Local cathedral. Local Council or Council of the Local Church

Bishops' Council

The Council considered and approved the Regulations proposed by the Holy Synod on the composition of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, the program, agenda, regulations and structure of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as the procedure for electing His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' by the Local Council.

On the evening of January 25, a secret vote was held to nominate three candidates for patriarchs who will be proposed to the Local Council.

The total number of ballots received by the Counting Commission was 250. The number of delegates present was 198, the number of distributed ballots was 198, the number of undistributed ballots canceled by the Counting Commission was 52. No spoiled ballots were identified during the counting. The number of ballots removed from the ballot boxes after voting was 198. There were 197 valid ballots, 1 invalid.

• Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad - 97 votes;
• Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Clement - 32 votes;
• Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret - 16 votes;
• Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna Juvenaly - 13 votes;
• Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir - 10 votes;
• Metropolitan of Chernivtsi and Bukovina Onuphry - 10 votes;
• Metropolitan Sergius of Voronezh and Borisoglebsk - 7 votes;
• Metropolitan of Chisinau and All Moldova Vladimir - 4 votes;
• Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail - 3 votes;
• Metropolitan German of Volgograd and Kamyshin - 1 vote;
• Metropolitan of Argentina and South America Plato - 1 vote;
• Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York - 1 vote;
• Metropolitan of Tashkent and Central Asia Vladimir - 1 vote;
• Bishop of Syktyvkar and Vorkuta Pitirim - 1 vote.

Thus, the three candidates whom the Council of Bishops will present for voting in the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' at the Local Council are: Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (Gundyaev), Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Clement (Kapalin) and Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret (Vakhromeev).

Local cathedral

It took place from January 27 to January 28 of the year in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, in the upper church in the name of the Nativity of Christ.

Before the start of work, the delegates of the Council, at the proposal of Metropolitan Kirill, elected the Presidium of the Local Council. On the recommendation of the Council of Bishops, its composition included: Kirill, Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad - chairman; Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine; Daniel, Metropolitan of Tokyo and All Japan; Vladimir, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Filaret, Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Juvenaly, Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna; Clement, Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk, manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate; Vladimir, Metropolitan of Chisinau and all Moldova; Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York; Alexander, Metropolitan of Riga and All Latvia; Cornelius, Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia; Innocent, Archbishop of Korsun; Mitrofan, Archbishop of Belotserkovsky and Boguslavsky.

At the proposal of the Council of Bishops, the Secretariat of the Local Council and its counting, mandate and editorial commissions were also elected.

On the evening of January 27, delegates of the Local Council by secret ballot elected Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad to the dowager Moscow Patriarchal throne. He received 508 out of 677 votes.

On January 28, the Council adopted definitions “On the life and works of the Russian Orthodox Church” and “On the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church.” In these definitions, the Council paid tribute to the works of the late Patriarch Alexy II, approved the actions of the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church held in the period between Local Councils (including approved amendments to the Charter introduced into it during this period), and expressed satisfaction with the “works incurred at this time the Church's Fullness." The Council also adopted a Message to “beloved shepherds in the Lord, honorable monks and nuns and all the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church,” in which it called for strengthening unity in the name of Christ under the omophorion of the new Primate.

Used materials

• Official website of the Bishops' and Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2009

The Council of Bishops completed its work one day ahead of schedule.

The local council completed its work one day ahead of schedule.

Of the 702 delegates to the Local Council, 23 ballots were declared invalid, and two delegates did not take part in the voting at all.

According to the Charter of the Russian Church, the Local Council has the highest authority in the field of doctrine and canonical structure of the Church. The Local Council consists of bishops, representatives of the clergy, monastics and laity, in the number and order determined by the Council of Bishops.

The Local Council, in particular, approves the resolutions of the Council of Bishops relating to doctrine and canonical structure, canonizes saints, elects the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and establishes the procedure for such election, determines and adjusts the principles of relations between the Church and the state, expresses, if necessary, concern about the problems of our time .

Local Council as a canonical term means the Council of the local Church (thereby implying its opposition to the Ecumenical Council). However, a more common perception is of the Local Council as a Council of broad composition, which includes not only bishops, as is the case with the Council of Bishops, but also the clergy and laity.

Based on this more common meaning, we can say that in the history of the Russian Church there were only five Local Councils, and all of them took place in the 20th century: in 1917-1918, 1945, 1971, 1988 and 1990. All Councils (with the exception of the Councils of Bishops) that were held before were rather a prototype of these Local Councils.

At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that there was no single model for the participation of clergy and laity in the Local Councils of the 20th century.

Councils in Rus' were convened starting with the Baptism of Rus' in 988. However, historical science knows almost nothing about the Councils of the Kyiv period. More detailed information begins to arrive, starting from the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke and Muscovite Rus'.

