Thought established by St. Tikhon of Moscow in 1921, the Archdiocese had been under the Patriarchate of Constantinople for several decades when its exarchate status was suddenly revoked in November 2018. The following September, its ruling hierarch was suddenly released by Constantinople, which led him to join the Moscow Patriarchate, with the majority of the former exarchate following him.
The former primate, Archbishop Leo, announced his retirement in May, and last month, the Local Council of the Finnish Church elected Metropolitan Ilia of Oulu as its next lead bishop.
His Holiness Patriarch Daniil and a host of hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox church consecrated a new vicar bishop for the Diocese of USA, Canada, and Australia on Sunday, December 15.
Against the background of other Churches’ discussions about how to commune those suffering from celiac disease, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has reiterated its stance that no one should fear to commune of both the Body and Blood of Christ.
A 40-year-old monk was found dead on a rocky shore in the Monoxylites area of Provata on the southern coast of Mt. Athos.