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Reflections on dismissal of dissident bishop

WILL CHUKOTKA REPENT?
Bishops' Council of united Russian and foreign church completed
by Nadezhda Kevorkova
Gazeta, 30 June 2008

Yesterday the first Bishops' Council of the united Russian and foreign church concluded. The gathering of hierarchs once every four years is an internal church event, but it produced repercussions. Even President Dmitry Medvedev attended its conclusion. He worshipped in the church of Christ the Savior at the liturgy and addressed the 182 bishops. Yesterday Premier Vladimir Putin made a speech to him in the Kremlin.

The president delivered to the church sacred items from the museums of the Kremlin that had been confiscated in the 1920s. Medvedev addressed the bishops in a speech for the first time, indicating that the council confirmed the unity of the Russian Orthodox church in all its plenitude and put a stop to attempts to divide it. However arrogance continues to stir up the situation regarding the disgraced Diomid, bishop of Chukotka and Anadyr. For a year and a half the Chukotka bishop has been circulating appeals on the Internet criticizing the hierarchy. He complains that the Bishops' Council has replaced the local council and that bishops are removed from the people of the church and do not heed the apocalyptic attitudes nor see the people's destitution and defenselessness before secular authority.

At the time of the opening of the council on Tuesday several hundred persons with signs in defense of Diomid gathered near the church of Christ the Savior. There also appeared activists of the Kremlin movement "Nashi," who for some reason carried signs in defense of the patriarch. During scuffles signs were torn and the demonstrators dispersed to various areas. "Nashi" took over the Engels monument and the church people walked along the sidewalks. Only Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Vladimir accepted leaflets and appeals and talked with the people.

Only on the fourth day did the council turn to the case of the rebellious Diomid. With three votes against and three abstentions, a decision to deprive Diomid of his orders was made, in the event that he does not repent. Among the abstentions was the head of ROCOR, Metropolitan Ilarion. Among those voting against were Bishop Pitirim of Syktyvkar and Vorkuta, Bishop Feodor of Kamenets-Podolsk and Bishop Vladimir of Pochaev. The two latter bishops expressed the opinion of the monks and elders of the Pochaev lavra in Ukraine.

The synod, hastily assembled in the lobby of the cathedral, has already inhibited Diomid from ministry. However yesterday Diomid conducted the liturgy in the Transfiguration church of Anadyr.

Vice President of the Russian Fund of Culture Elena Chavchavadze is concerned that the bishop is being blindly used by those who still are not reconciled with the united church. "There is a struggle going on inside the church for both truth and wholeness. Nonchurch people take the council's action as harshness, but the bishop was given a chance; many have gone into such blind alleys, but have returned," she noted. Elena Chavchavadze thinks that the reason for Diomid's trouble is far-fetched, similar to the topic of the glorification of Ivan the Terrible or Rasputin.

The spiritual counselor of the "For Faith and Fatherland" movement, Priest Nikon Belavinets, is disappointed that Master Diomid did not come. "He was a patriarchal monastic deacon in 1990-1991; he personally knows His Holiness, who ordained him; he could count on understanding. So there was not benefit but only a confrontation," he told a Gazeta corresondent.

It should be said that Bishop Diomid was at the Bishops' Council in 2004, but he was not given opportunity to speak.

The director of the Orthodox orphanage "Island of Hope," Alexander Ogorodnikov, who spent nine years in prison during soviet times for the Christian Seminar, thinks that such measures do not heal an illness.  "Hundreds of people throughout the country stand in frost and rain in order for their doubts to be heard. Diomid expressed their opinions, not his own. It is naïve to think that they are having a good time and it will be forgotten. After all, the laity are the chief zealots of the church and the hierarchs are afraid of them. A bishop can be deprived of his orders only for heresy and not for an opinion and not even for insubordination. There should be a trial and the bishop should be heard. The church is obliged to sorrow over those who are persecuted and to expose the persecutors, not run off their intercessors," the Orthodox rights defender is convinced. (tr. by PDS, posted 30 June 2008)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 30 June 2008.