Elections on the so-called Local Councils, which were held in the 20th century, had not been held before. There was a tradition (there was no strict regulation) to invite prominent Moscow priests to the Council (usually they were represented by the abbots of Kremlin cathedrals and churches), abbots of large monasteries in Vladimir, Suzdal, Novgorod and other cities. In addition, the king and his retinue were present. Usually only bishops signed the acts of the Councils, which gave them the quality of Bishops' Councils. The great princes and kings themselves indicated the subjects of conciliar deliberations, and they often published conciliar decrees on their own behalf.

The most famous Councils before the Synodal period (1721-1917: at this time Councils were not held, and the Church was governed by the Synod)

Vladimir Cathedral of 1274:

He accepted the “Helmsman’s Book” of Saint Sava of Serbia, which was important for church law, and prohibited the ordination of persons under canonical age and slaves;

He condemned the clergy for deviations from the church charter during the celebration of the Eucharist and baptism, drunkenness, pagan rituals and spectacles, disorderly games on the eve of holidays, folk battles that did not go without the death of participants;

He condemned the custom of taking brides to water, and forbade the depiction of crosses on the ground and on ice.

Cathedral of 1503:

He ordered the resettlement of the so-called "double monasteries", in which monks and nuns lived simultaneously;

He forbade widowed members of the clergy from performing divine services unless they took monastic vows.

Stoglavy Cathedral of 1551:

He issued a Code of 100 chapters, in which all the norms of the law of the Russian Church in force at that time were collected and systematized ("The Helmsman", "The Charter of St. Vladimir", the resolutions of the Council of 1503, the messages of the metropolitans).

Stoglav's decrees concerned bishop's duties, church court, discipline of the clergy, monks and laity, worship, monastic estates, public education and care for the poor. Stoglav’s decrees on double-fingering, on the “Superior Alleluia” later became a banner for the Old Believers.

He forbade secular courts from judging clergy;

He suggested that the bishops and city clergy establish schools to train proteges;

The laity was given the opportunity to choose candidates for the priesthood;

He condemned the widespread atrocities and remnants of paganism in folk life, legal battles, buffoon performances, gambling, and drunkenness.

Council of 1590 (held after the establishment of the patriarchate in Moscow in 1589):

He issued an act with a letter from the Patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah II on the election of Job as patriarch and on the patriarchal title of his successors.

Great Moscow Cathedral of 1667:

Was convened for the trial of Patriarch Nikon. The Eastern Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch took part in the actions of the Council.

He decided to deprive Patriarch Nikon of his dignity and exile him to the Belozersky monasteries;

Condemned the Old Believers;

He canceled the decree of the Philaret Council of 1621 on the rebaptism of Western Christians and the ban on serving widowed priests and deacons;

He forbade the ordination of the ignorant;

He ordered the priests to teach their children to read and write;

He decided to defrock clergy who entered into a second marriage, but allowed them to sing in the choir or enter into the sovereign's service, except for military service;

Forbade laymen to judge clergy for church crimes;

He forbade tonsuring one of the spouses without the consent of the other, as well as demanding contributions to the monastery from those tonsured;

He ordered metropolitans to wear white hoods, and deacons and priests to wear skufia;

He developed a norm for the relationship between church and state authorities, according to which the tsar had priority in political affairs, and the patriarch in church matters.

Moscow Cathedral 1675:

Established provisions on the advantages and differences of the patriarch, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop and other hierarchical persons;

He decided to brew myrrh for all of Rus' only in Moscow;

He forbade priests to give their places as dowries to their daughters, so that these places would go to their sons-in-law.

Local Councils (XX century)

All-Russian Church Council of 1917-1918 (opened on August 15, 1917 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin)

It was held with a wide representation of the laity. Representatives of various strata took part - from a count to a felt shoe maker and an aircraft mechanic, officers, prominent thinkers: the famous orientalist Boris Turaev, academician Nikolai Nikolsky, Sergei Bulgakov, Evgeniy Trubetskoy.

Restored the patriarchate;

He elected Tikhon (Bellavin) as patriarch by lot from three candidates;

Issued definitions on the procedure for election, rights and responsibilities of the patriarch, on the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council, on the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, on diocesan administration, on parishes, monasteries and monastics, on the legal status of the Church in the state, and the involvement of women in various fields of church service .

Local Council of 1945:

Adopted regulations on the management of the Russian Church;

Local Council of 1971:

He canceled the oaths (consignment to damnation - “IF”) of the Great Moscow Council of 1667 on the Old Believers, recognized the old Russian rites as “saving, like the new rites, and equal to them.”

Local Council of 1988 (year of the millennium of the Baptism of Rus'):

He glorified as saints Demetrius Donskoy, Andrei Rublev, Maxim the Greek, Saints Macarius of Moscow, Ignatius Brianchaninov and Theophan the Recluse, Saints Paisius Velichkovsky and Ambrose of Optina;

Issued the Charter on the governance of the Russian Church.

Local Council of 1990:

317 delegates participated in the Council: 90 bishops, 92 clergy, 88 laity. It was preceded by the Council of Bishops, which elected three candidates to the patriarchal throne.

