The Shepherd, October 2005
The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, 4
Russian emigrants, dispersed through the whole world, finding themselves often in difficult circumstances, await that radiant day when the homeland will be liberated from the power of the godless ones who tear to pieces the soul and body of their brethren, and when they will be able to unite with the latter. The Russian Church Abroad bears with them the heavy cross of banishment. Without having altered Orthodoxy in any respect, preserving the traditions and customs of the Russian Church and her material possessions which are located abroad, she cares for her flock according to her strength, retains it in Orthodoxy and raises new generations in it and spreads Orthodoxy to the peoples in whose midst she finds herself. In the churches of the diaspora prayers are constantly raised up for the suffering homeland, for the persecuted Church, for the tortured and murdered for whom prayer cannot openly be offered there, for the salvation of the homeland and its deliverance from the cruel regime, for the restoration of right belief and piety. All these prayers are possible only under independence from those who are in the hands of that same cruel regime and submit to it.
The Russian Church Abroad, headed by a Sobor of Bishops, most of whom have been consecrated in the diaspora and by their episcopal oath have promised to obey her ecclesiastical authority, has more than twenty bishops in various countries. She has monasteries for men and women, of which some have existed since the times of the Tsars (in Palestine), others received their beginning in Russia (Lesna Convent in France, Vladimir Mother of God Convents in California and Canada), and the remainder were founded in the days of our misfortunes, in the bosom of the Russian Church Abroad (such as Holy Trinity Monastery at Jordanville, the Monastery of St. Job of Pochaev in Munich, Novo-Diveyevo Convent at Spring Valley, N.Y., the New Kursk Hermitage at Mahopac, N.Y., and others).
The Russian Church Abroad has her own Seminary (which stands in the ranks of higher educational institutions in accordance with local laws), its own secondary educational institutions and schools, in which children growing up abroad learn Orthodox doctrine and receive Russian culture.
The parishes and church communities of the Russian Church Abroad are scattered throughout the world; they are to be found in great cities which have international significance, and in desert places where there is only a handful of Russians. They are cared for by priests who are often compelled to undertake great journeys to visit parishioners who live great distances apart. Others have to earn their living by some other work, because their poor flock cannot provide for them.
The archpastors and pastors of the Church Abroad share with their flock all the spiritual and material burdens that are inescapably bound up with being in exile, and they fulfil their duty of service to the Orthodox, in particular the Russian, Church and the commandments of their conscience with regard to their earthly homeland, Russia, and to their brethren.
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