ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

Exarchate of Parishes of Russian
Tradition in Western Europe

Communiqué No. 06-07 of the Council of the Archdiocese

Meeting of 7 November 2007

The Council of the Archdiocese met on 7 November 2007, with His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel in the chair. Among the topics discussed were:

1. Visit of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow to Paris

His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and All Russia made an official visit to Paris on 3 and 4 October, at the invitation of the French Catholic Episcopate. On 3 October, Archbishop Gabriel met with His Holiness the Patriarch during the audience granted to the members of the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France, after the celebration of a Moleben in the Church of the Three Holy Hierarchs, as well as during the reception arranged by the Diocese of Korsun after the celebration of a service in Notre-Dame Cathedral. On 4 October, Archbishop Gabriel took part in the Panikhida (Office for the Dead) celebrated by His Holiness the Patriarch at the cemetery of Ste-Geneviève-des-Bois. At the end of this celebration, he welcomed the Patriarch and the members of his delegation to the Church of the Dormition which is in the Cemetery. There was an exchange of formal public greetings on this occasion.  Archbishop Gabriel presented Patriarch Alexis II with the gift of an icon of the New Martyrs.
The Council was pleased with the smooth running of the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis, and the establishment of personal contact between His Holiness the Patriarch and Archbishop Gabriel, which gives hope for an improvement in relations between the Archdiocese and the Patriarchate of Moscow.

2. The Theological Institute of St Sergius and its site
The future of the Theological Institute of St Sergius remains precarious, as everyone knows. The legal situation regarding the ownership of the site, where the Institute has been since its foundation in 1924, proves to be complex, and the buildings are in an alarming condition. The present owner is a Company called ‘The Sergievsko Podvorie Property Company’, 97.5% of whose shares are held by the Archdiocese, the rest being divided between the St Sergius Theological Institute, the parish of St Sergius, and The Friends of the Orthodox Theological Institute of St Sergius. A set-up like this is not able to receive either donations or subsidies, which are indispensable for the survival of the Institute, the renovation of the church and the buildings on the hill of St Sergius. In the opinion of various experts who have been consulted, the only legal way forward which would enable a permanent structure suitable for receiving funds, is the formation of a ‘foundation recognised to be of public benefit’ [the French equivalent of a charitable trust].

It is proposed, therefore, to create a St Sergius Foundation which would have the purpose of continuing Orthodox theological education and the other forms of academic, pastoral and spiritual activities that the Institute has carried out for more than eighty years. The creation of such a foundation implies the transfer of the titles of ownership to the new foundation. This would be administered according to statutes meeting the requirements of the Council of State, which is the only authority able to decide that a foundation is ‘of public benefit’. In the event that the Government refused the application, a clause would be included permitting a return to the previous situation.

The St Sergius Foundation would be run by an Administrative Council with Archbishop Gabriel present as an ex officio member, plus three members representing the founders (the Diocese, the Sergievskoe Podvorie Property Company and the Institute itself), four qualified people nominated by the same founders and two members elected by the Academic Council of the Institute of St Sergius. Two government representatives, whose purpose would be to ensure correct legal procedures and respect for the charitable purposes, would also sit on the Council by right.

An Extraordinary General Assembly of the Theological Institute of St Sergius met on 2 November, and has already approved this way forward. The Archdiocese must also do so in its turn.

3. Calling of an Extraordinary General Assembly
The Council of the Archdiocese approved in principle the creation of the St Sergius Foundation, and asked the Diocesan Administration to prepare as soon as possible an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Archdiocese in order to discuss and vote on the transfer of property to the St Sergius Foundation, as above.

4. Parishes and Clergy

1. Archimandrite Pachôme, former superior of the Skete of St Elijah at St-Hubert (The Netherlands), died on Saturday 3 November 2007 after a long illness. The funeral was taken by Archbishop Gabriel on Tuesday 6 November, assisted by three priests and two deacons from the Archdiocese and from the Moscow Patriarchate. ‘May the Lord grant him rest eternal in his Kingdom!’
2. Archimandrite Symeon, superior of the Monastery of St Silouan the Athonite, at Saint-Mars-de-Locquenay, near Mans (France), has received a letter of release from the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, following his request to leave the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow and join the Archdiocese. Archbishop Gabriel visited the monastery on 20/21 October in order to preside at the Divine Liturgy and to meet the members of the monastic community. Father Symeon and his monastic community have been received into the Archdiocese.
3. Asnières: Following the difficulties which have existed for some time in the life of the parish at Asnières, Archbishop Gabriel established a commission (Michel Sollogoub and Alexandre Victoroff) last September to report on the general situation of the parish and to listen to the views of the clergy and parishioners. This commission presented its report to the Council. Its findings will be communicated to the parish at the time of the General Parish Meeting, together with the decisions that Archbishop Gabriel will make in the light of the report.
4. Lyon: A majority of the members of the Association Cultuelle at Lyon expressed the wish to leave the Archdiocese and place themselves under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow. This followed two extraordinary general meetings on 29 September (21 for and 19 against) and 13 October 2007 (23 for and 17 against). This is contrary to the opinion of the rector of the parish and president of the Association. The Council of the Archdiocese regrets this decision. For those who have decided to leave the Archdiocese, it wishes serenity and a flowering of their spiritual life in the new ecclesial environment that they have chosen.
5. Brussels: Father Christopher D’Aloisio has been appointed rector of the French-speaking parish of Sts Cosmas and Damien in Brussels, replacing Fr Theophile Pelgrims, who has retired.
6. Reader Christophe Levallois was ordained deacon by Archbishop Gabriel on Saturday 27 October, during the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the Church of St Seraphim of Sarov, rue Lecourbe, Paris.
7. Reader Nicolas Kisselhof was ordained deacon by Archbishop Gabriel on Sunday 28 October, during the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris.

5. Website of the Archdiocese
The address of the official website of the Archdiocese is now: http://www.exarchat.eu.
The email address of the Diocesan Administration is now: administration.diocésaine@exarchat.eu.