From Diocese of Sourozh
Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun and Bishop Elisey of Bogorodsk take part in the official meeting of His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia with the Orthodox bishops of France
3rd October, 2007
In the course of his visit to Paris, on 3 October at the residence of the Korsun Diocese Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia met with the Orthodox bishops who carryout their archpastoral ministry in France as well as the other countries in Western and Central Europe.
The main item on the agenda was the discussion of a modus operandi for carrying out pastoral ministry in a spirit of conciliarity, as well as improving the cooperation between hierarchs who are based in the area outside of the geographical confines of any Local Orthodox Church.
His Holiness emphasised that in the 20th century the Orthodox Church has had to deal with the Orthodox diaspora on an unprecedented scale, a phenomenon which owed much to the profound calamities suffered by the Orthodox people. ‘This situation became a new challenge to the Local Churches’, explained Patriarch Alexis. ‘Our hierarchs and theologians continue to seek better ways to establish the life of the Orthodox diaspora. The search for the solution to the diaspora question remains a priority in inter-Orthodox debate, as to date no satisfactory answer has been found which would could be acceptable to the fullness of the Orthodox Church. However, while this answer is forthcoming, we cannot remain idle. The hierarchs and the laity of all Local Orthodox Churches must engage in a common witness and cooperation both here in France and whereever the Orthodox diaspora is found.’
In connection with this, Patriarch Alexis praised the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops as a coordinating and advisory body which includes representatives of all Local Orthodox Churches operating in France, emphasising, at the same time, that this cooperation must be effected in the Orthodox spirit of conciliarity. He expressed his wish to see the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France as a united voice of all the Orthodox in the country. According to the Patriarch, the Assembly can further this cause of unity by seeking a consensus on all its decisions and before issuing joint statements.
‘We believe that the contribution of each Local Orthodox Church is equally important in the common task Orthodox witness. Each diocese, representing one or another Church in France is called to engage in a direct and fruitful dialogue both with the local authorities and the secular society as well as the representatives of other Christian Churches and communities’, remarked His Holiness. ‘For example, it would helpful if representatives of all jurisdictions were to take turns in participating in inter-Christian forums in France.’
Patriarch Alexis expressed his joy at meeting the archpastors who minister in France and his hope that the unity and cooperation between the Orthodox be strengthened further.
In reply, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France (Patriarchate of Constantinople) thanked His Holiness for his invitation to pray together in the Church of the Three Hierarchs and expressed his joy at being able to meet the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Metropolitan was equally grateful for the Patriarch’s words of support for the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France.
In addition, he stressed the significance of the address which His Holiness had delivered the previous day to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The Metropolitan called Patriarch Alexis a great spokesman for the Orthodox Church, bearing witness of Orthodoxy before representatives of the many countries which make up the Council of Europe. In Metropolitan Emmanuel’s opinion, the Patriarch’s address was an important event for the Orthodox presence in France. He emphasised the vital need for a unified Orthodox voice in Europe. The meeting was attended by Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and Archbishop Gabriel of Comana (Patriarchate of Constantinople); Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for the External Church Relations, Metropolitan Onufry Chernivtsi and Bukovina, Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, Archbishop Theophan of Berlin and Germany, bishops Michael of Geneva and Western Europe, Agapit of Stuttgart, Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, and Elisey of Bogorodsk (Patriarchate of Moscow); Bishop Luka of France and Western Europe (Patriarchate of Serbia); Metropolitan Joseph of Western and Southern Europe, and Bishop Mark (Patriarchate of Romania)
