africa and encompassing every African nation without exception, thus trespassing, to put it mildly, on canonical territory settled already at Nicea I, [and according to Met. Hilarion, we will soon likely see a similar establishment of a Russian Exarchate/dioceses in Asia Minor/Turkey], over a schism of rather minor significance as gauged by the standards of the history of the Church, is worse than anything the EP did.

And this canonically, theologically and historically unjustified move did not even strike at the EP, but Alexandria. Let us remember, the MP argue that the EP violated their canonical territory, but then they do the same, but on a way larger scale on ancient canonical territory.

It is argued by the MP, that there is no Church in Africa at this point, due to the joining of the Alexandrian Patriarchate to "Epifanis' schism", thus establishing the right and need for MP to act. Yet, when have such calls been left to the judgement of a single Church? The rest of the Orthodox world remains in communion with Pat. Theodore. By what right and authority does the MP act here? And where in the 2000-years long history of the Church do we find even remote precedents for such _extreme_ actions taken over a dispute spanning a grand total of 2 years?

The recent moves by the MP are outrageous and appear to seek to aim to divide the Church.

 

[Platina]

Creating a new canonical structure comprising the whole geographical Africa and encompassing every African nation without exception, thus trespassing, to put it mildly, on canonical territory settled already at Nicea I, [and according to Met. Hilarion, we will soon likely see a similar establishment of a Russian Exarchate/dioceses in Asia Minor/Turkey], over a schism of rather minor significance as gauged by the standards of the history of the Church, is worse than anything the EP did.

And this canonically, theologically and historically unjustified move did not even strike at the EP, but Alexandria. Let us remember, the MP argue that the EP violated their canonical territory, but then they do the same, but on a way larger scale on ancient canonical territory.

It is argued by the MP, that there is no Church in Africa at this point, due to the joining of the Alexandrian Patriarchate to "Epifanis' schism", thus establishing the right and need for MP to act. Yet, when have such calls been left to the judgement of a single Church? The rest of the Orthodox world remains in communion with Pat. Theodore. By what right and authority does the MP act here? And where in the 2000-years long history of the Church do we find even remote precedents for such _extreme_ actions taken over a dispute spanning a grand total of 2 years?

The recent moves by the MP are outrageous and appear to seek to aim to divide the Church.

Although I normally think you're bonkers, I largely agree with you here

Only, I certainly wouldn't say this is //worse// than anything the EP did, and Met. Hilarion didn't actually say antyhing about establishing an exarchate or anything in Turkey. He said we can't not nurture the faithful there, which is something they've already been doing for a few years now anyways, so his words don't necessarily hint at any new structures there.

There might very well be plans for a Turkish exarchate, but I don't agree that Met. Hilarion actually said anything about it. It's a significant difference (in my opinion) that in Turkey no clergy are looking to come over.

Otherwise, you're totally right. This is an embarrassing, short-sighted, vengeful move.

 

[tapi]

Although I normally think you're bonkers, I largely agree with you here

Only, I certainly wouldn't say this is //worse// than anything the EP did, and Met. Hilarion didn't actually say antyhing about establishing an exarchate or anything in Turkey. He said we can't not nurture the faithful there, which is something they've already been doing for a few years now anyways, so his words don't necessarily hint at any new structures there.

There might very well be plans for a Turkish exarchate, but I don't agree that Met. Hilarion actually said anything about it. It's a significant difference (in my opinion) that in Turkey no clergy are looking to come over.

Otherwise, you're totally right. This is an embarrassing, short-sighted, vengeful move.

Nice to find some common ground for a change. I do think it's worse, as the MP asserts to assume jurisdictional power over the totality of Alexandrias canonical area. Even if one disagrees with the EP:s move in Ukraine, they did not create a new parallel (or as Moscow would actually argue in reference to Africa, the only legitimate) Church of all Rus.

 

[prodromos]

Alexandria's canonical territory is not the entire continent of Africa.

 

[Platina]

Alexandria's canonical territory is not the entire continent of Africa.

The problem with this argument, as I see it, is that the entire Orthodox world has in fact accepted the entire continent as Alexandria's territory, at least for a few decades now.

People are saying that the entire continent wasn't given to Alexandria by an Ecumenical or Pan-Orthodox Council, but I think this is a dangerous path to go down. I can't remember who exactly now, but one of the prominent Constantinople hierarchs has argued, since this whole Ukraine mess began, that outside the Pentarchy and Cyprus, no autocephalous Church is //actually// autocephalous because these autocpehalies have never been confirmed by an Ecumenical Council, and therefore, Constantinople has the right to rescind them, if it deems fit.

The argument that Africa doesn't belong to Alexandria seems the same to me - that only what is done in Ecumenical Council really matters in the end.

 

[Not David]

Also, African Priests voluntarily wanted to move with the Russian Patriarch.

 

[Not David]

An update:
African diocese calls on clergy to renounce decision to join Russian Church

"African clergy in at least one diocese have received a letter from the local hierarch of the Alexandrian Patriarchate, calling on them to reconsider their decision to join the Russian Orthodox Church."

And there are some letters in the article.

 

[Platina]

Also, African Priests voluntarily wanted to move with the Russian Patriarch.

Yes, but the Russian Church doesn't have jurisdiction where they live.

 

[tapi]

Also, African Priests voluntarily wanted to move with the Russian Patriarch.

As pointed out, the Moscow Patriarchate does not have jurisdiction in Africa. Furthermore, they did not only receive these priests (or even the priests and their parishes), but established a Russian Exarchate comprising the full territory of the Alexandrian Patriarchate. According to Abp. Leonid, the Patriarchal Exarch, they are still in talks with other Alexandrian clergy with the the intention of receiving more priests and even bishops, alongside appointing their own.

The MP is in fact, launching a full-scale invasion, with the intention of bringing as large a portion as possible of the parishes and faithful in Africa under their jurisdiction. It is quite different from just receiving a number (even as large as 102) of priests; which of course in itself would have been uncanonical. But this is yet a whole different beast, and I fear it will lead to a larger schism in Orthodoxy, involving many local Churches, which might not be resolved during our lifetimes.

 

[Platina]

And even apart from the argument that all of Africa is not the territory of Alexandria, the MP has even set up shop in Egypt, which has always been the undisputed territory of Alexandria.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I’ve heard the MP is setting up jurisdictions on the Martian colonies and a few of Jupiter’s moons, most notably Io.

 

[Platina]

I’ve heard the MP is setting up jurisdictions on the Martian colonies and a few of Jupiter’s moons, most notably Io.

Haha, well that's ok. Those are diaspora lands