Management structure of the Russian Orthodox Church. The highest body of church administration. The head of the press service of the patriarch and his personal press secretary Alexander Volkov

The charter of the Russian Orthodox Church defines the Russian Orthodox Church as "a multinational local autocephalous church that is in doctrinal unity and prayer-canonical communion with other local Orthodox churches." According to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the highest bodies of church power and administration are the Local Council, the Council of Bishops and the Holy Synod headed by the Patriarch, which have legislative, executive and judicial powers - each in its own competence.

The Local Council resolves all issues relating to the internal and external activities of the Church and elects the Patriarch.

A Bishops' Council is a local council in which only bishops participate. It is the highest body of the hierarchical administration of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Holy Synod, according to the current charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, is the highest "governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church in the period between Bishops' Councils." It consists of a chairman - the Patriarch, nine permanent and five temporary members - diocesan bishops.

The patriarchate is the primate of the Church, has the title "His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia." He owns the "primacy of honor" among the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Supreme Church Council is a new executive body that has been operating since March 2011 under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is headed by the Patriarch and consists of the leaders of the synodal institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The structural ladder of the modern ROC can be represented as follows:

1. Episcopate (bishopric). In the black clergy this includes: patriarch, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop.

2. Presbytery (priesthood). In the white clergy: protopresbyter, archpriest, priest (presbyter, priest). In the black clergy: archimandrite, abbot, hieromonk.

3. Deaconate. In the white clergy: protodeacon, deacon. In the black clergy: archdeacon, hierodeacon.

The lower clerics (clerks) remain outside this three-level structure: subdeacons, readers, singers, altar servers, sextons, church watchmen, etc.

3.2 . Relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the state.

The widespread construction and revival of churches, the growth of the authority and influence of the Russian Orthodox Church have become a sign of our time.

Today the church is one of the keepers of traditional spiritual values ​​in Russia and has a significant impact on the formation and development of its statehood and culture. This is the socio-historical role of the Russian Orthodox Church - the equality of religions, religious associations before the law.

In the union of Church and State, as it has developed in the West, the Church has historically been a more senior partner than the European states. Their union was expressed by a concordat - a legal document. The Church, despite its complete unity with the state, was an independent social union and had its roots in the public, and not in the state. This made it easier for the Church to leave the tutelage of the state at the end of the 19th century and realize itself as an independent institution of civil society.

Having separated from the state, the modern Church, represented by its clergy, has defended and continues to defend in its relations with the authorities the constitutional right of believers to profess their religious beliefs and influence the life of society. Moreover, the state guarantees the equality of rights and freedoms of man and citizen, regardless of his attitude to religion. Any form of restriction of the rights of citizens on the basis of religious affiliation is prohibited.

On the one hand, the state no longer aims to protect and support Christianity. However, the state must support and protect the religious and cultural forms of life of its citizens. Today, Christianity is no longer the dominant religious force. On the other hand, despite the fact that the state independently, without the participation of the Church, has become a worldly power, the Church cannot abdicate its religious responsibility for the state of society.

A society can make good or bad decisions as a decision maker, but at the same time society depends on the values ​​that it needs to invent and then follow in the sweat of its brow if it wants to become a responsible society.

A responsible society requires the Church, society and the state to behave appropriately and create appropriate structures. First, it is maintaining a dialogue. After all, the Church receives its authority in the state not automatically - only because it is the Church, but only if it offers what people consider useful for the well-being of their existence. Only in this case will an unbelieving or other-believing person see that behind the intentions, ideas and goals of the Church lies something that is also important for him. In this dialogue, Church, society and state meet on the same level.

The state especially respects religious traditions if the culture of the people and society has been shaped by religious heritage. At the same time, the state must also protect the rights of religious minorities. The state responds to the readiness of churches for dialogue by transferring certain social spheres under the responsibility of the Church. Based on the principle of subsidiarity from Latin, the state transfers to the Church some areas of responsibility in the field of secondary and higher education, health care, etc., and also provides the Church with appropriate funding.

Thus, under the auspices of the Church, peculiar islands appear, on which she has the opportunity to clearly demonstrate her concern for the welfare of man. Of course, the Church must follow certain state regulations in force in these social areas.

In turn, the clergy are obliged to respect the relevant requirements associated with the performance of military service, however, they receive ample opportunities to provide spiritual support to their followers, conduct a dialogue and provide assistance to everyone.

Thus, churches get a unique opportunity, working in public institutions, to actively serve people and society in the spirit of Christianity. They help the state by creating inner islands where Christian moral values ​​are practiced in a special way. Christian and other confessions (Jews, Muslims), as well as other organizations, in particular the Red Cross, can receive the status of a corporation of public law and carry out their activities under the conditions of support and protection from the state.

