Synod of Russian Church Considers Questions of External Church Relations
A regular session of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church was held on July 26 in the Kyiv Cave Monastery under the headship of Patriarch Kirill and with the participation of the Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Volodymyr.
The Synod passed a number of decisions regarding church life, relations between the church and society and the external activity of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
Several reports by Patriarch Kirill and other hierarchs regarding the external church relations were heard.
The Synod decided to dismiss Metropolitan Platon of Argentine and South America upon a submitted request and a proposal of Metropolitan Volodymyr. The Synod decreed to “give him blessing to continue his bishop’s service in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on its discretion” and expressed its gratitude to Metropolitan Platon for his many years of service in South America. According to the experts, this step is aimed to reinforce UOC with professional ministers.
The Synod decreed to hold the Hierarchical Council of ROC on February 2-5, 2013, and to hold the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence of ROC on November 21, 2012, the press service of the Department of External Church Relations reported.
