REGULATIONS ON THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF PARISH RECTORS

(Established by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on 23 October/5 November 1959, Protocol No. 15.)

1. The parish rector is responsible before the Diocesan Authorities as the direct head of the parish.

2. The rector is responsible for the proper organization of the church and the parish.

3. The rector supervises the order and correctness of divine services.

4. The rector has special care that the holy temple with all its possessions, such as sacramental items, icons, vestments and service books are maintained in proper cleanliness and order.

5. The rector keeps the church seal.

6. The rector keeps the metrical books and issues extracts from it.

7. The rector is the President of the Parish Council and President at all parish meetings.

8. The rector sees to the execution of all decisions of the Annual and Extraordinary Parish Meetings and of the Parish Council.

9. The rector is responsible for the general supervision over the order and correctness of church correspondence, and also for the preservation of church documents.

10. The rector represents the parish in communications with the Diocesan Authorities in all matters pertaining to the parish.

11. The rector sees to the development of charity work in the parish.

12. The rector directs the religious-moral education and rearing of youth.

13. The rector organizes missionary circles.

14. The rector assists in establishing a school and acts as its director.

15. The rector has care over the development of good morals in the parish, and for this reason as often as possible discusses matters of Christian faith and morals with his parishioners.

16. The rector unfailingly battles all influences which may corrupt Orthodox people from the true path and attempts to stem the possibility that they fall away from the Orthodox faith and Church.

17. The rector sees to the establishment of a parish library.