- Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate
The Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate reunited the two branches of the
Russian Orthodox Church : theRussian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and theMoscow Patriarchate .cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4348247|date=2007-05-17|title=Russian Orthodox Church ends 80-year split|author=David Holley|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=2007-05-17|title=Russian Orthodox Church ends 80-year split|first=David|last=Holley|publisher=Los Angeles Times] The accord was signed on17 May ,2007 , which for theOrthodox Church in that year was the Feast of the Ascension of Christ.cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4348247|date=2007-05-17|title=Russian Orthodox Church ends 80-year split|author=David Holley|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=2007-05-17|title=Russian Orthodox Church ends 80-year split|first=David|last=Holley|publisher=Los Angeles Times]The ceremony which officially reestablished the fullness of communion between the Moscow Patriarchate, headed by
Patriarch Alexei II , and ROCOR, headed byMetropolitan Laurus , took place atChrist the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow. The two church leaders met on the episcopalcathedra in the center of the church. The Patriarch then read a prayer, which said in part:As Thou lifted Thy prayers to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy disciples, that they all be as one, gaze now with Thy merciful eyes upon Thy people, who have sinned and disobeyed Thy will, bless now our good intention and the unification of the Church to Thy Glory, create this Thyself, dampen all church temptations and divisions. Having given to us Thy law to love Thee, our God, and our neighbor, deliver us from all insult and disruption, may brotherly love reign among the children of our Church, in the Fatherland and in the diaspora. Grant that we may now enter Thy temple and bring Thy bloodless sacrifice, that we may be unified in one body through communion with Thy Life-creating Body and Thy Honorable Blood and bring praise with all our hearts to Thy ineffable love for mankind.
The two
hierarch s then proceeded to the Ambo, where they signed the Act of Canonical Communion. After official statements by both hierarchs, the service continued with the concelebration of theDivine Liturgy by clergy of both churches.Among the dignitaries present was
Vladimir Putin , president of the Russian Federation, mayor ofMoscow Yuriy Luzhkov , presidential envoyGeorgy Poltavchenko , and other government officials. Putin has been hailed byPatriarch Alexius II of theRussian Orthodox Church as instrumental in healing the 80-year schism between it and the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia in May 2007.cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2007_4348247|date=2007-05-17|title=Russian Orthodox Church ends 80-year split|author=David Holley|publisher=Los Angeles Timesdead link|date=December 2007] However critics claimed the unification of Churches has been a successful intelligence operation that allows Russian FSB to dispatch hundreds of priests who will create "new spy nests all over the world, absolutely untouchable, working under the cover of the church." [ [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB118469533202469128-lMyQjAxMDE3ODE0NzYxOTc1Wj.html Cold War Lingers At Russian Church In New Jersey] By SUZANNE SATALINE,Wall Street Journal , July 18, 2007 ] [ [http://cicentre.com/Documents/putin_espionage_church.html Putin's Espionage Church] , an excerpt from a forthcoming book ofKonstantin Preobrazhenskiy "Russian Americans: A New KGB Asset"]References
External links
* [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enmat_akt.html Act of Canonical Communion] text—official English translation (ROCOR Website)
* [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/enrt07/enakt.html The Act of Canonical Communion is Signed] Article and photos (www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws)
* [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/rtpic/akt_218.jpgPhoto of signing] Metropolitan Laurus (left) and Patriarch Alexei (right)
* [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/rtpic/rt_uspensky_136.jpgMetropolitan Laurus and Patriarch Alexei making commemorations together during the Divine Liturgy]
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