The beginning of the century was marked for the Russian Church by the end of the "synodal period", which was proclaimed to the world by the Local Council of the Orthodox Russian Church, which opened on August 15 (28), 1917 and continued intermittently until September 7 (20), 1918. It restored the institution of the Patriarchate and the most ancient tradition of the regular convocation of Councils as the highest organs of church authority.
His decisions concerning all aspects of the new conciliar structure of the Church were to be decisive for many years to come, but the revolutionary year of 1917 changed the course of civil and church history.
By 1941, the Russian Orthodox Church had 3,021 functioning churches, and about 3,000 of them were located in the territories that became part of the USSR in 1939-1940. On the eve of the war, there were just over 6,300 clergy. In 1938, not a single active monastery existed in the USSR. After the annexation of the Eastern Baltic States, Western Belarus and Bessarabia, there were 46 of them. Of the higher clergy, four people remained at large: two bishops and two metropolitans made up the entire episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The last of the previously existing Pskov sees was abolished in 1940. Since 1918, neither the Local nor the Bishops' Councils have been convened. Religious life in the country took on a focal character.
In recent years, many works have been written on the reasons for the change in the state-church course during the war years, both internal and external. The restoration of church life proceeded swiftly and under strict state control. All this is so. But I would also like to note something else: in the new circumstances, the Russian Orthodox Church not only managed to revive organizationally, but also provided significant assistance to the state, maintaining and strengthening its international authority, contributing to the conduct of its foreign policy in a difficult period for the USSR, when the United States had a monopoly on nuclear weapons .
26 years after the Local Council of 1917-1918. On September 8, 1943, a Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church was held in Moscow, which was attended by 19 bishops (16 of them were brought from camps and exiles).
The main act of the Council was the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the formation of the Holy Synod under him. With the complete unanimity of the episcopate, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), who had actually been the Primate of the Church for 17 years, was elected Patriarch. Among the most important documents of the Council, one should note the "Appeal to all Christians of the world" with a call "to intensify all efforts in this world struggle for the ideals of Christianity trampled underfoot by Hitler, for the freedom of Christian churches, for the freedom, happiness and culture of all mankind." Traitors to the faith and the fatherland were seriously condemned by the bishops: "Anyone guilty of treason to the general church cause and who has gone over to the side of fascism, as an opponent of the Cross of the Lord, let him be considered excommunicated, and a bishop or cleric - defrocked. Amen."
Immediately after the Council, work began on the preparation of the "Regulations for the Administration of the Orthodox Russian Church", initiated by the Patriarch himself. The development of the “Regulations” continued even after his untimely death on May 15, 1944. And on November 23 of the same year, the Council of Bishops decided to convene a Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church to elect the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and adopt the finished “Regulations on Governance”.
The Local Council was held from January 31 to February 2, 1945 in Moscow. Metropolitan Alexy (Simansky) of Leningrad, Metropolitan Nikolai (Yarushevich) of Krutitsky, Metropolitan John (Sokolov) of Kyiv and Galicia, Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov) of North America and Aleutia, 41 archbishops and bishops and 126 representatives of the parish clergy and laity took part in its work. .
Patriarch Christopher of Alexandria, Patriarch Alexander III of Antioch, the Georgian Catholicos - Patriarch Kallistrat, representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarch - Metropolitan Herman of Fiagir, representatives of Jerusalem - Archbishop Athenagoras of Sebaste; the delegation of the Serbian Church, headed by Metropolitan Joseph Skoplyansky, the delegation of the Romanian Church, headed by Bishop Joseph of Arzem.
The first day of the meeting of the Council ended with a discussion and unanimous adoption of the "Regulations for the Governance of the Russian Orthodox Church". The "Regulations" were read out by Archbishop Gregory (Chukov) of Pskov, who noted that the 31st canon of the Acts of the Apostles was its starting point. The document opened with the following definition: "In the Russian Orthodox Church, the supreme power in the field of doctrine, church administration and church court - legislative, administrative, judicial - belongs to the Local Council, periodically convened in the composition of bishops, clergy and laity." (In fact, it confirmed the definition of the Local Council of 1917-1918).
The first section defined the rights and obligations of the Patriarch in the real conditions of the existence of the Church in the Soviet state. Paragraph 7 read: “To resolve urgent important church issues, the Patriarch convenes with the permission of the Government (emphasis mine. - O.V.) the Council of His Grace Bishops and presides over the Council, and when it is necessary to listen to the voice of the clergy and laity and there is an external opportunity (emphasis mine. - O.V.) to convene the next Local Council, convenes such and presides over it."
The second section of the "Regulations" was devoted to the activities of the Holy Synod, the third - to the diocese, the fourth - to the parishes. During the discussion of this section, disputes arose about the role of the rector of the parish. The participants of the Council noted that "there are rectors who believe that their duties include only worship and preaching, they are excluded from economic activity. This is wrong."
After long discussions, the "Regulations" included the following wording of paragraph 35: "At the head of each parish community of believers is the rector of the church, appointed by the diocesan bishop for the spiritual guidance of the faithful and the management of the clergy and the parish."
(And none of those present at the Council at that time could have imagined how the position of the rector would change in different political epochs of the Soviet future.)
At the second meeting on February 2, 1945, the Local Council unanimously elected the patriarchal locum tenens, Metropolitan Alexy of Leningrad and Novgorod, as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. (Bishops, starting with the youngest, alternately on behalf of themselves and on behalf of the clergy and laity of their diocese named the name of the only candidate for the post of Patriarch.) The Council also adopted an appeal to the government of the USSR, in which words of gratitude were expressed not only "to the government and its head, highly esteemed Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin", but also to the fighting army: "The Local Council sends its blessing to our heroes-heroes".
After Stalin's death, the new Soviet leadership, condemning the "former conciliatory course" of state-church policy, embarked on the path of open confrontation with the Church.
"Khrushchev's course" in relations with the Church, which was called "church reform" in party documents, included six main points:
"1) a radical restructuring of church administration, the removal of the clergy from administrative, financial and economic affairs in religious associations, which would undermine the authority of clergy in the eyes of believers;
