Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe

Moscow Patriarchate

Communiqué on the meeting of 6 March 2013

The Archdiocesan Council met on Wednesday 6 March 2013 under the chairmanship of His Eminence the Locum tenens of the Archiepiscopal throne, Metropolitan Emmanuel, following an audience by a delegation of Council members with His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew in Constantinople on Saturday 23 February 2013.

The list of three candidates for the rôle of Archbishop, selected by the Council at its meeting of 13 February was not approved by His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew I, who considered that all the conditions were not yet favourable to proceed in peace with the election of a new archbishop.

By letter dated 4 March 2013 His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch has made a proposal to be considered by the General Assembly. This proposal consists of the following points:

1. His Eminence the Locum tenens, Metropolitan Emmanuel will «continue temporarily to carry out the functions and responsibilites as patriarchal Exarch».

2. The General Assembly of the Archdiocese may put forward a candidate suitable as an auxiliary bishop under Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, who will be responsible for «the religious and liturgical needs of the faithful of your parishes (of the Archdiocese) in their own mother language and traditions».

3. The implementation of this proposal should be carried out in accord with the statutes of the Archdiocese which underpin its existence and functions with constant reference to His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Holy Synod.

After deliberating on the means of implemention of this proposal, the Archdiocesan Council, taking into account the situation which has arisen has decided to put forward the proposal of His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew I, to the EGA of 30 March 2013, and thereby to amend the agenda of the EGA.