Elected Patriarch Alexy II;

Canonized Righteous John of Kronstadt;

He decided to hold Councils with the participation of clergy and laity once every five years (however, this decision was canceled at the Council of Bishops in 2000).

Prepared by Interfax-Religion columnist Alexey Sosedov

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Materials in this story

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Closed cathedral

2009 Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has, in particular, to elect the next Patriarch of Moscow. Before the Local Council, on January 25-26, 2009, a Council of Bishops was scheduled to be held, at which candidates for the patriarchal throne were to be determined. At the meeting of the Synod on December 10, a regulation was also adopted on the composition of the Local Council (part 2 of paragraph 4 of Chapter II of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church); A commission was formed to prepare the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, consisting of 29 people, headed by the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.

The enthronement of the newly elected patriarch was scheduled for February 1, 2009.

On January 17, 2009, a pre-conciliar meeting of UOC delegates to the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church took place in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Vladimir addressed the flock with a message dedicated to the election of the new Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. After a short meal, a bishop’s meeting took place in the hall of bishops’ meetings of the UOC Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, at which the Administrator of the UOC, Archbishop of Belotserkov and Boguslav Mitrofan (Yurchuk) acquainted all delegates of the Local Council from the UOC with the program and regulations of the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 25-26, 2009 and the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 27-29, 2009, as well as with the upcoming enthronement of the newly elected Patriarch. Also, the Primate of the UOC, Metropolitan Vladimir, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, addressed the delegates of the Council with an admonition to preserve unity, peace and brotherly love during the work of the Bishops’ and Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Participants

Among the members of the cathedral there were 72 women (both nuns and laywomen); Most of the participants in the council were citizens of states other than Russia. The total number of delegates is 711, of which citizens of Russia - 44.8%, Ukraine - 28.6%, Belarus - 7.1%; bishops - 30.4%, clergy - 40%, laity - 23.4%; men - 89.7%, women - 10.3%.

Security and privacy measures

The cathedral was held in an atmosphere of heightened security measures and secrecy: in particular, during its (as well as the bishops' council on January 25, 2009) meetings, unnamed “special services” blocked the operation of mobile phones and any possible means of communication and sound recording in the temple premises; the temple building was surrounded by Ministry of Internal Affairs officers and vigilantes.

Council agenda

The convening of the Council was caused by the need to elect a new primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church (). The work of the Council was planned for three days - from January 27 to 29, nine plenary sessions were to be held. On January 28, the Cathedral was closed. According to the head of the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate, priest Vladimir Vigilyansky, this happened due to the fact that the main goal of the Council, the election of a new patriarch, was fulfilled on January 27. " The agenda is exhausted"- said Vigilyansky.

Media coverage

In the Russian media, the main candidates were initially named Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill (Gundyaev), Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Clement (Kapalin), Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly (Poyarkov) and Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret (Vakhromeev).

The personal composition of the Council caused active discussion in the Russian media: a significant proportion of lay members of the Council were representatives of government and business. Church publicist Deacon Andrei Kuraev, also known for his speeches addressed to young people, made public accusations of “inconsistency in the means of the party of Metropolitan Clement.”

A number of sites appeared on the Internet where it was proposed to choose a patriarch by voting by users. In addition, three council delegates had accounts on LiveJournal.

Bishops' Council

The opening of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church on January 25, 2009 was preceded by a liturgy in the upper (main) Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was led by the Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Kirill; Praying at the liturgy were members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, other archpastors who arrived at the Council, and the Moscow clergy.

After the meal, in the Hall of Church Councils (ground floor of the KhHS) the opening of the Council of Bishops took place, in which 198 of the 202 bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church took part.

The Council of Bishops nominated the following bishops as candidates for the Patriarchal throne:

• Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad (97 votes);
• Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Clement (32 votes);
• Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret (16 votes).

In addition, Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna received 13 votes, Metropolitans of Kiev Vladimir (Sabodan) and Chernivtsi Onufriy (Berezovsky) each received 10 votes; Metropolitan of Voronezh Sergius (Fomin) - 7 votes, Kishinev Vladimir (Kantaryan) - 4 votes, Odessa Agafangel (Savvin) - 3 votes; Five bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church received one vote each, who apparently voted for themselves.

Resolutions “On the preparation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church” and “On candidates for the Patriarchal Throne” were also adopted; the Certificate of Convocation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church was approved; the Regulations on the composition of the Local Council were approved; a number of documents relating to the organization of the work of the Council were reviewed and preliminary approved for subsequent approval by the Local Council.

Due to the fact that the agenda of the Council of Bishops was exhausted during the meeting on January 25, the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, who presided at the Council, announced the end of its work. At the end of the meeting, the Most Reverend Bishops participating in the Council sang the prayer “It is worthy to eat.”

Progress of the Local Council

January 27

At the first plenary meeting, the Presidium of the Local Council of 13 people was elected. At the proposal of the Council of Bishops, the following were formed:

• Secretariat of the Council - Secretary of the Administrative Office of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovsk Kliment (Kapalin);
• Credentials Committee - Chairman Archbishop of Khust and Vinogradov Mark (Petrivtsy));
• editorial commission - chairman Archbishop of Kostroma and Galich Alexander (Mogilev));
• counting commission - chairman, Metropolitan of Ekaterinodar and Kuban Isidor (Kirichenko)).