2) restoration of the right to manage religious associations by bodies chosen from among the believers themselves;
3) blocking all channels of the Church's charitable activities, which were previously widely used to attract new groups of believers;
4) abolition of income tax benefits for clergymen, taxing them as non-cooperative handicraftsmen, termination of state social services for civil church personnel, removal of trade union services;
5) protecting children from the influence of religion;
6) the transfer of clergy to fixed salaries, the restriction of material incentives for the clergy, which would reduce their activity.
The ideologists of the "church reform" clearly imagined that the "restructuring of church administration" could turn out to be a complicated and delicate matter. The solution was found quickly: "In order not to cause any complications in relations between the Church and the state, many events are carried out by church hands."
The removal of clergy from financial and economic activities in the parish was carried out on the "state recommendation" by the decision of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church with its further approval by the Council of Bishops in 1961, which began its work in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra on July 18.
The hierarchs were to discuss four questions.
1) On increasing the number of permanent members of the Holy Synod.
2) On changes in the "Regulations on the Administration of the Russian Orthodox Church", concerning Section IV - "On Parishes".
3) On the entry of the Russian Orthodox Church into the World Council of Churches.
4) On the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the World All-Christian Congress for the Defense of Peace, which took place in Prague on July 13-18, 1961.
Few of those present knew the questions presented for discussion. The cathedral was opened by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia: "One of our main concerns is the ordering of parish life in the parishes of our Church, which in many places of our dioceses is upset and causes endless complaints."
Further, the Primate spoke about the Decree of the Holy Synod of April 18, 1961, which delimited the duties of the parish clergy and executive bodies, "moreover, the abbots were charged with the duty to concentrate their concerns entirely on the spiritual leadership of the parish and on the liturgical side: with their release from participation in the economic and financial activities of the community.
The bishops were silent. There were no questions, no debate. Only the managing director of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archbishop Pimen (Izvekov) of Tula and Belevsky, in his report “On Changes in the “Regulations on the Administration of the Russian Orthodox Church” Concerning Section IV “On Parishes,” tried to convince the Russian bishops that since the beginning of the work of the Pre-Council Presence ( 1905) some of its members "in attracting the laity to the management of church property saw a violation of the canonical logic, according to which the right to dispose of church property belongs entirely to the bishop and that this right follows from his hierarchical powers. " And he immediately refuted the above: "But, despite for all the apparent persuasiveness of such arguments, they still did not have a solid canonical basis. Reference to canons, e.g. Apostolic Canons 38 and 41; The 15th Council of Ancyra, the 7th, and the 8th Council of Gangra were refuted by the general recognition of the canonists that there were no church rules that would determine the actual parish way of life."
The most important decision for the subsequent life of the Church was the approval by the Council of the decision of the Holy Synod of March 30, 1961 on the entry of the Russian Orthodox Church into the World Council of Churches.
In his report on this event, Archbishop Nikodim (Rotov) of Yaroslavl and Rostov, who served as chairman of the DECR, not only covered the entire history of the preparation and entry of the Russian Church into the WCC, but also gave an assessment of the ecumenical movement.
And few of the bishops present at the Council could have thought then that forty years later, joining the WCC would be assessed by a certain group of people in the Church as imposed by the authorities, who sought to weaken the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church. This group will allow itself a negative assessment of the activities of the hierarchs of those years, without delving into the essence of the events that took place, when Khrushchev’s persecution of the Church was gaining more and more strength and only through the use of the international platform could the world learn about the real state of religion and the Church in the USSR.
On April 17, 1970, at the age of 93, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, one of the outstanding bishops of the 20th century, reposed. Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Pimen (Izvekov) became locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne. On June 25, 1970, the Holy Synod adopted a resolution to convene a Local Council.
On May 26, 1971, the Bishops' Conference was held in the Dormition Church of the Novodevichy Convent. (The authorities did everything possible to force the Church to sign with their own hands the correctness of the decisions of the Council of Bishops in 1961.) Archbishop Vasily (Krivoshein) of Brussels sharply criticized the Conference.
In behind-the-scenes conversations, as he recalled later, many bishops agreed with him. The decision of the Council of 1961 was confirmed, but it should be noted that Metropolitan Nikodim in his speech reminded those present of the words of Patriarch Alexy at the Council of 1961 about an intelligent rector, a reverent performer of services and a man of impeccable life, who will always be able to maintain his authority in the parish.
The candidacy of the future Patriarch was also discussed at the Meeting. Archbishop Vasily made a proposal to hold a secret ballot during the elections, he was supported by Metropolitan Anthony (Blum) of Sourozh. Party documents describe their speeches as "an attempt to impose 'limitless democracy' in the election of a new Patriarch - they demanded the nomination of several candidates, the holding of a secret ballot."
The Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church worked from May 30 to June 2, 1971 at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. It was attended by 234 people - members of the Council: bishops of the Russian Church - 72, representatives of the Orthodox clergy - 84, believing laity - 78. Among the members of the Council were 25 foreign citizens representing 124 parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad. In addition, guests arrived at the Council - representatives of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches, non-Orthodox Churches, and ecumenical organizations.
On the first day of the Council's work, the locum tenens made a report on "The Life and Activities of the Russian Orthodox Church" after analyzing internal church life from 1945 to 1971.
On the same day, Metropolitan Nikodim's co-report "The Ecumenical Activity of the Russian Orthodox Church" was heard. In the section “Relations with the Roman Catholic Church,” Metropolitan Nikodim emphasized: “I consider it necessary to note the decision of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and the Holy Synod of December 10, 1969, dictated by the spiritual concern of our Church for its brothers in Christ, according to which the clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate received permission to teach grace of the Holy Mysteries to Catholics and Old Believers in cases of extreme spiritual necessity for the latter and in the absence of their priests, since we have a common faith with them in relation to the sacraments.
