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XIII. The Exarchates

1. The dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church can be united into Exarchates. The national and regional principle shall be the basis of such unification.

2. The decisions on the establishment or dissolution of the Exarchates as well as on their names and territorial boundaries shall be taken by the Holy Synod with the subsequent approval by the Bishops’ Council.

3. The decisions of the Local and Bishops’ Councils and the Holy Synod shall be binding for the Exarchates.

4. The Supreme Ecclesiastical Court and the Court of the Bishops’ Council shall be ecclesiastical courts of last resort for the Exarchates.

5. The supreme church authority in an Exarchate shall belong to the Synod of the Exarchate chaired by the Exarch.

6. The Synod of the Exarchate shall adopt the Statute regulating the governance of the Exarchate. The Statute shall be subject to approval by the Holy Synod and confirmation by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

7. The Synod of an Exarchate shall act on the basis of the canons, the present Statute and the Statute regulating the governance of the Exarchate.

8. The minutes of the Synod of the Exarchate shall be submitted to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

9. The Exarch shall be elected by the Holy Synod; his appointment shall be decreed by the Patriarch.

10. The Exarch shall be the diocesan bishop of his diocese and shall govern the Exarchate on the basis of the canons, the present Statute and the Statute regulating the governance of the Exarchate.

11. The name of the Exarch shall be commemorated in all churches of the Exarchate after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

12. The diocesan and vicar bishops of the Exarchate shall be elected and appointed by the Holy Synod at the presentation from the Synod of the Exarchate.

13. The decisions on the establishment or abolishment of the dioceses comprising the Exarchate and on their territorial boundaries shall be taken by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod at the presentation from the Synod of the Exarchate with the subsequent approval by the Bishops’ Council.

14. The Exarchate shall receive the Holy Chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

15. In the Russian Orthodox Church at present there is the Belarusian Exarchate located in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. ‘The Belarusian Orthodox Church’ shall be another official name of the Belarusian Exarchate.