Metropolitan Kirill read a report on the state of the Russian Orthodox Church during the years of the Patriarchate of Alexy II.

At the second plenary session, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine spoke about the current state of the Ukrainian Church. He also said that he would vote for the candidacy of Metropolitan Kirill in the elections. During the meeting of the Council, no additional candidates for patriarchs were nominated; the proposal to the Council to renounce this right, according to the Interfax agency, came from Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk and Mariupol. Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk recused himself and asked those who voted for him to vote for Metropolitan Kirill. In his statement, the Metropolitan emphasized: “ We must consolidate before the election of the Patriarch". At this meeting, the participants of the Council approved the program, regulations and agenda, as well as the procedure for electing the patriarch. The Chairman of the Credentials Committee, Archbishop Mark, reported on the presence of a quorum.

Around 19:00 The end of voting was announced, and the counting commission began counting votes. The press service of the Local Council reported that the announcement of the results will take place after 20:00 in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

22:00 . The official voting results have been announced. Metropolitan Kirill, having collected 508 votes out of 677, was elected as the sixteenth Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk received 169 votes. Of the 702 delegates, two did not put their ballots in the ballot box. Thus, 700 ballots were involved in the voting, 23 of which were invalid.

28 January

Before the start of the meetings, the Divine Liturgy was performed by the priestly rite in the lower (Transfiguration) Church of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

On this day, the following documents were adopted at three plenary sessions:

A positive assessment was given to the development of the Russian Church over the past 18 years, and the actions of the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, held in the period between Local Councils, were approved. The Council called on clergy and laity to more actively develop dialogue with “ with the surrounding society, including civil associations, the world of science and culture». The Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church was approved, corrected and supplemented by the Anniversary Council of Bishops on August 16, 2000, with additions and amendments adopted by the Council of Bishops on June 27, 2008. It was also determined that:

1. The Council of Bishops has the right to introduce amendments to this Charter with subsequent approval by the Local Council.
2. The resolutions of the Council of Bishops come into force immediately after their adoption. The final approval of these decrees, as well as their cancellation or modification, is carried out exclusively by the Local Council.

On January 28, the Local Council completed its work ahead of schedule, although it was previously planned that its work would last until January 29. Upon completion of the work, Metropolitan Kirill, who was named Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', addressed the participants of the Council:

Assessments of results and prospects

Participants of the cathedral interviewed by journalists: Mikhail Paltsev, Nikolai Polyakov, Vladimir Sinitsyn, Larisa Kopaenko, Sergei Myannik testified that “ the consolidation of the episcopate, clergy and laity was felt in a special way at the Local Council - almost all speakers testified to this". Hegumen Maximilian (Klyuev) noted: “ I was amazed that everything took place in a peaceful, brotherly atmosphere» .

Sociologist of religion, critic of the Russian Orthodox Church Nikolai Mitrokhin wrote on January 29, 2009: “The surprisingly dirty election campaign is over. The Patriarch was elected. It was Metropolitan Kirill - the most scandalous figure in modern church history, for a significant part of the church symbolizing moral decay, boundless cynicism and commitment to behind-the-scenes politics<…>Police measures during the cathedral, “vigilantes” dispersing the few protesters, and the use of “nashi” as extras<…>- all this clearly shows that the fist has been and will be an important tool in internal church discussions. Immediately after his election, Kirill and his associates (primarily Bishop Hilarion of Vienna) even proposed to think about abolishing Local Councils - legally authorized (albeit actually profaned) representation from the clergy and laity. Instead, it is proposed to create some kind of advisory body. All this demonstrates the main principle of the future reign of Patriarch Kirill - the abolition of even the formal remnants of “conciliarity” and its replacement with enlightened absolutism, which in a significant part of the church is clearly assessed as “papism.”

On the same day, Alexander Dugin, a member of the presidium of the World Russian People’s Council, stated: “A new stage will begin in the church, but not an ideological one. If under Patriarch Alexy II the foreign policy of the church was moderate and rather defensive, now it will be offensive. Bishop Kirill will lead the church into society to defend Orthodox values ​​there: the Russian Orthodox Church will oppose postmodernism, liberal culture and liberal individuality.” .

Soon after the end of the Council, Bishop Hilarion (Alfeev) (DECR employee in the 1990s) spoke as follows: “The election of Metropolitan Kirill as patriarch is one of the most important events in the modern history of the Russian Church. I think that this will be a very bright and fruitful patriarchate, corresponding to the exceptional qualities of the newly elected High Hierarch. The so-called Putin rating of the metropolitan at the Local Council - 72% - indicates a high level of trust in There will be no crusade - there will be a new “baptism of Rus'.”