The discussion turned stormy, 36 participants of the Local Council spoke on the main report and co-reports (the debate was held on June 1). On June 2, the Local Council issued an act "On the abolition of oaths on the old rites and on those who adhere to them." The beginning of this document read: "The most enlightened hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, taking possible actions to remove obstacles to the healing of the schism, understood that the mediastinum that arose in connection with the oath definitions of the Councils of 1654 and 1667 must be eliminated."
The main event of the final meeting of the Council, held on June 2, was the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Bishops voted on their own behalf, on behalf of the clergy and laity of their diocese, starting with the youngest in consecration and ending with the deputy chairman of the Council, Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad and Novgorod. Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Pimen (Izvekov) became Patriarch.
The attempt of Archbishop Basil and Metropolitan Anthony at the Council to return to the question of removing the changes and the "Regulations on Administration ..." was futile. This was understood by everyone, except for themselves, who spent all the years of service outside of Russia.
In the spring of 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev met with the hierarchs of the Russian Church in the Kremlin. This correct political move was the first step towards the spiritual healing of society.
The Local Council, dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia, began its work on June 6, 1988 at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. It was attended by 272 representatives from 67 domestic and 9 foreign dioceses, 22 monasteries, two Theological Academies and three seminaries, from foreign institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church and from the Japanese Autonomous Church.
At the first meeting, Metropolitan Filaret of Kyiv made a report "The 1000th Anniversary of the Baptism of Russia", making an attempt to trace the fate of the Church from Baptism to the present day.
On the same day, the participants of the Council listened to the report of Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna "Canonization of the Saints in the Russian Orthodox Church".
For glorification among the saints, the following are proposed: the Right-Believing Prince of Moscow Dmitry Donskoy, the Monk Andrei Rublev, the Monk Maxim the Greek, the Saint Macarius of Moscow, the Monk Paisius Velichkovsky, the Blessed Xenia of Petersburg, the Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, the Monk Ambrose of Optina, the Saint Theophan the Recluse. By decision of the Local Council, the rite of canonization was completed.
(This event has become one of the most important in the modern life of the Church. The canonization of the newly-appeared saints of God will be followed by a long process of preparation for the canonization and the canonization itself of the New Martyrs of the 20th century.)
The main decision of the Council was the adoption of a new Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church. The draft charter was presented by Archbishop Kirill of Smolensk and Vyazemsky. After evaluating the "Regulations" of 1945 and the changes made to it in 1961, he concluded that these documents, adopted in difficult historical conditions for the Church and the country, require revision. The proposed project, according to the speaker, was in succession with the "Definitions" of the Council of 1917-1918. This connection is seen in an attempt to express in modern categories the idea of ​​Orthodox ecclesiology - the idea of ​​catholicity.
The adopted Determination of the Council according to the Charter read: “Accept and bless for the implementation of the Charter on the governance of the Russian Orthodox Church, designed to serve to more fully reveal the catholic nature of the Church. It should be especially noted that under the conditions of the Charter, when the pastor is assigned an important role in the life of the parish community, he must strictly fulfill the commandment of the apostle to shepherd the flock of God, overseeing it not under compulsion, but willingly and pleasing to God, not for vile self-interest, but out of zeal, and not ruling over the inheritance of God, but setting an example for the flock (1 Pet. 5:2-3 )".
The new Charter introduced the periodicity of convening Local and Bishops' Councils. Returning to the basic principles of the "Definitions" of the Council of 1917-1918. on diocesan administration, the Local Council in the Statute restored Diocesan Assemblies. The most important change was the cancellation of the decision of the Council of Bishops in 1961 to remove priests from financial and economic activities.
In its definitions, the Local Council of 1988 also proclaimed "the extreme importance of taking care of the moral purity of the clergy, monastics, and all the children of the church." It was proposed to consider it necessary "to further deepen the ecumenical involvement of the Russian Orthodox Church in order to advance along the path to Christian unity through the testimony of the faith of the Ancient Undivided Church, through cooperation with all Christian Churches and associations in the name of peace, justice and the preservation of the integrity of God's creation."
The Council of Bishops, held from 9 to 11 October 1989 in the Danilov Monastery, glorified the first Patriarch of Moscow Job and the first Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church after the restoration of the Patriarchate - St. Tikhon, marking the beginning of the canonization of the new martyrs and confessors of the twentieth century.
The Council recommended that the diocesan bishops resume the publication of the Diocesan Gazette. The participants in the Council expressed concern about the state of church life in the western dioceses of Ukraine, where attempts were made to revive the union.
The Bishops' Council of 1990 (January 30-31) devoted its work mainly to the state of affairs in Western Ukraine. (February 1, 1990, the members of the Holy Synod met in the Kremlin with Anatoly Lukyanov, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, trying to find support from the state, then still unified, in resolving these complex issues, relying on Soviet legislation. Lukyanov did not play a trick, saying: " Everything that is happening is connected with the situation in the country, with the weakening of power. I do not rule out that there are nationalists in some places in state bodies.")
On May 3, 1990, His Holiness Pimen, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, died. His successor was Patriarch Alexy II (Ridiger), who was elected by the Local Council on June 7, 1990. In addition to his candidacy, there were two more - Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia Filaret (Denisenko) and Metropolitan of Rostov and Novocherkassk Vladimir (Sabodan). By secret ballot, 166 out of 317 possible votes were cast for Metropolitan Alexy. (Despite the order of convocation of the Local Councils declared by the Charter of 1988, it was the last in the outgoing century.)
The Bishops' Council of 1992 (March 31-April 4) canonized Metropolitan of Kyiv and Galicia Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky), the first new martyr of the bishops, Metropolitan of Petrograd and Gdov Veniamin (Kazansky) and others like him, the murdered Archimandrite Sergius (Shein), Yuri Novitsky, John Kovsharov, as well as Grand Duchess Elizaveta and nun Varvara: "Compose special services for these new Russian martyrs, and until the time of compiling such, after this day of glorification of their memory, send common services according to the order of martyrdom."
Olga Vasilyeva

The Council of Bishops in 1994 (November 29-December 4), in which 126 bishops took part, canonized Metropolitan Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow, Protopresbyter Alexander Khotovitsky, who died in 1937, and Archpriest John Kochurov, who was killed after the October Revolution of 1917.
In addition, the Council decided to conduct a theological study of the foundations of the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in inter-Christian organizations, and also condemned the practice of proselytism on the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church by other Christian denominations.
The Council of Bishops in 1997 (February 18-23) canonized the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky) of Moscow, Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov) and Archbishop Thaddeus (Uspensky).
The Council adopted a definition "On Relations with the State and Secular Society", which unequivocally refers to a certain social role of the Church. The assembled bishops considered it necessary to "constantly remind the authorities and society of the plight of people who do not receive pensions and salaries, people living below the poverty line, pensioners, the disabled, the unemployed, families with many children, orphans, young students, refugees and internally displaced persons, scientists , creative intelligentsia, military personnel. To ensure the interaction of the Church with the state, trade unions, charitable and public organizations in overcoming the social crisis in society."
The Definition also stipulates the relationship between the Church and political organizations. The members of the Council welcome the dialogue and contacts of the Church with political organizations "in case it is not in the nature of political support." Such cooperation is permissible "for purposes useful to the Church and the people, with the exception of the interpretation of such cooperation as political support."
At the same time, the Council considered unacceptable "the involvement of the Bishops and clergy in any kind of political election campaigning, their membership in political associations, the statutes of which provide for participation in elections of any level."
The assembled hierarchs considered it possible for the laity to participate in the activities of political organizations and to create such organizations themselves in the event that the latter do not include clergy and "conduct responsible consultations with the church authorities." According to the Definition, such organizations participating in the political process cannot have the blessing of the church authorities and act on behalf of the Church. If any church-public organization already has such a blessing, then it may be deprived of it if this organization begins to conduct political agitation and begins to pass off its opinion as the opinion of the Church, expressed only by Church Councils, the Most Holy Patriarch and the Holy Synod. . The same applies to church and church-public mass media.
An important outcome of the Council was the adoption of a decision regarding the dialogue between the Orthodox and Eastern (pre-Chalcedonian) Churches. The Council decided that the final document of this dialogue - "The Second Declaration and Proposals to the Churches" - is not considered as a final document sufficient to restore full communion between the Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, "because it contains ambiguities in certain Christological formulations." In this regard, the members of the Council expressed the hope that "Christological formulations will be further refined in the course of studying questions of a liturgical, pastoral and canonical nature, as well as questions related to the restoration of ecclesiastical communion between the two families of Churches of the Eastern Orthodox tradition."
With other Definitions, the Council excommunicated the former Metropolitan of Kyiv Filaret (Denisenko) and the former priest Gleb Yakunin, and also defrocked archimandrites Valentine (Rusantsov), Adrian (Starina) and hegumen Joasaph (Shibaev) who were banned from the priesthood.
Oleg Nedumov

