љљљ љљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ љљљљљљљљљљљ љ

No. 452

His Eminenceљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ In Fili, Attica, Greece

Most Reverend Agafangelљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ October 12, 2007 (Church Calendar)

Bishop of Odessa and Tauridaљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ +Sts.Philip the Apostle or Deacon

Odessa, Ukraineљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ and St. Theophanes the Confesssor

Your Eminence,

љ dear brother in Christ,

љљљ Bishop of Odessa and Taurida, Agafangel!

љљљљљљљљљљљ I greet you with a sacred kiss, love, peace and oneness in the Holy Spirit, while offering your Eminence the sincere feelings of deep respect of our honorable Hierarch and Metropolitan Cyprian and the Most Reverend Bishops of the Holy Synod of Resistance.

љљљљљљљљљљљ I hasten as the Deputy Chairman - an appointment given to me with the love and trust of our Hierarchy through a resolution made at its recent regular Session (34/4.10.2007) - to inform your Eminence of synodal resolutions accepted at this Session (accepted, by the way, unanimously) regarding our ecclesiastical relationship with you (Resolution 7).

'It was unanimously decreed, that after the union of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad under Metropolitan Lavr with the Moscow Patriarchate, to continue the association of our Holy Synod with the Most Reverend Agafangel, Bishop of Odessa and Taurida, who did not give his consent to this union and broke off his relationship with the Synod of Bishops of Met. Lavr.

Our association with the Most Reverend Agafangel is ongoing and was never interrupted; it will continue and be active in the future as well; we will participate in ordinations of bishops, if we are asked, to strengthen his jurisdiction; we will invite Most Reverend Agafangel to Greece at the first possible opportunity to declare our association with him through an official synodal meeting and to sign the 'Act of fundamental principles of our joint activities'; our simultaneous relationship with the Synod of Archbishop of Omsk and Siberia, Tikhon, (in Russia) is not possible, as he is not in communion with the Most Reverend Agafangel.'

љљљљљљљљљљљ In accordance with this Resolution and with great gladness, we invite your Eminence to come to Greece for the approval and establishment of our unity in Christ and our joint efforts towards the ensuing challenges .

љљљљљљљљљљљ We earnestly ask that you schedule your visit after November 9/19, because after that date, the Most Reverend Bishop Ambrose of Methone will be with us after two trips abroad.

љљљљљљљљљљљ We ask you, holy Bishop, to accept our assurance of the deep respect and love in Christ we have for you personally and our brotherly greetings.

љљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ Least among us in Christ

љљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ Deputy Chairman

љљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ +Bishop Cyprian of Oreon

љљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ Secretary

љљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљљ +Bishop Clement of Gardiki