Former Russian Orthodox Church cleric Gleb Yakunin, excommunicated from the Church on February 11, 2009: “The Local Council, which even according to the Charter of 2000 had every right not to approve the usurpation of its power by the Council of Bishops with amazing ease, apparently under the hypnotic influence of the bright and strong personality of the elected Patriarch, committed a unique historical act of “self-castration”, as a result of which the past Local Council can be called “the Council for the expulsion of conciliarity from the Russian Orthodox Church MP.”

A participant in the council, Bishop Michael of Geneva (Donskov) said: “This was the first Local Council, when the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad together elected a new Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. This act is of very great importance for the Church, for the entire Russian people and for the entire Orthodox world."

Miscellaneous

Notes

1. Ch. II, clause 2 of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church
2. The local council of the Russian Orthodox Church will take place on January 27-29, December 10, 2008.
3. The local council will choose the path for the development of Orthodoxy RIA Novosti January 11, 2009.
4. Journals of the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church dated December 10, 2008 // Magazine No. 96
5. Regulations on the composition of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Official website of the MP December 10, 2008.
6. The Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church will take place on January 27-29/News/Patriarchia.ru
7. The new patriarch will be chosen on January 27-29, but the Russian Orthodox Church has no doubt that God has already chosen him NEWSru December 10, 2008
8. The Holy Synod made proposals for holding bishops’ and local councils of the Russian Orthodox Church Official website of the MP December 24, 2008
9. "01/17/2009. Kyiv. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Saturday before Epiphany
10. List of participants in the local council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2009 Official website of the MP December 17, 2008
11. Little Russian landing (undefined) . NG Religions (January 21, 2009). - Of the seven hundred delegates to the local council, almost two hundred represent Ukraine. Retrieved January 21, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
12. The Unfamiliar Patriarch, or What the History of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior Teaches Us Izvestiya January 26, 2009.
13. The hierarchs did not begin to rely on the lot (undefined) . NG Religions (January 28, 2009). - Metropolitan Filaret recused himself. Retrieved January 30, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
14. A respectable cathedral of respectable gentlemen (undefined) . New newspaper (January 28, 2009). - Almost all delegates are in one way or another connected with big business. Retrieved January 31, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
15. Bishops chose candidates for patriarchs (undefined) . Izvestia (January 26, 2009). - The list was formed in conditions of absolute secrecy. Retrieved January 28, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
16. Cathedral Passion (undefined) . New news (January 28, 2009). - The election of the patriarch was accompanied by increased security measures, pickets and gossip in the media. Retrieved January 29, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
17. Ch. IV, clause 16 of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church
18. Program of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church 2009
19. The Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church completed its work ahead of schedule
20. The date of entry into office of the new head of the Russian Orthodox Church has been announced Lenta.ru December 10, 2008.
21. Without unnecessary theologians Kommersant No. 6 (4061) dated January 16, 2009.
22. A house without an owner New news January 13, 2009.
23. VIP-laity and the phenomenon Daniil independent newspaper January 15, 2009.
24. DO THE BUSINESSMAN AND THE OFFICIAL PLACE AT THE LOCAL CATHEDRAL, - OPINIONS OF THE PRIESTS regions.ru January 13, 2009.
25. Manager instead of patriarch Novaya newspaper January 19, 2009
26. Andrey Kuraev. Unpredictable Cathedral (undefined) . NG Religions (January 21, 2009). - Is it possible to predict the outcome of church elections? Retrieved January 21, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
27. Metropolitan Clement called on the media “not to project the secular election campaign onto the church campaign” NEWSru January 15, 2009.
28. Local discord (undefined) . Kommersant (January 22, 2009). - On the eve of the patriarchal elections, a war of incriminating evidence began. Retrieved January 22, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
29. Candidate from the party in power (undefined) . Vedomosti (January 22, 2009). - Lay United Russia members are going to the patriarchal elections with the conviction that the country's leadership is counting on the victory of Metropolitan Kirill. Retrieved January 23, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.
30. Light of goodness (undefined) . Rossiyskaya newspaper (January 23, 2009). - The Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, answers RG’s questions. Retrieved January 23, 2009. Archived March 22, 2012.

Requirements of the Mosaic Law (Acts). The decisions of a number of local councils, along with the Ecumenical Councils, became the norms of church law.

The councils of antiquity are named after the cities in which they took place (Laodicea, Sardicea, etc.). There is also a division according to the geographical location of the churches whose representatives participated in the work of the cathedral (Eastern Church, Western Church), according to the names of local churches in which the cathedrals met (cathedrals of the Church of Constantinople, Antioch, Rome, Carthage, etc.), by the names of the countries and territories where they took place (Spanish, Asia Minor), by nationalities (cathedrals of the Russian, Serbian, Romanian churches), by confessions (cathedrals of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Georgian, Armenian, Lutheran churches).

In the Russian Church

Until the 20th century, the term “local council” was actively used in Russian historical literature to designate private (non-Ecumenical) councils of antiquity.