Russian Orthodox Church (ROC, Moscow Patriarchate)- the largest religious organization in Russia, the largest autocephalous local Orthodox Church in the world.

Source: http://maxpark.com/community/5134/content/3403601

His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia - (since February 2009).

Photo: http://lenta.ru/news/2012/04/06/shevchenko/

History of the Russian Orthodox Church

Historians associate the appearance of the ROC with the moment of the Baptism of Russia in 988, when Metropolitan Michael was appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople Nicholas II Chrysoverg to the Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople created in Kyiv, the creation of which was recognized and supported by Kyiv Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.

After the decline of the Kyiv land, after the invasion of the Tatar-Mongol in 1299, the metropolis moved to Moscow.

Since 1488, the Russian Orthodox Church received the status of autocephaly, when the Russian Metropolis was headed by Bishop Jonah without the consent of Constantinople.

In the middle of the 17th century, under Patriarch Nikon, liturgical books were corrected and other measures were taken to unify Moscow liturgical practice with Greek. Some of the rites previously accepted in the Moscow Church, starting with the two-fingered, were declared heretical; those who would use them were anathematized at the council of 1656 and at the Great Moscow Cathedral. As a result, a split occurred in the Russian Church, those who continued to use the old rites began to be officially called "heretics", later - "schismatics", and later received the name "Old Believers".

In 1686, agreed with Constantinople, the autonomous Kyiv Metropolis was resubordinated to Moscow.

In 1700, Tsar Peter I forbade the election of a new patriarch (after the death of the previous one), and 20 years later established the Holy Governing Synod, which, being one of the state bodies, performed the functions of general church administration from 1721 to January 1918, with the emperor (until 2 March 1917) as "Ultimate Judge of this College".

The patriarchate in the Orthodox Russian Church was restored after only the overthrow of the autocracy by the decision of the All-Russian Local Council on October 28 (November 10), 1917; St. Tikhon (Bellavin), Metropolitan of Moscow, was elected the first patriarch in the Soviet period.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the ROC was alienated from the state and given over to persecution and decay. Financing of the clergy and church education from the treasury ceased. Further, the Church went through a series of schisms inspired by the authorities and a period of persecution.

After the death of the Patriarch in 1925, the authorities themselves appointed a priest, who was soon expelled and tortured.

According to some reports, in the first five years after the Bolshevik revolution, 28 bishops and 1,200 priests were executed.

The main target of the anti-religious party-state campaign of the 1920s and 1930s was the Patriarchal Church, which had the largest number of followers. Almost all of its episcopate, a significant part of the priests and active laity were shot or exiled to concentration camps, theological schools and other forms of religious education, except for private ones, were prohibited.

In difficult years for the country, there was a noticeable change in the policy of the Soviet state in relation to the Patriarchal Church, the Moscow Patriarchate was recognized as the only legitimate Orthodox Church in the USSR, excluding Georgia.

In 1943, the Council of Bishops elected Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) to the Patriarchal Throne.

During the reign of Khrushchev, there was again a tough attitude towards the Church, which continued into the 1980s. Then the Patriarchate was controlled by the secret services, at the same time the Church was making compromises with the Soviet government.

By the end of the 80s, the number of churches in the USSR was no more than 7,000, and no more than 15 monasteries.

In the early 1990s, within the framework of M. Gorbachev's policy of glasnost and perestroika, a change in the attitude of the state towards the Church began. The number of churches began to grow, the number of dioceses and parishes increased. This process continues into the 21st century.

In 2008, according to official statistics, the Moscow Patriarchate unites 156 dioceses, in which 196 bishops serve (of which 148 are diocesan and 48 are vicars). The number of parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate reached 29,141, the total number of clergy - 30,544; there are 769 monasteries (372 male and 392 female). As of December 2009, there were already 159 dioceses, 30,142 parishes, clergy - 32,266 people.

The very structure of the Moscow Patriarchate is also developing.

Management structure of the ROC

According to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the highest bodies of church power and administration are the Local Council, the Council of Bishops and the Holy Synod headed by the Patriarch, which have legislative, executive and judicial powers - each in its own competence.

local cathedral resolves all issues relating to the internal and external activities of the Church, and elects the Patriarch. It is convened at the dates determined by the Council of Bishops or, in exceptional cases, by the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, consisting of bishops, clerics, monastics and laity. The last council was convened in January 2009.

