Department for External Church Relations
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Synod dissolves Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad and delegates its functions to the DECR
DECR Communication Service, 25.08.2022.
On August 25, members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church discussed at its meeting the work of the Department for External Church Relations (minutes No. 87 https://mospat.ru/ru/news/89562/), website patriarchia.ru reports http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5953147.html.
In order to ensure greater coordination in the engagement of the Russian Orthodox Church’s institutions abroad in the external church activities, a decision was made to dissolve the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad and delegate its functions to the Department for External Church Relations. To this end, a new secretariat was established within the DECR.
Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman, was instructed to draft necessary amendments and additions to the DECR Statute and submit them to the Holy Synod for approval.
Archpriest Nikolai Lischenyuk was appointed DECR vice-chairman, while temporarily retaining his post as rector of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Metochion in Karlovy Vary (Czeck Republic) and representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
The Synod members also resolved to grant a petition of Archpriest Nikolai Balashov and relieve him of his position as vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, expressing gratitude for his work. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov was given a blessing to continue his work in the sphere of external church relations as an adviser to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, was appointed acting vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.
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