Although the term was also used in the 19th century to refer to local councils of the Russian Church and even in the phrase “All-Russian local council”, widespread use of the term in the modern sense came at the beginning of the 20th century in connection with the preparation for the All-Russian Council of the Orthodox Russian Church, which opened in August; more than half of the participants in the Council were laymen.

The latest normative documents of the Russian Orthodox Church understand the Local Council as a meeting of the episcopate, as well as representatives of other clergy, monastics and laity of the local Russian Orthodox Church.

According to the definition of the All-Russian Council of 1917-1918 and the Council of 1945

1. In the Orthodox Russian Church, the highest power - legislative, administrative, judicial and supervisory - belongs to the Local Council, convened periodically, at certain times, consisting of bishops, clergy and laity.<…>

In connection with the death of Patriarch Alexy II, which followed on December 5, 2008, the Local Council took place on January 28, 2009.

The procedure for forming the composition of the Local Council

The composition of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to the “Regulations on the composition of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church” as amended on December 10, 2008, includes:

1. Diocesan bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church;
2. Vicar bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church;
3. Heads of the following Synodal institutions:
   1. Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate;
   2. Publishing Council;
   3. Educational Committee;
   4. Department of Catechesis and Religious Education;
   5. Department of Charity and Social Service;
   6. Missionary Department;
   7. Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies;
   8. Department of Youth Affairs;
4. Rectors of the Theological Academies and the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University;
5. Five delegates from theological seminaries elected at the rector's meeting;
6. Vicars in the episcopal rank of male stauropegial monasteries;
7. Four delegates elected at the congress of abbesses of women's stauropegial monasteries;
8. Head of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem;
9. Members of the Commission for the preparation of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
10. Three delegates from each diocese consisting of one clergy, one religious and one lay person.
11. Patriarchal parishes in Canada, the USA, Turkmenistan, Italy and the Scandinavian countries each elect two delegates (a clergyman and a layman).

see also

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Notes

Links

• M.A. Babkin.. NG Religions (January 21, 2009). - Patriarch Tikhon can undoubtedly be considered the popularly elected head of the Church. Retrieved January 21, 2009. .

