News

The Sukhumi-Abkhazian diocese seeks to join the Russian Church

Sukhumi, September 5, Interfax - The Abkhazian Church wants to be self-governed Church under the Moscow Patriarchate, administrator of the Sukhumi-Abkhazian Diocese Fr. Vissarion Aplia told journalists.

Orthodox believers of Abkhazia asked the Moscow Patriarchate for it "more than once before, but the republic wasn't recognized and it was the main obstacle for settling the question," he noted.

"We were in a very hard situation after Georgian-Abkhazian war of 1992-93 and it was the Russian Orthodox Church that extended help to the Abkhazian Church, though we asked the whole Orthodox world for help," the diocesan head said.

"Today when Russia recognized Abkhazia's independence, we intend to ask for settling this question again," Fr. Vissarion further said.

The Russian Orthodox Church stated late in August that though Russia had politically recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia, it didn't mean changes of canonical territories of the Moscow and Georgian Patriarchates.

"The political decision has been taken and we must respect it because it is based on the unanimous opinion of MPs from both chambers of the Russian parliament," deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin told Interfax-Religion.

However, the priest further said, "Political decisions don't define church jurisdictions and spheres of pastoral responsibility. These questions should be settled canonically in course of dialogue between the two (Russian and Georgian -IF) Churches."

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Religion department editor of the Dagestani newspaper detained on suspicion of terrorism financing 17 June 2019, 11:30
• Russian Catholics don’t believe in islamization of Europe 07 June 2019, 15:30
• Leaders, members of 15 Jehovah's Witnesses cells held in Dagestan 07 June 2019, 10:55
• World will be better if people follow Bible, Torah, Koran - Putin 06 June 2019, 18:01
• Russian Catholics urge not to have illusions about possible pontiff's visit to Moscow 06 June 2019, 17:05
• The Russian Orthodox Church is not ready to welcome the Pope of Rome in Moscow 06 June 2019, 16:04
• Putin to meet with Pope Francis 06 June 2019, 14:34
• Russian Jews pray for “lifting up” the soul of the reposed wife of the Israel’s president 06 June 2019, 11:32
• Russia's Jews present country as example of tolerance for Europe 04 June 2019, 18:48
• Remembrance of Great Patriotic War protects Russia from xenophobia, anti-Semitism - Putin 04 June 2019, 17:48
• Putin attends unveiling of monument to heroes of resistance in concentration camps 04 June 2019, 17:41
• Russian Muslim community plays major role in combating extremist ideology - PM Medvedev 04 June 2019, 11:28
• Putin notes Russian Muslims' contribution to peoples' unity, fight against extremism 04 June 2019, 11:25
• Last Sobibor uprising survivor dies 03 June 2019, 18:17
• Kiev Patriarchate does not exist, never existed - Patriarch Bartholomew 03 June 2019, 14:54
• Constantinople cannot solve complicated religious situation in Ukraine - Russian Orthodox Church 30 May 2019, 19:45
• Putin congratulates Jews on Salvation and Liberation Day 30 May 2019, 19:00
• Protests against construction of churches plotted by outside forces - Russian Orthodox Church 28 May 2019, 18:42
• Church on site of first Russian settlement Fort Ross in U.S. to be restored 28 May 2019, 17:27
• Russian Orthodox Church to open churches in Cyprus, Sweden 28 May 2019, 17:26
• Yekaterinburg residents offer some 50 sites for church construction 27 May 2019, 18:37
• Patriarch Kirill in meeting with Mijatovic asks Council of Europe to control observance of believers' rights in Ukraine 27 May 2019, 18:35
• Churches in Russia to keep being built as long as people need it - Patriarch Kirill 27 May 2019, 18:14
• Patriarch Kirill hopes for end to discrimination against Orthodox Christians in Ukraine under new president 27 May 2019, 18:13
• Europe, Russia should turn over page of misunderstanding - Patriarch Kirill 27 May 2019, 17:18
• Patriarch Kirill tells secretary general of Council of Europe is concerned about human rights issues 27 May 2019, 14:14
• Putin, Patriarch Kirill discuss matter of plans to build Yekaterinburg church – Peskov 27 May 2019, 13:42
• Metropolitan Kirill compares situation with church construction in Yekaterinburg to tsar's family killing 27 May 2019, 12:31
• Patriarch Kirill sanctifies Church of All Saints in Strasbourg 27 May 2019, 11:27
• Hegumen arrested after stabbing, injuring monk at Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius 24 May 2019, 19:10

Other news