Munich, May 6, 2026
Photo: nftu.net At its recent session in Munich, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia decided to proceed with the initial steps towards the possible canonization of several saintly figures from the Church Abroad, including His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky).
During the same session, the hierarchs considered materials previously prepared on the life and legacy of Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) and resolved to canonize him and begin preparations for his liturgical glorification.
And according to the communique summarizing the Council’s work, on Monday, May 4, the hierarchs heard a report from His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin, entitled, “On Certain Saints Encountered in the Course of My Life: Towards the Opening of a Conciliar Discussion on the Glorification of the Pious Strugglers (Podvizhniki) of the Russian Church Abroad, Who Embody Her Spirit and Heritage.”
A discussion on various figures ensued, after which the hierarchs decided to entrust “the task of preparing materials on Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky), Archbishop Tikhon (Troitsky), and a number of other pious individuals venerated in the Diaspora,” to His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse.
The materials are to be presented for consideration by the ROCOR Synod by the end of the year.
Met. Philaret (Voznesensky) served as First Hierarch of ROCOR from 1964 to 1985. His incorrupt relics lie in a vault under Holy Trinity Cathedral at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York.
Abp. Tikhon (Troitsky) was the immediate predecessor to St. John (Maximovitch) in the Diocese of San Francisco.
Presumably, the other venerable figures include Br. José Muñoz-Cortes, the guardian of the myrrh-streaming Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, who was martyred in Athens in 1997. In an interview in the fall of 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal mentioned that discussions about canonizing Br. José, in addition to Met. Philaret and Fr. Seraphim (Rose), had already begun among the bishops. And in fact, in 2017, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, then the First Hierarch of ROCOR, reported that a commission had been established to investigate the cause of canonizing Br. José.
Follow OrthoChristian on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe and Gab!
