II. The Local Council

1. The supreme power in the Russian Orthodox Church pertaining to the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and his retirement, the granting of autocephaly, autonomy or self-governance to parts of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as to the consideration of subjects listed in this Statute, shall belong to the Local Council.

2. The Local Council shall be convened when necessary by the Bishops’ Council. In exceptional cases the Local Council can be convened by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (or the Locum Tenens) and by the Holy Synod.

3. The Local Council shall consist of the bishops, representatives of the clerics, monastics and laypeople included in its membership either ex officio or elected in accordance with the Regulations on the Membership of the Local Council.

The Regulations on the Membership of the Local Council as well as alterations and amendments to it shall be approved by the Bishops’ Council.

4. The responsibility for the preparation of the Local Council shall be borne by the Bishops’ Council, which shall elaborate the rules of procedure of the sessions, programme, agenda and structure of the Local Council, give its preliminary assent to them and submit them to the Local Council for approval and shall also take other decisions pertaining to the holding of the Local Council.

In the event the Local Council is convened by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (or the Locum Tenens) and the Holy Synod, the proposals on the rules of procedure of the sessions, programme, agenda and structure of the Local Council shall be approved by the Bishops’ Council, which must hold its session prior to the Local Council.

5. The Local Council shall:

a) serve as an expression of the doctrinal and canonical unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and have as its primary task the preservation of this unity;

b) make decisions pertaining to the granting of autocephaly, autonomy or self-governance to parts of the Russian Orthodox Church;

c) elect the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia in accordance with the Regulations on the Election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and make the decision on his retirement;

The Regulations for the Election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, as well as alterations and amendments to it, shall be approved by the Bishops’ Council;

d) elaborate, on the proposal of the Bishops’ Council, the position of the Church’s pleroma on major issues pertaining to the internal church life, relations with other Local Churches, non-Orthodox confessions and non-Christian religious communities, as well as on the relations with states and society in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church;

e) propose to the Bishops’ Council in case of necessity to reconsider its earlier decisions on doctrine and canonical order, taking into account the opinions expressed by the majority of the Local Council participants;

f) initiate the consideration of significant issues within the Inter-Council Presence;

g) take care of the preservation of purity of the Orthodox faith, Christian morals and piety;

h) approve, change, annul and explain its resolutions.

6. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia shall preside over the Council, and the Locum Tenens shall preside in the absence of the Patriarch.

7. The quorum of the Local Council shall be the two-thirds of the Council members, including the two-thirds of bishops out from the total number of bishops – members of the Council.

8. The Council shall approve the rules of procedure of the sessions, programme, agenda and structure of the Local Council and elect the Presidium and Secretariat by simple majority of those present members of the Council and shall form the necessary working bodies.

9. The Presidium of the Local Council shall consist of the Chairman (the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia or the Locum Tenens) and twelve members of the Council in the rank of a bishop. The Presidium shall guide the sessions of the Council.

10. The Secretariat of the Local Council shall consist of the Secretary in the rank of a bishop and two assistants – a clergyman and a layman. The Secretariat shall be responsible for providing the members of the Council with all necessary working materials and for keeping minutes of the sessions. The minutes shall be signed by the Secretary and approved by the Chairman.

11. The Council shall elect the chairmen in the rank of a bishop, the members and the secretaries of the working bodies established by the Council by simple majority.

12. The Presidium, the Secretary and the chairmen of the working bodies shall comprise the Board of the Council.

The Board shall be the governing body of the Local Council. Its terms of reference shall include:

a) consideration of the emerging questions on the agenda and submission of the proposals on the order in which the Council shall consider them;
b) coordination of the entire activities of the Council;
c) consideration of the procedural and protocol matters;
d) administrative and technical provision of the normal work of the Council.

13. All member bishops of the Local Council shall comprise the Bishops’ Conference. The Conference shall be convened by the Chairman of the Council on his initiative, by the decision of the Board of the Council or on the proposal of no less than the one third of the bishops. The task of the Conference shall be to consider the resolutions of the Council which are of special importance and which cause doubt as to their conformity with the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Tradition, dogmas and canons, and to maintain church peace and unity.

In the event that a certain decision of the Council or its part are rejected by the majority of the bishops present, the decision shall be put forward for another consideration by the Council. If after that the majority of the bishops present at the Council reject it, it shall lose its force as a Council’s decision.

14. The opening of the Local Council and its daily sessions shall be preceded by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy or of any other appropriate divine service in accordance with the rubrics.

15. The sessions of the Local Council shall be chaired by the Chairman, or, on his proposal, by one of the members of the Presidium of the Council

16. The open sessions of the Local Council can be attended, along with its members, by the invited theologians, experts, observers and guests. The extent of their participation shall be determined by the rules of procedure, but in any case they shall have no right to vote. The members of the Local Council shall have the right to propose a closed session.

17. The decisions of the Local Council shall be taken by the majority of votes, except special cases stipulated by the rules of procedure adopted by the Council. In the event of a tie in open vote, the Chairman shall cast the deciding vote. In the event of a tie in secret ballot another vote shall be held.

18. The actions of the Local Council in the form of resolutions and decisions shall be signed by the Chairman and the members of the Presidium. Other documents approved in the decisions/resolutions of the Local Council shall be initialled by the Secretary of the Council.

19. The resolutions of the Local Council shall take effect immediately after their adoption.