Excerpt characterizing the Local Council

That night Rostov was with a platoon in the flanker chain, ahead of Bagration’s detachment. His hussars were scattered in chains in pairs; he himself rode on horseback along this line of chain, trying to overcome the sleep that was irresistibly pushing him over. Behind him he could see a huge expanse of our army’s fires burning dimly in the fog; ahead of him was foggy darkness. No matter how much Rostov peered into this foggy distance, he saw nothing: sometimes it turned gray, sometimes something seemed black; then lights seemed to flash where the enemy should be; then he thought that it was only shining in his eyes. His eyes closed, and in his imagination he imagined first the sovereign, then Denisov, then Moscow memories, and again he hastily opened his eyes and close in front of him he saw the head and ears of the horse on which he was sitting, sometimes the black figures of the hussars when he was six steps away I ran into them, and in the distance there was still the same foggy darkness. "From what? It’s very possible, thought Rostov, that the sovereign, having met me, will give an order, like any officer: he will say: “Go, find out what’s there.” Many people told how, quite by accident, he recognized some officer and brought him closer to him. What if he brought me closer to him! Oh, how I would protect him, how I would tell him the whole truth, how I would expose his deceivers,” and Rostov, in order to vividly imagine his love and devotion to the sovereign, imagined an enemy or deceiver of the German whom he enjoyed not only killed, but hit him on the cheeks in the eyes of the sovereign. Suddenly a distant cry woke up Rostov. He shuddered and opened his eyes.
"Where I am? Yes, in a chain: slogan and password – drawbar, Olmütz. What a shame that our squadron will be in reserves tomorrow... - he thought. - I’ll ask you to get involved. This may be the only opportunity to see the sovereign. Yes, it won't be long until the shift. I’ll go around again and when I return, I’ll go to the general and ask him.” He adjusted himself in the saddle and moved his horse to once again ride around his hussars. It seemed to him that it was brighter. On the left side one could see a gentle illuminated slope and the opposite, black hillock, which seemed steep, like a wall. On this hillock there was a white spot that Rostov could not understand: was it a clearing in the forest, illuminated by the moon, or the remaining snow, or white houses? It even seemed to him that something was moving along this white spot. “The snow must be a spot; spot – une tache,” thought Rostov. “Here you go…”
“Natasha, sister, black eyes. On... tashka (She will be surprised when I tell her how I saw the sovereign!) Natashka... take tashka...” “Straighten that, your honor, otherwise there are bushes,” said the voice of a hussar, past whom Rostov was passing, falling asleep. Rostov raised his head, which had already dropped to the horse’s mane, and stopped next to the hussar. A young child's dream irresistibly beckoned him. “Yeah, I mean, what was I thinking? - not forget. How will I speak to the sovereign? No, that’s not it – it’s tomorrow. Yes Yes! On the car, step on... stupid us - who? Gusarov. And the hussars with mustaches... This hussar with a mustache was riding along Tverskaya, I also thought about him, opposite Guryev’s very house... Old man Guryev... Eh, glorious little Denisov! Yes, all this is nonsense. The main thing now is that the sovereign is here. The way he looked at me, and I wanted to say something to him, but he didn’t dare... No, I didn’t dare. Yes, this is nothing, but the main thing is not to forget that I thought the right thing, yes. On - the car, we are - stupid, yes, yes, yes. This is good". - And he again fell with his head on the horse’s neck. Suddenly it seemed to him that they were shooting at him. "What? What? What!... Ruby! What?...” Rostov spoke, waking up. The moment he opened his eyes, Rostov heard in front of him, where the enemy was, the drawn-out cries of a thousand voices. His horses and the hussar standing next to him pricked their ears to these screams. At the place from which the screams were heard, one light came on and went out, then another, and along the entire line of French troops on the mountain, lights were lit, and the screams became more and more intensified. Rostov heard the sounds of French words, but could not make out them. There were too many voices buzzing. All you could hear was: ahhh! and rrrrr!
- What is this? What do you think? - Rostov turned to the hussar standing next to him. - It’s the enemy’s, isn’t it?
The hussar did not answer.
- Well, don't you hear? – After waiting quite a long time for an answer, Rostov asked again.
“Who knows, your honor,” the hussar answered reluctantly.
- Should there be an enemy in the area? - Rostov repeated again.
“It may be him, or it may be so,” said the hussar, “it’s a night thing.” Well! shawls! - he shouted at his horse, moving under him.
Rostov's horse was also in a hurry, kicking the frozen ground, listening to the sounds and looking closely at the lights. The screams of voices grew stronger and stronger and merged into a general roar that could only be produced by an army of several thousand. The fires spread more and more, probably along the line of the French camp. Rostov no longer wanted to sleep. The cheerful, triumphant cries from the enemy army had an exciting effect on him: Vive l"empereur, l"empereur! [Long live the Emperor, Emperor!] was now clearly heard by Rostov.
- It’s not far, it must be beyond the stream? - he said to the hussar standing next to him.
The hussar only sighed, without answering, and cleared his throat angrily. Along the line of hussars the tramp of a horse riding at a trot was heard, and from the night fog the figure of a hussar non-commissioned officer suddenly appeared, appearing like a huge elephant.
- Your honor, generals! - said the non-commissioned officer, approaching Rostov.
Rostov, continuing to look back at the lights and shouts, rode with the non-commissioned officer towards several horsemen riding along the line. One was on a white horse. Prince Bagration with Prince Dolgorukov and his adjutants went to see the strange phenomenon of lights and screams in the enemy army. Rostov, having approached Bagration, reported to him and joined the adjutants, listening to what the generals were saying.
“Believe me,” said Prince Dolgorukov, turning to Bagration, “that this is nothing more than a trick: he retreated and ordered the rearguard to light fires and make noise in order to deceive us.”
“Hardly,” said Bagration, “I saw them on that hill in the evening; If they left, they left there. Mr. Officer,” Prince Bagration turned to Rostov, “are his flankers still standing there?”
“We’ve been standing there since the evening, but now I don’t know, your Excellency.” Order, I will go with the hussars,” said Rostov.
Bagration stopped and, without answering, tried to make out Rostov’s face in the fog.
“Well, look,” he said, after a short silence.
- I’m listening s.
Rostov gave spurs to his horse, called out to non-commissioned officer Fedchenka and two more hussars, ordered them to follow him and trotted down the hill towards the continued screams. It was both scary and fun for Rostov to travel alone with three hussars there, into this mysterious and dangerous foggy distance, where no one had been before. Bagration shouted to him from the mountain so that he should not go further than the stream, but Rostov pretended as if he had not heard his words, and, without stopping, rode further and further, constantly being deceived, mistaking bushes for trees and potholes for people and constantly explaining his deceptions. Trotting down the mountain, he no longer saw either ours or the enemy’s fires, but heard the cries of the French louder and more clearly. In the hollow he saw in front of him something like a river, but when he reached it, he recognized the road he had passed. Having ridden out onto the road, he held his horse back, undecided: to ride along it, or to cross it and ride uphill through a black field. It was safer to drive along the road that became lighter in the fog, because it was easier to see people. “Follow me,” he said, crossed the road and began to gallop up the mountain, to the place where the French picket had been stationed since the evening.
- Your Honor, here he is! - one of the hussars said from behind.
And before Rostov had time to see something suddenly blackened in the fog, a light flashed, a shot clicked, and the bullet, as if complaining about something, buzzed high in the fog and flew out of earshot. The other gun did not fire, but a light flashed on the shelf. Rostov turned his horse and galloped back. Four more shots rang out at different intervals, and bullets sang in different tones somewhere in the fog. Rostov reined in his horse, which was as cheerful as he was from the shots, and rode at a walk. “Well then, well again!” some cheerful voice spoke in his soul. But there were no more shots.

