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Prof. I.M. Andreev
The Second All-Diaspora Council [Sobor] of the Russian Orthodox
Church Abroad
On 2/15 January, 1935, a year and a half before his death,
the President of the Synod of Bishops
of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Blessed Metropolitan
Anthony, reported to theSynod on the desirability of convening
a Second All-Diaspora Council with the participation ofclergy
and laity. In his report, Metropolitan Anthony wrote: "The
conditions in which our Church Abroad finds itself, having no
support from any state and growing thanks to a great degree
to the work of pious parishioners, necessitates the invitation
of representatives of the flock for their closest participation
not only in parish matters, but in social matters in general.
Such participation by the laity in Councils [Sobors] in Moscow,
Stavropol and later in Sremskije Karlovtsy in 1921 was in many
ways beneficial. For us hierarchs it is very important to learn
from the flock of their spiritual and other needs, and on the
other hand, measures that are worked out with the participation
of the clergy and laity can be established upon more multifaceted
and detailed consideration. Of course, while speaking of such
participation by the clergy and laity in Conciliar work, in
no way do we have in mind the manifestation of some sort of
ecclesio-democratic program. Hierarchal supervision and privilege--or
rather, the obligation of bishops to declare the final word--must
remain firm in continuity with the Holy Canons and the practice
of the recent Russian Councils. Incidentally, it must be noted
with satisfaction that thus far, at our Councils, it was the
laity that especially zealously guarded the preservation of
the fullness of the canonical rights of the hierarchy. In the
diaspora there has only been one Council with the participation
of clergy and laity. The plan to convene a second such Council
remained unfulfilled for various reasons, one of which one may
consider the developing church troubles. The easing of divisions
within the Church of recent times gives reason to say that this
last reason, if it has not disappeared entirely, then in any
case it cannot be considered sufficient to justify the further
delay of a Council, which, if it will not be able to lead us
to unity, it will still be important for the Russian Church
Abroad, united around the Council of Bishops and the Synod.
It musn't be forgotten that the First Church Council in the
Diaspora in Sremskije Karlovtsy in 1921, though subject to certain
reproach, was still able to help strengthen the organization
of the Church Abroad. Still, one cannot but see the beneficial
significance of the diocesan meetings in some of our dioceses,
as, for example, in Harbin [in China--transl.]. All this gives
us reason to expect that the convening of an All-Diaspora Council
now would help unite the Church Abroad, strengthen its organization
and bring its material situation in order.
But no lesser a task for the Council, if not greater, will be
to show the Orthodox Russian Diaspora the paths of spiritual
rebirth and the education of the emigration, the examination
and development of measures to fight sectarianism, anti-ecclesiastical
currents abroad, and, finally, to the extent possible, bring
the healing of wounds inflicted upon souls by troubles in the
Church. Towards this goal I would joyfully welcome the participation
in the Council of representatives of Russian Church organizations
which are not now fully united with us, with the condition,
of course, that they express a willingness to submit to decisions
made by the Council with the participation as full members of
their representatives. More than once have we invited hierarchs
who have left us to reestablish unity; it would seem that a
new invitation of them and to representatives of their flocks
could serve the goal of church unity."
In concluding his report, Metr. Anthony offered to create a
Pre-Council Committee at the Synod of Bishops under the presidency
of Archbishop Anastassy. This Pre-Council Committee was formed
and it was recommended that the Council be convened in 1936.
However, due to circumstances, the Council was delayed. In 1936,
Metr. Anthony died, which also delayed the Council. It was finally
convened in 1938.
In the "Decree" of this Council was the following
decision, among others: "The Council of the Russian Orthodox
Church Abroad, with the participation of the clergy and laity,
must act on the basis of the Word of God, the Holy Canons and
the laws of the Russian Orthodox Church, inasmuch as these laws
are applicable to the conditions of contemporary life of the
Church Abroad."
"The Second All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox
Church is convened on the territory of the Serbian Orthodox
Church under the aegis of His Beatitude the Patriarch of Serbia,
who is the honorary President of the Council."
"Bishops, members of the Council, form a Conference of
bishops who have the deciding vote in all decisions of the Council."
"The President of the Conference of bishops is the First
Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the President
of the Synod of Bishops."
"By the authority of the Word of God and of the Holy Canons,
all decisions of the general sessions of the Council are subject
to the confirmation of the Conference of Bishops and assume
validity only upon the signature of the latter."
The following bishops took part in the Second All-Diaspora Council
of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad of 1938: 1) Metropolitan
Anastassy, President of the Synod of Bishops, 2) Archbishop
Seraphim, head of the Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe,
3) Archbishop Germogen, member of the Synod of Bishops, 4) Meletii,
Archbishop of Harbin and Manchuria, 5) Archbishop Feofan, Secretary
of the Synod of Bishos, 6) Archbishop Vitaly of Eastern America
and New Jersey, 7) Archbishop Seraphim of Boguchar, head of
the Russian Orthodox communities in Bulgaria, 8) Archbishop
Nestor of Kamchatka and Petropavlovsk, 9) Archbishop Tikhon,
President of the Scholarly Committee of the Synod of Bishops,
10) Bishop Seraphim of Germany, 11) Bishop John of Urmia, 12)
Bishop Benjamin of West Virginia and Pittsburgh, 13) Bishop
John of Shanghai. Besides 13 bishops, there were also 26 priests
and 58 laymen (97 members in all).
The opening of the Council took place on Sunday, 1/14 August,
preceded by momentous events: memorial services for Metr. Anthony
and Patriarch Varnava. After the services, all the clergymen
and members of the Council headed for the monument to Russian
soldiers across the street from the Iveron Church. There a memorial
litany was performed and the first prayer for the repose of
the soul of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, the
Heir, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarinas Olga, Tatiana,
Maria and Anastasia and all those who fell in the field of battle
while laying down their lives in the struggle for Faith, the
Tsar and the Fatherland.
At the foot of the monument to the struggles of the Russian
people, in memories and prayers for the passion-bearers for
God’s Truth and for the much-suffering Russian nation,
arose an ecclesio-national coalition of Russian people, the
“Tikhonites-Karlovites.”
The Council lasted from 1/14 until 11/24 August, 1938. Many
especially interesting and content-filled lectures were read
(see Acts of the 2nd All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox
Church Abroad, Belgrade, 1939). In conclusion, the Council issued
two wonderful, moving Epistles: one titled “To
the Russian People Suffering in the Fatherland,” the
other “To
the Russian Flock in the Diaspora.”
I.M. Andreev, “Brief Overview of the History of the Russian
Church from the Revolution to Our Day,” Jordanville, 1952. |
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