"I PROTEST CHURCH TOTALITARIANISM"
Interview with Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomid
By Evgeny Rozhkov
Nezavisimaia gazzeta, 30 June 2008

The Sunday worship service began early in the morning and concluded at noon. In the church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which is located on the bank of the Kazachka river, the service was conducted by Bishop Diomid himself. Appealing to parishioners, Bishop Diomid described the decision of the Bishops' Council to divest him of the order of bishop.

After the service Bishop Diomid answered several question from a "Nezavisimaia gazeta" correspondent.

--Bishop Diomid, when you sent your letters, did you imagine that it all would end like thisÑdivestment of the order of bishop?

--Of course, in our country people do not like to listen to other opinions. Thus I also protest against church totalitarianism.

I spoke out in defense of the Orthodox faith, against diluting it with other faiths.

And I consider that the decision of the council is illegal. I should have been personally present at that session. I could not fly to Moscow because of illness. Now for some reason they say that the document I submitted is phony. It would not be much work to verify its authenticity. One needs to phone only the chief physician of the regional hospital in order to be convinced of the genuineness of this document.

--Who is now fulfilling the responsibilities of Bishop of Anadyyr and Chukotka? Do you intend to leave Chukotka?

--The responsibilities are temporarily laid on Archbishop of Khabarovsk and Priamur Mark. I do not intend to leave Chukotka. I will fulfill those duties which will be assigned to me, although as a monk. I do not intend to repent of anything. These are my convictions, and I call for the purity and durability of our faith. Many support me and the parishioners support me too. In the near future a new bishop of Chukotka will come.

--Does the removal of your orders mean the defeat of your human hopes and aspirations?

--I am a believer, and my main goal in life is service to God. Nobody can take that away from me. The high church leaders flirt with the Catholics and the authorities, and they have forgotten about service to God. I am not the first they have divested of orders; that's already happened, but justice and truth will inevitably triumph. We will fight for our ideas and opinions.

In the course of this brief conversation, adults and children all the time came to the bishop and asked him to bless them. The small room in which Bishop Diomid lives is located in a building not far from the church, on the other side of the Kazachka. In this small room the hierarch also prays.

After a brief conversation with him I went to the center of Anadyr, to the cathedral church of the Holy Life-giving Trinity, which was built several years ago with Bishop Diomid's participation. There believers were composing a telegram which they intended to send to Moscow to Patriarch Alexis II. Under the text stood more than 70 signatures. "We protest against the illegal decision for divesting Bishop Diomid of his orders. We trust our bishop, we love and we respect him and we honor him as our spiritual father." That is how this letter begins.  (tr. by PDS, posted 30 June 2008)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 30 June 2008.

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Dissident bishop defiant

BISHOP DIOMID REFUSES TO REPENT AND INTENDS TO SERVE DESPITE BAN
Interfax, 29 June 2008

Bishop of Chukotka Diomid, whom the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox church resolved "to divest of the cloth" until repentance, declared to parishioners that he will not repent and change his views.

"Today the master announced in the church that he does not intend to repent of anything, since he does not consider himself guilty, and he said again that he has clearly explained his position to the patriarch and Metropolitan Kirill," his nephew and a parishioner of the bishop, Alexander Nesterov, told the Interfax-Religiia portal.

It is remarkable that the Sunday liturgy in the Transfiguration church of Anadyr was conducted by Bishop Diomid, despite his inhibition from ministry issued yesterday by the Holy synod.

According to the  bishop's nephew, the bishop also does not intend to submit to the synod's decision and will continue to serve. . . .[tr. by PDS, posted 29 June 2008; note: the remainder of the original article repeats paragraphs from yesterday's Interfax article; see below]


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Putin lauds Orthodox church

PUTIN:  STATE INTENDS TO SUPPORT SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL MISSION OF RUSSIAN CHURCH
Interfax, 28 June 2008

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin thanked the Russian Orthodox church for its great contribution to the unification of "the Russian world" and promised it the state's support.