1. The Local Council has the highest authority in the Russian Orthodox Church in matters of electing the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and his retirement, granting autocephaly, autonomy or self-government to parts of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as in considering topics, the list of which is determined by this Charter.

2. The Local Council is convened as necessary by the Council of Bishops. In exceptional cases, the Local Council may be convened by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Locum Tenens) and the Holy Synod.

3. The Local Council consists of bishops, representatives of the clergy, monastics and laity, included in the Local Council ex officio or elected in accordance with the Regulations on the composition of the Local Council.

The regulations on the composition of the Local Council, as well as changes and additions to it, are approved by the Council of Bishops.

4. Responsibility for the preparation of the Local Council lies with the Council of Bishops, which develops, pre-approves and submits for approval to the Local Council the rules of the meetings, program, agenda, structure of this Council, and also makes other decisions related to the conduct of the Local Council.

If the Local Council is convened by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Locum Tenens) and the Holy Synod, proposals on the rules of the meetings, program, agenda and structure of the Local Council are approved by the Council of Bishops, the meeting of which must necessarily precede the Local Council.

5. Local Council:

a) serves as an expression of the doctrinal and canonical unity of the Russian Orthodox Church and has as its main task its preservation;

b) makes decisions related to the granting of autocephaly, autonomy or self-government to parts of the Russian Orthodox Church;

c) elects the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' in accordance with the Regulations on the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' and decides on his retirement;

The regulations on the election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', as well as changes and additions to it, are approved by the Council of Bishops;

d) at the proposal of the Council of Bishops, develops a position of church plenitude on the most important issues relating to internal church life, relationships with other Local Churches, with heterodox denominations and non-Christian religious communities, relationships between the Church and states, as well as the Church and society on the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church ;

e) if necessary, appeals to the Council of Bishops with a proposal to reconsider its previously adopted decisions in the field of doctrine and canonical dispensation, taking into account the opinions expressed by the majority of participants in the Local Council;

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

g) takes care of preserving the purity of the Orthodox faith, Christian morality and piety;

h) approves, changes, cancels and explains its decisions.

6. The Chairman of the Council is the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', in the absence of the Patriarch - the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne.

7. The quorum of the Local Council is 2/3 of the members of the Council, including 2/3 of the bishops of the total number of hierarchs who are members of the Council.

8. The Local Council approves the rules of the meetings, program, agenda and its structure, and also elects the presidium and secretariat by a simple majority of the members of the Council present and forms the necessary working bodies.

9. The Presidium of the Local Council consists of a chairman (Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' or Locum Tenens) and twelve members in the rank of bishop. The Presidium presides over the meetings of the Council.

10. The Secretariat of the Local Council consists of a secretary in the rank of bishop and two assistants - a clergyman and a layman. The Secretariat is responsible for providing Council members with the necessary working materials and for maintaining minutes of meetings. The minutes are signed by the secretary and approved by the chairman.

11. The Council elects chairmen (in the rank of bishop), members and secretaries of the working bodies established by it by a simple majority of votes.

12. The presidium, secretary and chairmen of the working bodies constitute the cathedral council.

The Cathedral Council is the governing body of the Local Council. His competence includes:

a) consideration of emerging issues on the agenda and making proposals on the procedure for their study by the Council;

b) coordination of all activities of the Council;

c) consideration of procedural and protocol issues;

d) administrative and technical support for the normal activities of the Council.

13. All bishops who are members of the Local Council constitute the Bishops’ Council. The meeting is convened by the chairman of the Council on his initiative, by decision of the Council of the Council or on the proposal of at least 1/3 of the bishops. The task of the Conference is to discuss those resolutions of the Local Council that are of particular importance and which raise doubts from the point of view of compliance with Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, dogmas and canons, as well as maintaining church peace and unity.

If any decision of the Local Council or part of it is rejected by the majority of the bishops present, then it is submitted for re-conciliar consideration. If, after this, the majority of hierarchs present at the Local Council reject it, then it loses the force of a conciliar determination.

14. The opening of the Local Council and its daily meetings are preceded by the Divine Liturgy or other appropriate statutory service.

15. Meetings of the Local Council are chaired by the chairman or, at his proposal, by one of the members of the presidium of the Council.

16. In addition to its members, invited theologians, specialists, observers and guests may take part in open meetings of the Local Council. The degree of their participation is determined by the regulations, but in any case they do not have the right to participate in voting. Members of the Local Council have the right to make a proposal to hold a closed meeting.

17. Decisions at the Local Council are made by a majority of votes, with the exception of special cases stipulated by the regulations adopted by the Council. In the event of a tie in the event of an open vote, the vote of the chairman is decisive. If there is a tie in the case of a secret ballot, a repeat vote is held.

18. Decisions of the Local Council in the form of resolutions and definitions are signed by the chairman and members of the presidium of the Council. Other documents approved by the resolutions of the Council are endorsed by the Secretary of the Council.

19. All official documents of the Local Council are signed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (Locum Tenens), members of the presidium and the secretary.

20. The resolutions of the Local Council come into force immediately after their adoption.