St. Petersburg, December 22, 2021
It is very likely that St. Hilarion (Troitsky) was involved in composing the newly-published epistle. Photo: orthodoxwitness.org
In the latest edition of Christian Reading, the journal of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, a previously unknown epistle by bishops close to Patriarch St. Tikhon from 1923 was published for the first time.
The letter, a condemnation of the Renovationist schism in the Russian Church in the Soviet era, was discovered in the archives of the New Martyr Archbishop Seraphim (Samoilovich) of Uglich, and published in the article, “The Renovationist Schism and the Council of Renovationists of 1923 through the Eyes of the Orthodox Episcopate Close to Patriarch Tikhon” by Fr. Alexander Mazyrin.
The authors are believed to be St. Hilarion (Troitsky), Bishop Guriy (Stepanov), or others who were close to St. Tikhon and fervently against the Renovationist schism.
The abstract to the article describes the epistle:
The document is a detailed criticism of the Renovationist schism and especially of the schismatic Council of 1923. It shows the autocracy of the renovationist “Higher Church Administration” (VTsU), the non-canonicity of the schismatic hierarchy (both unmarried and, even more so, married), the lack of grace of this entire schismatic community and, accordingly, the inadmissibility for the Orthodox of any communication with it. The author substantiates the non-Orthodox character of the Council of Renovationists of 1923 by the method of its convocation, by its composition and by the nature of its resolutions. In particular, the authors of the Epistle dwelt on the question of the illegality of the deprivation of the dignity and monasticism of Patriarch Tikhon by the Renovationists. The epistle ends with an appeal to the rest of the Russian Orthodox bishops to join the voice of the creators of the document, and to the leaders of the schism to repent and reunite with the Church.
In his article, Fr. Alexander explains that a handwritten copy of the letter was found in the archives of St. Seraphim, who, as Deputy Patriarchal Locum Tenens, had access to many important Church documents of that time.
“The epistle leaves no doubt that it was prepared by persons very knowledgeable in Church history and Orthodox canon law,” Fr. Alexander states. While it isn’t possible to establish exactly which hierarch wrote it, it’s highly like that St. Hilarion (Troitsky), Patriarch Tikhon’s closest assistant, was involved.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!