"I want to thank from my soul all who make a small contribution to the good work of unity of 'the Russian world,'" V. Putin said, speaking Saturday in the Kremlin at a celebration devoted to the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.

The head of the government separately expressed words of thanks to Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Alexis II.

"The state intends in future to support the initiatives of the church directed to the strengthening of civil and interreligious harmony and its social, cultural, educational, and charity mission," Putin emphasized.

He noted that "Orthodoxy from the start was exceptionally tolerant toward representatives of other confessions and it was this position of the Russian Orthodox church that enabled the creation of the Russian state not only as a multinational but also a multiconfessional one."

The premier declared that he is satisfied with the way "the state-church dialogue is today developing substantively."  "We will work further in this direction with the Russian Orthodox church," Putin said.

He stressed that "adoption of Orthodox was the most important, defining milestone in the fate of Russia." "In this choice is the source of our statehood, great culture, national character, and the traditions of our people," Putin thinks.

The premier also recalled that "Orthodoxy has linked inseparably the fates of the peoples of Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, and of other countries."

"We have common values and a unified spiritual path, whose foundation was laid in the Dnepr stream. We are obligated to guard this invaluable wealth." Putin said.

In the opinion of the head of the government, these twenty years which have elapsed from the time of the celebration of the millennium of the Baptism of Rus have become for the Russian Orthodox church and for all of the Russian people and society revolutionary.  "This was a time of regeneration of church life and of a true spiritual and moral orientation," the Russian premier said.

He noted the significance of the restoration of unity in the Russian church, calling it the "incarnation of the dreams of several generations of our fellow countrymen for mutual forgiveness and the overcoming of the tragic schism of the fratricidal civil war."

In conclusion, V. Putin recalled that the Bishops' Council has been going on in these days in Moscow.  "The participants turned their thoughts to the must substantive problems that are disturbing all of Russian society. This is yet another sign that the Russian Orthodox church lives by the needs and concerns of our people and serves as their hopeful support. I believe that it will always be like that." (tr. by PDS, posted 28 June 2008)

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Orthodox synod implements resolution of council on dissident bishop

SYNOD OF RUSSIAN CHURCH REMOVES BISHOP DIOMID FROM OFFICE AND IMHIBITS HIM FROM MINISTRY
Interfax, 28 June 2008

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox church, at a session on Saturday, removed Bishop of Chukotka Diomid from administration of the diocese and inhibited him from ministry, the Moscow patriarchate informed Interfax.

Such a decision was issued at a session of the Synod that assembled within the framework of the Bishops' Council that was being conducted, whose participants the day before issued a decision regarding divesting Bishop Diomid of his orders. The occasion for such a verdict was his disobedience to the hierarchy.

Over the course of a year and a half Master Diomid often issued various kinds of appeals in which he openly criticized Patriarch Alexis II and other prominent church hierarchs and called for the self-isolation of the Russian Orthodox church and for renunciation of its dialogue with authorities and representatives of other religions and confessions, as well as renunciation of active evangelistic activity.

At a session on Friday the Bishops' Council called Bishop Diomid to immediate repentance and cessation of activity. A definite period of time was set within which the bishop should declare his repentance:  "up to the next session of the synod. (The summer session of this body usually occurs in the middle of July, at the feast of St. Sergius of RadonezhÑ"IF")  In the event of the bishop's refusal to repent by that session, the decision of the council takes effect, that is, Maser Diomid will be officially "divested of episcopal orders."

Today it was decided to determine the fate of the Chukotka bishop at the upcoming session of the Holy Synod. In addition, the hierarchs resolved to send to Bishop Diomid an official invitation to the synod.

As temporary administrator of the Chukotka diocese the synod named Archbishop of Khabarovsk and Preamur Mark. (tr. by PDS, posted 28 June 2008)

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Dissident Orthodox bishop removed

BISHOPS' COUNCIL RESOLVES TO UNFROCK BISHOP DIOMID
Interfax, 27 June 2008

At its concluding session on Friday, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox church resolved to divest Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomid of his order.