Bishops' Cathedral- a local council, in which only bishops participate. It is the highest body of the hierarchical administration of the Russian Orthodox Church. It consists of all the ruling bishops of the Church, as well as vicar bishops who head synodal institutions and theological academies; according to the Charter, is convened at least once every four years.

Holy Synod, according to the current charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, is the highest "governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church in the period between Bishops' Councils." It consists of a chairman - the Patriarch, nine permanent and five temporary members - diocesan bishops. The meetings of the Holy Synod are held at least four times a year.

Patriarch- Primate of the Church, has the title "His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia." He owns the "primacy of honor" among the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church. The name of the Patriarch is raised during divine services in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Supreme Church Council is a new permanent executive body operating since March 2011 under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is headed by the Patriarch and consists of the leaders of the synodal institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The executive bodies of the Patriarch and the Holy Synod are the Synodal Institutions. Synodal institutions include the Department for External Church Relations, the Publishing Council, the Educational Committee, the Department of Catechism and Religious Education, the Department of Charity and Social Service, the Missionary Department, the Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies, and the Department for Youth Affairs. The Moscow Patriarchate, as a Synodal institution, includes the Administration of Affairs. Each of the Synodal institutions is in charge of the circle of general church affairs, which is within the scope of its competence.

Educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church

  • Church-wide postgraduate and doctoral studies. Sts. Cyril and Methodius
  • Moscow Theological Academy
  • St. Petersburg Theological Academy
  • Kyiv Theological Academy
  • St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Academy
  • Orthodox St. Tikhon University for the Humanities
  • Russian Orthodox University
  • Russian Orthodox Institute of St. John the Theologian
  • Ryazan Theological Seminary
  • St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute
  • Volga Orthodox Institute
  • St. Petersburg Orthodox Institute of Religious Studies and Church Arts
  • Tsaritsyno Orthodox University of St. Sergius of Radonezh

Every denomination in the world has a leader, for example, the head of the Orthodox Church is Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

But besides it, the church has another leadership structure.

Who is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church

Patriarch Kirill is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill

He leads the church life of the country, as well as the Patriarch - the head of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and several other monasteries.

What is the hierarchy of the ROC among the clergy

In fact, the church has a rather complex structure and hierarchy. Each priest fulfills his role and takes his assigned place in this system.

The scheme of the Orthodox Church has three levels, which were created at the very beginning of the birth of the Christian religion. All servants are divided into the following categories:

  1. Deacons.
  2. Priests.
  3. Bishops.

In addition, they are divided into "black" and "white" clergy. The "black" refers to the monks, and to the "white" lay clergy.

Structure of the ROC - scheme and description

Due to some complexity of the church structure, it is worth considering in more detail, for a deep understanding of the algorithms of the work of priests.

Ranks of bishops

These include:

  1. Patriarch: the main title of the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church for life, at the moment in Russia it is Kirill.
  2. Vicar: the right hand of the bishop, his deputy, but he does not have his own diocese and cannot manage the diocese of the bishop.
  3. Metropolitan: a vicegerent in charge of metropolises, including those outside the Russian Federation.
  4. Archbishop: The title of senior bishop is considered an honorary title.
  5. Bishop: The third level of the priesthood in the Orthodox hierarchy, often holds the title of bishop, governs a diocese and is appointed by the Holy Synod.

Ranks of priests

Priests are divided into "black" and "white".

Consider the "black" clergy:

  1. Hieromonk: a monk-clergyman, it is customary to address him with the words: “Your Reverend”.
  2. Hegumen: head (abbot) of the monastery. Until 2011 in Russia, this title was honorary and did not necessarily correspond to the post of head of any monastery.
  3. Archimandrite: the highest title for a clergyman who has taken monastic vows. Often he is the rector of large monastic cloisters.

The "white" ranks include:

  1. Protopresbyter: the highest rank of the Russian Orthodox Church in its "white" part. It is given as a reward for special service in some cases and only at the request of the Holy Synod.
  2. Archpriest: senior priest, the wording may also be used: senior priest. Most often, the archpriest leads a church. You can get such a position not earlier than five years of faithful service after receiving a pectoral cross and not earlier than ten years after ordination.
  3. Priest: junior clergy rank. The priest may be married. It is customary to address such a person like this: “Father” or “Father, ...”, where after the father comes the name of the priest.

Ranks of deacons

This is followed by the step of deacons, they are also divided into "black" and "white" clergy.

List of "Black" clergy:

  1. Archdeacon: senior rank among deacons in a monastic community. It is given for special merits and length of service.
  2. Hierodeacon: priest-monk of any monastery. You can become a hierodeacon after the sacrament of consecration and tonsure as a monk.

"White":

  1. Protodeacon: the main diocesan deacon, it is customary to address him, like the archdeacon, with the words: "Your high gospel."
  2. Deacon: a priest who stands at the very beginning of the hierarchy of the ROC. These are assistants for the rest, higher ranks of the clergy.

