The Bishops' Council of the Russian Church Abroad met from December 13 to 17, 2003, in New York.

 

The Council was preceded by an All-Diaspora Pastoral Conference held from December 8 to 12 at Nyack, New York. The Conference was attended by nearly 150 clergy of the Russian Church Abroad. The organizers invited three clerics of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), father superior of the Monastery of the Meeting of the Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir in Moscow, Archpriest Georgy Mitrofanov, lecturer at St. Petersburg Academy and Seminary, and Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, assistant professor at Moscow Theological Academy. The Conference focused on relations between the Church Abroad and the Church in Russia. Various views were expressed. However, the Appeal adopted by the Conference reads: 'We can say with one mind that the unity of the two parts of the Russian Church, the part in Russia and part that is abroad, is our desire'.

 

The Appeal also notes the positive response that the Letter of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia, which was read out at the Conference, provoked among the participants. It states that 'we were encouraged by his words, which express his recognition of the Russian Church Abroad as being a part of the Russian Church, and his words of mutual repentance for all those words and actions which did not promote reconciliation of the two parts of the Russian Church'.

 

After the Council concluded its work, a letter was received in Moscow, addressed to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia and signed by Metropolitan Laurus and all the hierarchs of the Russian Church Abroad. The letter reads:

 

'Your Holiness!

 

Your letter addressed to the Council of Bishops was not the first step which expressed your positive attitude towards the proper normalization of the relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad.

 

We accept with gratitude the warm welcome given our delegation, which visited Moscow in November of this past year. We thank you also for sending the three educated and good-willed pastors to the All-Diaspora Pastoral Conference held in the suburbs of New York, who related a great deal of important information on the situation of the Church in Russia in the past and present.

 

We hope that these clergymen were able to report to you the spirit of freedom which is so dear to us, in which our pastors were bred and which infused our pastoral conference, headed by twelve bishops of the Church Abroad. We think that they may also attest to the fact that, along with the wide scope of opinions on our relationship, the absolute majority of pastors admit the vital need to continue the dialog already begun.

 

Your combination of cautious action with the earnest effort to overcome confrontation in the spirit of brotherly, mutual understanding and Christian love serves as an example for us. We thank you for you care in seeing that previous obstacles and misunderstandings are set aside, in order to open new paths of relations between the Russian Orthodox people wherever they may be, for the people have truly been scattered across the face of the earth. This scattering has occurred in different periods of time and in the most varying of circumstances, which leads to differences in mindset even in our day. But the Church is strong in the love of Christ to embrace all.

 

We - Russian Orthodox bishops, the pastors entrusted with our care, the clergymen and the people - have always felt this power, we lived in it. Now new challenges face us. In the contemporary world, civil borders do not play the same role that they played even in the recent past. The 'iron curtain' fell, communication is now possible, and families once divided - seemingly, forever - now have contact with each other. At the same time, wounds are healing which were inflicted decades ago.

 

The tribulations visited upon the Russian Orthodox people are well known to us. We also saw them firsthand at the All-Diaspora Pastoral Conference, when the most wide-ranging points of view were expressed with frankness and in pain. At the same time, those of other nations whom the Lord brought to communion with the Church through the providential scattering of the Russian people also participate in this pain from what had occurred. Who will heal us? We rely on the One Merciful Lord.

 

Indeed, as you expressed in your Epistle, the 'external ecclesial garment was torn asunder', yet 'the Body of Christ preserved its holy unity'. This truly ecclesiastical unity, preserved in the depths, must be brought forth by us, for the Body of Christ is the Church, and the Mystery of all the mysteries is one - the Body of Christ. We are given this responsibility: despite all the hindrances we may meet on the path of overcoming divisions, we must open our hearts for the acceptance of God's providence for His Church.

 

Moreover, at the same time we look to the struggle of the Holy New Martyrs of Russia, who lay down their lives for Christ during the persecution of the Church, not knowing what will come of this chosen path for future generations on this earth, for us today; yet they hoped that they will be heard by the Lord. And they were! That is why their glorification initiated that which at one time seemed impossible in light of countless external obstacles. Now we must fully make sense of this miracle together. We took from your Epistle a readiness to continue upon the path of this miracle of the Russian Church, and, in turn, we attest to our willingness to travel the path shown to us by the Lord, who glorified His saints.

 

Our Council established a committee for the study of crucial questions alongside a similar committee from your side. We hope that the meeting of our First Hierarch Metropolitan Laurus with Your Holiness at the scheduled time will be the next step in the overcoming of the obstacles that arose in the church life of the Orthodox people in recent decades, so that together we might glorify our Lord Jesus Christ 'with one mouth and one heart', having 'abolished in His flesh the enmity' (Eph. 2:15)'.

 

Besides, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Church Abroad addressed an Epistle to the Flock, which emphasized that 'not one person doubts the necessity of having dialog with representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate towards overcoming existing divisions'. It also states that the existing division developed for 'historical reasons', while the Russian Church Abroad was established on 'temporary principles' in the 1920-s. At the same time, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Church Abroad believes that at present 'before us stands the question not of merging or uniting churches, but the establishment of normal church relations between two parts of the once-whole Russian Church'.

 

The Epistle notes that the Russian people are now free 'from the yoke of the godless state' and expresses joy at 'relentless spiritual renewal occurring in our Homeland: hundreds and thousands of Russia people are being baptised, churches and monasteries are being rebuilt, theological academies, seminaries and parish schools are opening, religious books are being published in enormous numbers!'

 

The document speaks further of 'the need for destroying the wall that has thus far divided the Russian flock in the Homeland and that abroad'. However, 'the matter of full eucharistic communion may be only a final result of the conciliar actions of both parts of the Russian Church, to be prepared by the corresponding committees'.

 

The Bishops' Council of the Russian Church Abroad has established such a committee. It is expected that it will give a comprehensive consideration to the matters of relations with the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and 'will offer measures acceptable to both sides'.