By an absolute majority (with only three abstentions) participants in the council voted for his "discharge from the cloth" for insubordination to the hierarchy, a correspondent for the portal "Interfax-Religiia" reported.

"The council calls him to immediate repentance and cessation of activity. In the event of his refusal, the council's decision takes effect," one of the participants of the forum told the news agency.

The period in which the bishop must repent also was defined:  until the next session of the Holy Synod.

The council's determination says that participants in the forum decisively condemn the activity of Bishop Diomid, "that contains violation of canonical standards . . . and injects a stumbling block into church life."

Along with this action the Bishops' Council unfrocked a former confederate of Bishop Diomid, Hegumen Ilia Empulev, the author of a recent open letter from a group of clergymen who refuse to commemorate the name of Patriarch Alexis II during the liturgy. Three other signatories of this letter, Archprist Vladimir Mordvov, Priest Ioann Balitsky, Monastic Priest Antony, were inhibited from ministry by the council until they repent.

Over the course of a year and a half Master Diomid has frequently issued various kinds of appeals in which he called for the self-isolation of the Russian Orthodox church and for its renunciation of its dialogue with authorities and representatives of other religions and confessions, a well as for renunciation of active evangelistic activity among youth. . . .
The condemnation of Bishop Diomid's position occurred in his absence.  The bishop did not come to the Bishops' Council, citing his indisposition. However, the Moscow patriarchate was not satisfied with his explanations of the reasons for his absence. . . .
(tr. by PDS, posted 27 June 2008)

DETERMINATION OF THE BISHOPS' COUNCIL OF RPTsMP REGARDING THE ACTIVITY OF BISHOP OF ANADYR AND CHUKOTKA DIOMID

The Sacred Bishops' Council, moved by concern for the faithful flock of the Russian Orthodox church and concern for the witness to the world of Jesus Christ, has carefully reviewed the activity of the Right Reverend Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomid.

Beginning in January 2007, in the name of the Right Reverend Diomid public appeals began to be circulated, which disrupted the peace of the church and upset believers, causing a stumbling block for them, and which also evoked misunderstanding among nonchurch people.

The Right Reverend Bishop Diomid was absent from the Bishops' Council without valid reason. His appeal to illness was not confirmed by official medical conclusion. At the same time, the public actions of His Eminence on the eve of the council, including a diocesan assembly conducted by him, give evidence of his physical capacity to come to Moscow.

Without having the possibility of hearing its brother personally, the council nevertheless concluded it necessary to express its condemnation in connection with his activity. The council acquainted itself with the written appeals of Bishop Diomid as well as with the testimony of church representatives who engaged in dialogue with him. Special attention was given to the theological and canonical analysis presented by the synodal theological commission and the letter from the Ecclesiastical Council of the St. Sergius Holy Trinity lavra, the hortatory letter of the Right Reverend Bishop of Sergiev Posad Feognost, references from teachers of the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy, and evaluations of many other members of the church.

On the basis of the investigation of all documents, testimony, and circumstances, the Sacred Council finds the most grievous guilt of the Right Reverend Bishop Diomid in this, that by his appeals and declarations he has cultivated a spirit of schism in the church, disrupting its unity that the Lord Himself commanded (Jn. 17.21). It is especially painful for us to witness this after the restoration of unity within the local Russian Orthodox church on 17 May 2007. It was at this time that the enemy of humankind, dismayed by the newly restored fraternal fellowship, inspired a spirit of division.

The separate claims and expressions found in the appeals of Bishop Diomid have led to a confrontation of the church with the state and society. Several statements advance a claim to the exclusive correctness of the views of the author with regard to those questions on which the church always has permitted disagreement, in particular, on questions dealing with the political structure of society. As a result, an attempt has been made to identify Holy Orthodoxy with a certain political option.