Conclusion

The ROC has at the same time a complex but logical organization. The main rule should be understood: its structure is such that it is impossible to get from the “white” clergy to the “black” one without monastic vows, and it is also impossible to occupy many high positions in the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church without being a monk.

The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest autocephalous church in the world. Its history dates back to apostolic times. The Russian Church survived the schism, the fall of the monarchy, the years of theomachism, war and persecution, the fall of the USSR and the formation of a new canonical territory. We have collected abstracts that will help you to better know the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Russian Orthodox Church: history

  • The history of the Russian Orthodox Church dates back to apostolic times. When the disciples of Christ left to carry the Word of God to people, the territory of the future Russia turned out to be the path of the Apostle Andrew. There is a legend that the Apostle Andrew came to the Crimean land. The people who lived there were pagans and worshiped idols. The Apostle Andrew preached Christ to them.
  • Nevertheless, from the time when the apostle walked through the territory of the future Russia until the Baptism of Russia, nine centuries passed. Many believe that the history of the Russian Church began in the apostolic times, while for others, the Baptism of Russia in 988 becomes the “reference point”, and still others believe that the Russian Orthodox Church was born in the 4th century. In 1448, the first Autocephalous church organization appeared, its center was located in Moscow. Then the Russian bishops for the first time elected Metropolitan Jonah as the Primate of the Church without the participation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
  • In 1589-1593 Autocephaly was formally recognized and the Church gained independence. Initially, under the Patriarch there was no active Council of Bishops - the Holy Synod, which distinguished the Russian Orthodox Church from other Churches.
  • The Russian Orthodox Church also survived the difficult pages of its own history. Namely, the church reform, when the term "Old Believers" appeared.
  • During the time of Peter I, the Holy Synod became the state body that performed the function of general church administration. Due to the innovations of the king, the clergy became a rather closed society, and the Church lost its financial independence.
  • But the most difficult times for the Russian Orthodox Church came during the years of theomachism after the fall of the monarchy. By 1939 the Church was practically destroyed. Many clergy were convicted or killed. Persecution did not allow believers to openly pray and visit temples, and the temples themselves were desecrated or destroyed.
  • After the collapse of the USSR, when the repression of the Church and the clergy ceased, the “canonical territory” of the Russian Orthodox Church became a problem, as many former republics seceded. Thanks to the act of canonical communion, the local Churches remained "an integral self-governing part of the Local Russian Orthodox Church."
  • In October 2011, the Holy Synod approved the reform of the diocesan structure with a three-tier system of government - Patriarchate - Metropolis - Diocese.

Russian Orthodox Church: structure and management

The order of the Church hierarchy in the modern Russian Orthodox Church looks like this:

  1. Patriarch
  2. Metropolitan
  3. Bishop
  4. Priest
  5. Deacon

Patriarch

Patriarch Kirill has been the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church since 2009.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia was elected to the Primate service at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 27-28, 2009.

Structure of the Russian Orthodox Church (metropolises, dioceses)

There are more than three hundred dioceses in the Russian Orthodox Church, which are united in metropolises. Initially, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the title of metropolitan was assigned only to the Primate. The metropolitans are still solving the most important issues in the Russian Orthodox Church, but the Patriarch is still its head.

List of Metropolitans of the Russian Orthodox Church:

Altai Metropolis
Archangel Metropolis
Astrakhan Metropolis
Bashkortostan Metropolis
Belgorod Metropolis
Bryansk Metropolis
Buryat Metropolis
Metropolis of Vladimir
Volgograd Metropolis
Vologda Metropolis
Voronezh Metropolis
Vyatka Metropolis
Don Metropolis
Yekaterinburg Metropolis
Transbaikal Metropolis
Ivanovo Metropolis
Irkutsk Metropolis
Kaliningrad Metropolis
Kaluga Metropolis
Karelian Metropolis
Kostroma Metropolis
Krasnoyarsk Metropolis
Kuban Metropolis
Kuzbass Metropolis
Kurgan Metropolis
Metropolis of Kursk
Lipetsk Metropolis
Mari Metropolis
Minsk Metropolis (Belarusian Exarchate)
Mordovian Metropolis
Murmansk Metropolis
Metropolis of Nizhny Novgorod
Metropolis of Novgorod
Novosibirsk Metropolis
Omsk Metropolis
Orenburg Metropolis
Oryol Metropolis
Metropolis of Penza
Perm Metropolis
Amur Metropolis
Maritime Metropolis
Pskov Metropolis
Ryazan Metropolis
Samara Metropolis
St. Petersburg Metropolis
Saratov Metropolis
Simbirsk Metropolis
Smolensk Metropolis
Stavropol Metropolis
Tambov Metropolis
Tatarstan Metropolis
Metropolis of Tver
Metropolis of Tobolsk
Tomsk Metropolis
Tula Metropolis
Udmurt Metropolis
Khanty-Mansiysk Metropolis
Chelyabinsk Metropolis
Chuvash Metropolis
Yaroslavl Metropolis

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