Address of the brothers of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra and of the Holy Spirit skete of the Lavra in connection with the forthcoming Pan-Orthodox Council

Source: Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra

June 4, 2016

    

Beloved fathers, brothers, and sisters in Christ!

From June 16 to 27, 2016 on the island of Crete will transpire the Pan-Orthodox Council, which, unfortunately, has not been canceled. At the Council they will examine the following documents:

-Autonomy and the Means of Proclaiming It

-The Importance of Fasting and Its Observance Today

-Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World

-The Mission of the Orthodox Church in the Modern World

-The Orthodox Diaspora

-The Sacrament of Marriage and Its Impediments

The document entitled “Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World” has caused the most questions and criticisms.

Very well-reasoned and skillfully expressed theological criticisms and proposals for amendments to the given document have been expressed by the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Episcopal Synod of ROCOR, the Holy Kinot of Holy Mount Athos, the Kamanets-Podolsk Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Athanasius of Limassol (Orthodox Church of Cyprus).

The brothers of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra share the concerns of our fellow monks, bishops, priests, and God-loving laity who take care for their salvation and the fate of the Church of the Christ.

We are grateful to those who labored and expressed their comments and proposals for amending the submitted documents.

The brothers of the Pochaev Lavra are in solidarity and agreement with the opinions of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Episcopal Synod of ROCOR, the Holy Kinot of Holy Mount Athos, the Kamanets-Podolsk diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol (Orthodox Church of Cyprus)

The judgment of Vladyka Benjamin, Metropolitan of Vladivostok and Primorsk, expressed in letter to the participants of the conference “The Pan-Orthodox Council: Opinions and Expectations,” on April 19, 2016 at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities, is very important for us.

For our part, we want to assure the parishioners and pilgrims of our Lavra that, trusting in the grace of God, the protection and intercession of the Heavenly Queen, being strengthened by the prayers and examples of our great ascetics and venerable fathers Job and Amphilochius, the wonderworkers of Pochaev, and looking to the podvigs of our instructors who survived the most brutal persecutions and profanation in the time of godlessness, the brothers of Pochaev Mountain will continue to do everything possible to ensure that in the churches of our monastery the faithful will receive Divine grace in the Mysteries of the holy Orthodox Church, founded by Christ the Savior Himself, the dogmas of which were enshrined by the holy fathers in the decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils and are in need of no change. Indeed, Divine Truth is perfect and unchanging. And to us was entrusted by the Savior of the world to preserve and preach it, and not to “modify” it.

We firmly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ keeps His Church unshakeable and invincible, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Mt. 16:18).

We call upon the God-loving people to send up their heartfelt prayers that the All-Merciful Lord would henceforth strengthen us all in the purity of the Orthodox faith, in which is found the only possibility for eternal salvation.

Translated by Jesse Dominick

Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra

6/6/2016

See also
Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches
April 19, St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, hosted the conference: “The Pan-Orthodox Council: Opinions and Expectations.” Taking part in the work of the conference were prominent bishops, clergy, and laity. Among those called to take part in the conference was one of the most authoritative hierarchs of our Church, Metropolitan Benjamin (Pushkar) of Vladivostok and Primorsk, head of the Primorsk Metropolia. However Vladyka was not able to be present in Moscow, but sent his judgment-presentation to the conference concerning those themes which most concerned him. A photocopy of the document was given to each conference participant. As the opinion of Vladyka Benjamin is important for many children of our Church, we offer this document to the reader’s attention, written in the form of an address to the rector of the university, Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyev. Conclusions of the Theological-Academic Conference: The Holy and Great Council: With Great Preparation but Without Expectations Conclusions of the Theological-Academic Conference: The Holy and Great Council: With Great Preparation but Without Expectations Conclusions of the Theological-Academic Conference: The Holy and Great Council: With Great Preparation but Without Expectations Conclusions of the Theological-Academic Conference: The Holy and Great Council: With Great Preparation but Without Expectations
The theology of our Church is the gift of Divine Revelation, the experience of Pentecost. There is no Church without theology and no theology outside of the Church, theology which was spoken by the Prophets, the Apostles, the Fathers and the Holy Synods. When a Council does not follow Orthodox teaching, it cannot be a true Orthodox Council, acceptable to the Orthodox faithful. This can happen when the participants in the Council do not have the experience of the Holy Fathers or do not, at least, follow them without misinterpreting them. Can a Conference of Orthodox Bishops Impart Ecclesiality to the Heterodox? Can a Conference of Orthodox Bishops Impart Ecclesiality to the Heterodox?
Dr. Demetrios Tselengidis Can a Conference of Orthodox Bishops Impart Ecclesiality to the Heterodox? Can a Conference of Orthodox Bishops Impart Ecclesiality to the Heterodox?
The Challenge of the Upcoming Great Council
Dr. Demetrios Tselengidis
Absolutely no one, personally or institutionally, has the right to otherwise delineate the boundaries of the Church which have been irrevocably defined by the Ecumenical Councils. It is theologically inconceivable for those religious communities, who continue to believe the same as those heretics, who were defrocked, excommunicated and once and for all cut off from the One and only Church, to be called and recognized as churches.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×