Russian Church Outside of Russia holds service for late Patriarch Alexy, Metropolitan Laurus who reunited Russian Church

Late Patriarch Alexy and Late Metropolitan Larus

Moscow, May 17, Interfax – The Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, United States, has conducted a service for for Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) Metropolitan Laurus.

The service in the run-up to the fifth anniversary of the reunion of the two parts of the Russian Church was conducted by Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, the Administrator of Patriarchal Parishes in the United States, the Russian Orthodox Church’s Department for External Church Relations website reported on Thursday.

“Deprived of free existence in its homeland, the persecuted Russian Orthodox Church became a martyr of the godless regime, but the Church outside of Russia also experienced pressure on the part of Russian political circles abroad,” he said addressing those attending the service.

Differences that led to the tragic split were overcome “when the Russian Church both at home and in the diaspora freed itself of political influence alien to it, and we acquired longed-for freedom and true and long-awaited unity in Christ,” he said.

Metropolitan Hilarion, the First Hierarch of ROCOR, said in a greeting that was read out following the service that Alexy II and Metropolitan Laurus managed to reunite the Church due to their faith in Christ and sincere love for their congregation, i.e. the Russian people at home and outside of the country.

Metropolitan Hilarion said it is Alexy’s and Laurus’s firm belief and love that helped them overcome the long years of divide and reunite the Russian Church.

Alexy II and Metropolitan Laurus signed the Act of Canonical Communion of the two parts of the Russian Church at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on May 17, 2007, when the Church celebrates the Lord’s Ascension Day.

A delegation of ROCOR led by Metropolitan Hilarion is to arrive in Russia to take part in the celebrations in Moscow and also visit Diveyevo and St. Petersburg.

Source: