This Kind of Hierarch Suited Us In the Past,and He Still Suits Us Now! Reporter: Olga Arsenina incl. on March 22, 2014 . Published in the Columnist column (Views: 60) Tags: ROCOR , Metropolitan Agafangel (Metropolitan Agafangel)This is the Bishop that suits us fine! The feast day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, March 9/22, 2014, marks the 20th anniversary of the episcopal ministry of our First Hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Agafangel. He was ordained a bishop at a fairly young age (he was only 37 years old then,) and being a man of profound faith, he adopted in full measure his responsibility before God for the Church, for the flock, and for himself. From the first days of his arch-pastoral ministry he engaged in church building up, constantly pushing ideas and achieving their implementation: in the first post-perestroika years; despite the stiff opposition on the part of the MP, he succeeded to legally register – at first [just] one and thereafter – a second diocese in Ukraine; and after the Vth All-Russian-Diaspora Council, he registered the Synod in New York; he managed uniting around himself loyal clergy and laity (in Ukraine, in Russia, Belarus, some in western Europe, Kazakhstan, South America, Australia, and the USA, and he gathered together and registered parishes, (currently the Odessa diocese has the largest number of parishes within the ROCA – 25); he ordained more than 50 clergymen, he has performed/presided over more than 30 monastic tonsures & vows. He has written numerous articles and pamphlets on theological issues. In 1997 he organized and registered the Sts. Cyril-and-Methodius Correspondence Seminary, which has produced many clerics; for 10 years he has himself taught seminarians Pastoral Theology. He has aided the relocation/rescue from Ishim, Siberia, (Russian Federation) in connection with the then impending union of the then ROCOR with the MP, of a Womens Monastery, that of the ROCOR Sisterhood of St. John of Shanghai, which has settled in Egorovka, Ukraine, not far from the diocesan center in Odessa. Vladyka Agafangel is a creator and a church-builder in the literal sense of the word. He helps parishes in all of his dioceses. In 1999 he achieved the transfer to the Odessa diocese of the former baptistry small house chapel of the Temple of the Holy Archangel Michael in Moldavanka, Ukraine, which has for 15 years – with the help of God and with the forces of good people – now flourished into a real spiritual and educational center, and later – also near the Synodal office (with an area of more than 1,500 square m.) with a Temple, halls for various church and charitable activities, a refectory, cells to accommodate visiting clergy and pilgrims; and he has urbanized [ improved and cleaned up] the city square on which the temple is located. In 2007, at the St. Demetrius Cemetery in Odessa, was built with his efforts, a chapel where regular services are held, further two small temples in the city – these have also to a large extent been the result of his perseverance. There is a parish plot at the Christian Cemetery in Odessa that has also been obtained, thanks to Vladyka Agafangel, and in which, 2 clerics and 13 parishioners have been buried; and where Vladyka always performs funeral services on days commemorating the deceased. In late 2011, he blessed an all-church fund-raising effort for the purchase of a Synodal House Residence in the U.S. (since as a result of the union with the MP almost all the former ROCOR US church property proved to be taken [grabbed] by ROCOR/MP), and as a result of numerous donations, in March 2014 our Church purchased an actual house(a modest house near the Tolstoy Farm, New York),– indeed, using credit that shall have to be paid back over 10 or more years, but I am sure that with the help of the church people, this shall be done successfully. Vladyka provides many forces for the church-and-educational outreach, activities: issued by him personally (or under his editorship), including the art-drawing formatting (and Vladyka is a professional artist) there have been more than 40 titles of books, and pamphlets, while the I.P.Ts. [TOC] True Orthodox Church, paper magazine, published from 1996 to 2000, and the Russian Sigor – from 2008 to 2012 were exceptional and to his credit. Vladykas latest brainchild is the Missal/Slushebnik, with detailed explanations, which makes it precious for practical use during worship services. For several years now, theological conferences and singing congresses have been held. From the first days of his arch-pastoral ministry Vladyka has made every effort towards promoting charitable activities: he has organized the obtaining of humanitarian relief, which for 15 years has been assigned to more than 40 hospitals, boarding schools for children, disabled and elderly people – [a total of] about 500,000 needy residents of Ukraine. Numerous activities for children have been organized. For more than 15 years now, food products [& other necessary materials], have been either handed out freely, or as hot cooked meals for the needy elderly and lonely orphans, have been implemented. All this is the result of his tireless activities, which sometimes have lead to criticism, jealousy, and even spite. It has been thus in all ages. He is not criticized who doesnothing!. But this [unfair and unfounded] criticism is proof that Vladyka Agafangel is on the right course, the right way. But probably most importantly, what distinguishes Vladyka Agafangel – is his piety, uncompromising in upholding the truth of the church, and at that, Vladyka decides all the issues concilliarily/with sobornost, a true voice of conscience for the inviolability of the canons of the Church, because he believes that this is the main thing. The Church is strong with its catholicity, cleanliness and adamant compliance with the canons established by the Fathers of the 7 Ecumenical Councils. Everyone knows that Vladyka Agafangel was the only one of the ROCOR bishops (up to May 17, 2007), to not accept the union and the treacherous agreement of the then ROCOR with the MP. He and some of the clergy and laity remained at the previous [old Russian Church Abroad], position, forming after the signing of that shameful act, that [Tomos accepting autonomy/liturgical inter-communion from and WITH the MP,] first, and then – after the holding of the Vth All-Russian-Diaspora Council, which then elected Bishop Agafangel as ROCORs First Hierarch; the Bishops Council and the Synod, which continues the course of the Church Abroad – despite the efforts of many to break apart and destroy our church - She lives and thanks be to God! After his election as the Primate, the geography [ world-wide] of church issues monitored by Vladyka, expanded even further: to cover now also the United States, Canada, South America, Western Europe, the Holy Land, Australia, etc. We would like to note Vladykas sincere modesty and monastic selflessness [the opposite to avariciousness], his conscientiousness, humility, his endeavor to treat all exactly, and his loyally. Another of his rare traits, especially in our [modern] times – he is a great son of his already deceased parents: [his] father – Ivan Dmitrievich and [his] mother – Maria Grigoryevna (she who was the one to originally lead him to Orthodoxy), having given them all his best devotion and strength, especially in the last years of their lives and remembering them always. Let us pray to our Saviour to grant our Vladyka Agafangel, a continued firm standing in the truth, so he may lead his flock on the direct Holy path. Many Years! [Mnogaya leta!] Olga Arsenina
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 04:32:49 +0000
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