Expressing his opinions on critical problems of church life, which in themselves deserve discussion, Bishop Diomid has acted not in a spirit of brotherly love but in the form of crude denunciations of his brethren. Threatening schism in the church, the author of the appeals demands that his point of view be adopted and he has not manifested concern for a conciliar determination of the truth, based on sacred scripture and the sacred tradition of the holy church.

Addressing his appeals to the whole plenitude of the church, the Right Reverend Diomid exceeded the canonical rights of a diocesan bishop and encroached upon the authority which in the Russian Orthodox church belongs to the Bishops' Council, the Holy Synod, and His Holiness the patriarch. In acting this way, Bishop Diomid violated rule 34 of the Holy Apostles and the existing bylaws of the Russian Orthodox church (X.15).

The council found in the appeals of the Right Reverend Diomid many examples of slander, disinformation, and outright lies with respect to the actions of the primate of the church and individual archpastors.

The maintenance of the purity of Holy Orthodoxy cannot be accomplished by means of the above mentioned actions. Because, as the Lord Jesus Christ says, "by their fruit you will know them. Can one gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?" (Mt. 7.16). Questions that disturb the conscience must be posed in accordance with established procedure at a Bishops' Council or before the Holy Synod and patriarch. A bishop who enters into discussion with his brethren must observe meekness, respect, and fraternal love, without trying to predetermine beforehand the decisions of the plenitude of the church on one or another question. Bishop Diomid bears the full responsibility for the stumbling of some members of the church which has brought them into confrontation with the hierarcy and the present Sacred Bishops' Council, and he is seen to be guilty of schism and the disorderliness and destruction of pastoral activity in the diocese entrusted to him.

We pray for the reconciliation of souls and the creation of likemindedness in the Anadyr-Chukotka diocese and we call for universal prayer for the preservation of the unity of our mother church.

At the same time, conscious of our responsibility before God, the council considers it necessary to act firmly, in order to prevent the spread of a schismatic spirit.

In view of the seriousness of the actions of the Right Reverend Bisop Diomid and of a group of clergymen, the council resolves:

1. To condemn decisively the activity of the Right Reverend Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomid, that contains violation of canonical norms (Apostolic Rule 34, rule 6 of the second ecumenical council, rules 13, 14, and 15 of the Quinisext council, rule 9 of the Antioch council) and injecting a stumbling block into church life.

2.  To eject Bishop Diomid from holy orders for commission of canonical crimes, expressed in slander and lies directed against the hierarchy and for inciting schismatic attitudes and actions.

3.  Wishing to facilitate the correction and spiritual healing of a brother, the council calls Bishop Diomid to immediate cessation of the activity that deceives the flock of the church and promotes schism, and to repentance for what he has done before the whole church plenitude represented in the Holy Synod by its next session.

4.  In the event of Bishop Diomid's repentance, the Holy Synod will make a judgment about his further ministry.

5.   The decision of the Sacred Bishops' Council regarding Bishop Diomid's dismissal from his orders [lit. "discharge from the cloth"--tr.] will take effect in the event of his refusal to fulfill the demand contained in point 3 of the present determination.

6.  For having gone into schism, Hegumen Ilia is unfrocked and Archpriest Vladimir Mordvov, Priest Ioann  Balitsky, and Monastic Priest Antony are inhibited from ministry until their repentance.  (tr. by PDS, posted 27 June 2008)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru, 27 June 2008.


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Female protestant pastor loses state job

DIRECTOR OF MAGADAN CAMP FIRED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN PROTESANT CHURCH
Slavic Legal Center, 25 June 2008

The director of a Magadan summer camp for children was fired because of membership in a protestant church, the "Regeneration Evangelical Christians-Baptists" of the city of Magadan, the press service of the Slavic Legal Center reports. The "Regeneration" church is an autonomous Christian congregation that includes the registered St. James Bible College, belonging to the "Union of Christians" association of Christian churches.

