Department for External Church Relations
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Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk confirmed in office as Patriarchal Exarch of Africa
DECR Communication Service, 12/03/2024
On 12th March 2024, members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church discussed a resolution of the Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to “defrock” the acting Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk (Minutes No. 30), patriarchia.ru reports.
On 16th February 2024, the Patriarchate of Alexandria’s Synod “deposed from the high ministry of the Hierarchy” the acting Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk.
Previously, in November 2022, the Orthodox Church of Alexandria “defrocked” Metropolitan Leonid of Klin who at the time headed the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa. At its meeting on 29th December 2022 (Minutes No. 136), the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church “resolved that the decision of the Patriarchate of Alexandria that Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch for Africa, ‘be deprived of his dignity’ and all other similar decisions concerning the Russian Orthodox Church clergy be considered to have no canonical force and to be invalid.” The decision was adopted in view of the fact that Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria had actually fallen into schism and based on the generally recognized principle of immunity of the clergy of one autocephalous Church to the court of another autocephalous Church.
At its session on 12th March 2024, the Synod of the Russian Church resolved to regard as unlawful and invalid the decision of the Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria to “defrock” the acting Patriarchal Exarch of Africa, Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk.
In addition, by the decision of the Synod, Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk was confirmed in office as Patriarchal Exarch of Africa.
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