At the end of May, Olga Rybakova, a teacher of education, who is the pastor of the "Regeneration" missionary church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, was offered work for the summer in the post of director of the "Snezhny" children's health camp. The employment service recommended that Olga Rybakova be given this post because she has experience as a teacher and also a diploma for teaching history and social studies (1991) and religious studies (2003). In June Olga Rybakova was accepted at work accompanied by all formalities. Already in her capacity as director of the camp she has prepared a schedule of events, met with employees of emergency services, the library, the drug dispensary, directors of circles, and worked with the teaching staff.

However on 10 June the director of the Committee for Physical Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the mayor's office of the city of Magadan, Alexander Gerasimchuk, called Olga Rybakova into his office and told her that her candidacy had not been confirmed up above. Gerasimchuk, in particular, referred to the opinion of the deputy governor of Magadan province, V.N. Soboleva, who expressed dissatisfaction that a protestant pastor was heading up a children's camp. Then following the provincial administration, the deputy mayor of the city of Magadan, Yury Grishan, also spoke against appointing Olga Rybakova.

In an interview with the press service of the Slavic Legal Center, Olga Rybaova reported that director of the Magadan Committee for Physical Culture of the mayor's office, Alexander Gerasimchuk, said that "the churches of my denomination are almost outside the law and that in Moscow and St. Petersburg they have already been closed, and for us here it is only a matter of time. I said that that was a lie and that the churches are registered with the organs of justice and operate in Russia on a legal basis. Gerasimchuk told me that he has been promised difficulties if I am going to work for him. . . . Gerasimchuk told me that my candidacy was not approved up above. I asked him to tell me the reason. He said 'because of your faith probably.'"

The pastor and teacher with experience Olga Rybakova thought that these were violations of her labor rights according to articles 3 and 64 and part 4 of article 86 of the labor code of the Russian federation. In addition, according to part 2, article 136 of the criminal code, Olga Rybakova had been subjected to discrimination on the basis of her religion on the part of persons using their official positions. According to Rybakova, she should be given severance pay and compensation for moral damages.

In order to defend her rights Olga Rybakova turned to the city prosecutor's office in Magadan with a request to conduct a prosecutorial investigation of what happened. However in oral form at the prosecutor's office Rybakova was told that there were no reasons for conducting a prosecutorial investigation on the basis of the information she presented.  (tr. by PDS, poste 26 June 2008)

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Bishops to decide fate of dissident colleague

BISHOP DIOMID PRAYS IN CELL IN EXPECTATION OF NEWS FROM BISHOPS' COUNCIL
Interfax, 26 June 2008

Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomid, whose fate should be decided Thursday at the Bishops' Council, spent the evening in prayer, associated of the bishop told an Interfax-Religiia correspondent.

After the conclusion of the all-night vigil, the bishop shut himself in his cell and refused to talk with journalists.

Yesterday one of the working groups of the Bishops' Council being held in Moscow reviewed the "question of Diomid" and unanimously expressed condemnation of the actions of the Chukotka bishop, who over the course of a year and a half has called for the self-isolation of the Russian Orthodox church, openly criticizing Patriarch Alexis II, Metropoitan Kirill, and other prominent church figures for their openness to dialogue with society, the authorities, and representatives of other religions and confessions.

It is expected that this evening the council will deliver its determination regarding the question of the future of Bishop Diomid.

Meanwhile, supporters of Bishop Diomid have periodically appeared in the premises of his press center during the three days of the work of the council and have tried to deliver to journalists fresh pamphlets in support of the Chukotka hierarch.  (tr. by PDS, posted 26 June 2008)


MEMBERS OF WORKING GROUP OF BISHOPS' COUNCIL CONDEMN BISHOP DIOMID
Interfax, 25 June 2008

A working group of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox church condemned the politics of Bishop of Chukotka Diomid although the decision regarding his future will be made by the council on Friday.

At a session on Wednesday, participants in the working group "unanimously expressed condemnation of the action of Bishop Diomid," the secretary of the working group that reviewed the "question of Diomid," Bishop of Egoriev Mark, told an "Interfax-Religiia" correspondent.

In addition he emphasized that "it is necessary to be very patient and wait until Friday, when the council will make a decision with regard to the prospects of the activity of the Chukotka bishop and give an assessment of his actions."

Bishop Mark called journalists not to stir up passions around the question of the future of Bishop Diomid. "One should not be partisan and predict the conciliar decision," he stressed.

Over the course of the past year and a half Bishop of Chukotka Diomid has frequently issued various kinds of statements in which he called for the self-isolation of the Russian Orthodox church and a renunciation of its dialogue with authorities and representatives of other religions and confessions, as well as a rejection of active evangelistic activity among youth.  (tr. by PDS, posted 26 June 2008)


BISHOPS' COUNCIL TO REVIEW QUESTION OF BISHOP DIOMID FRIDAY
Interfax, 26 June 2008

The Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox church decided to postpone to Friday the question regarding the future of Bishop of Chukotka Diomid, who over the course of the past year and a half has frequently issued various kinds of appeals calling for the self-isolation of the Russian Orthodox church.

On the first day of the work of the council, supporters of the Chukotka bishop conducted several demonstrations and processionals of the cross in his support near the church of Christ the Savior.

Yesterday one of the working groups of the forum heard a theological conclusion regarding the appeals and letters of the Chukotka bishop presented by Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret. . . .

The Chukotka bishop himself did not come to the Bishops' Council, citing his incapacity. However the Moscow patriarchate was not satisfied by his explanation of the causes of his nonappearance, calling them disrespectful.  (tr. by PDS, posted 26 June 2008)

BISHOPS' COUNCIL TO MAKE FINAL DECISION IN CASE OF BISHOP DIOMID 27 JUNE
Portal-credo.ru, 26 June 2008

The Bishops' Council of RPTsMP going on in Moscow decided to postpone to Friday, 27 June, the decision on the question of the fate of Bishop of Anadyr and Chukotka Diomid Dziuban, which is considered to be the most difficult question of the council. This is connected with both the active support of Bishop Diomid by rank and file clergy and laity (the council received more than 300,000 signatures in his support) and the broad public sympathy for his criticism of the leadership of the Moscow patriarchate (some of which is supported by not only church conservatives, but liberals as well).

As a "Portal-credo.ru" correspondent reports, over the course of all three days of the work of the council, supporters and opponents of Bishop Diomid have conducted pickets and processionals of the cross in the vicinity of the church of Christ the Savior, in whose crypt the council sessions are going on. They were most massive on the first day of the work of the council, 24 June, when no fewer than 1,000 "Diomidites" from various regions of Russia and other countries gathered near the church.

A working group of the Bishops' Council, investigating theological questions, heard a theological conclusion regarding the appeals and letters of Bishop Diomid, presented by the chairman of the synodal Theological Commission of RPTsMP, Metroolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret and prepared by the secretary of this commission, priest Vladimir Shmaly. On 25 June the secretary of this working group, Bishop of Egoriev Mark, reported that participants of the group "unanimously expressed condemnation of the actions of Bishop Diomid" and recommended that he be unfrocked.

However the procedure of a canonical trial of Bishop Diomid cannot be conducted within the framework of this Bishops' Council, since according the canonical rules, the indicted bishop must be officially invited to the council three times by three bishops in person. The head of the Chukotka diocese of RPTsMP did not come to the council, citing serious neuralgia, although Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill, who is seeking most aggressively a radical resolition of the Diomid case, indicated that he thinks the medical documents presented by Diomid are untrustworthy and the reason for his nonappearance is disrespectful.

A majority of experts share the opinion that in the event Bishop Diomid is unfrocked at the current Bishops' Council, there could arise within RPTsMP a sufficiently massive movement of "noncommemorators," that will affect many of the conservatively minded monasteries, especially in Ukraine.  (tr. by PDS, posted 26 June 2008)


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