In the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church, a local council is a meeting of bishops, laity, other clerics, as well as the local Church. It discusses and resolves the most important issues related to matters of doctrine, moral and religious life, as well as discipline, organization and management of the church.
History of Cathedrals
The practice of convening local councils appeared in the so-called ancient church. It originates from the Jerusalem Council, where the apostles gathered to resolve issues of compliance by baptized pagans with the requirements of the law of Moses. Over time, the decisions of local councils (as well as Ecumenical ones) became binding on all novices of monasteries and churches.
Initially, cathedrals were named after the cities in which they were held. There was also a conditional distribution according to the location of the churches, the name of the local churches, the countries or territories in which they were organized.
The practice of councils in the Russian Orthodox Church
In our country, until the 20th century, any private cathedrals of antiquity, with the exception of the Ecumenical ones, were called local councils. At the same time, the term came into wide use only in the 20th century,when preparations began for the All-Russian Local Council of the Russian Church, which we will talk about in more detail. It opened in August 1917. It is noteworthy that more than half of its participants were lay people.
Already in the latest original documents of the Russian Orthodox Church, it is stated that the assembly of the episcopate, as well as any other clergy and laity belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, is considered a local council.
Formation order
In the modern charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, there is even a special procedure for the formation of a local council of the Russian Orthodox Church.
It should include bishops, heads of Synodal institutions and theological academies, delegates from theological seminaries, as well as from the abbesses of women's monasteries. Without fail, the local council of the Russian Orthodox Church includes the head of the national spiritual mission, which is based in Jerusalem, members of the commission for the preparation of the cathedral at the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of patriarchal parishes in the United States of America, Canada, Italy, Turkmenistan, Scandinavian countries.
Restoration of the Patriarchate
Perhaps the most important local council of the Russian Church in the twentieth century was held in 1917. Firstly, it was the first cathedral organized since the end of the 17th century. Secondly, it was on it that it was decided to restore the institution of the patriarchate in the Russian church. It was adopted on October 28, ending the synodal period. Everything was organized in the famousAssumption Cathedral.
Interestingly, this local council of the Russian Orthodox Church has been in session for over a year. It coincided with such important events as the First World War, survived the rise and fall of the Provisional Government, as well as the socialist revolution, the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, on which many had high hopes, the signing of the Decree on the separation of church and state, the beginning of a bloody Civil War.
Responding to some of these major events, the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church made statements about them. At the same time, members of the Bolshevik Party, whose actions were discussed at the council, did not interfere with the holding of this meeting.
It is noteworthy that preparations for this council of local Orthodox churches have been carried out since the first years of the 20th century. It was then that anti-monarchist sentiments began to prevail in society. They also met among the clergy.
564 people became participants of the cathedral. The head of the Provisional Government, Alexander Kerensky, Nikolai Avksentiev, who oversaw the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as members of the diplomatic corps and the press, took part in its work.
Preparing for the cathedral
Preparation for an Orthodox local council began in 1906. A special ruling of the Holy Synod was issued. The formation of the pre-Council presence began, during which time four volumes of "Journals and Protocols" were printed.
In 1912, a special department was organized at the Holy Synod, whichdirectly engaged in the preparation.
Convening a council
In April 1917, the project of the Holy Synod was approved, dedicated to the appeal to pastors and archpastors.
In August, the charter of the local council was adopted. It was meant to serve as a qualitative example of a "rule of thumb". The document stated that this council is capable of resolving any issues, all its decisions are binding.
In August 1917, a decree was issued on the rights of the Holy Cathedral, signed by the Provisional Government.
First session
Officially, the work of the cathedral started in August 1917. That's when the first session began. It was entirely devoted to the reorganization of the top of the church administration. Issues of the restoration of the patriarchate were discussed, as well as the election of the patriarch himself, the establishment of his duties and rights. The legal situation in which the Orthodox Church found itself in the changing conditions of Russian reality was discussed in detail.
Discussions began from the first session on the need to restore the patriarchate. Perhaps the most active advocate of restoring the patriarchate was Bishop Mitrofan, and members of the cathedral, Archbishop Anthony of Kharkov and Archimandrite Hilarion, also supported this idea.
True, there were also opponents of the patriarchate, who pointed out that this innovation could fetter the conciliar principle in church life, and also lead to absolutism in the Russian Orthodox Church. Among the ardentopponents stood out a professor of the Kyiv Theological Academy named Peter Kudryavtsev, as well as Archpriest Nikolai Tsvetkov, Professor Alexander Brilliantov.
Election of the Patriarch
An important decision this year was made for the Russian Orthodox Church. The local council elected a patriarch for the first time after a long break. It was determined that the elections will be held in two stages. This is a secret ballot and lot. Each participant had the right to write a note in which he could indicate only one name. Based on these notes, a final list of candidates was drawn up. The names of the three leaders who received the most votes were decided to be elected to the holy throne. Which of them would become the patriarch was decided by lot.
It is worth noting that some members of the council spoke out against such a procedure. After counting the notes, it turned out that the leader of the first stage was Archbishop Anthony Khrapovitsky, who received 101 votes in his support. He was followed by Metropolitan Kirill Smirnov and Tikhon. Moreover, with a noticeable lag, they had only 23 votes each.
The solemn announcement of the result of the lot took place at the end of 1917. In the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, this was done by an elder of Zosima Hermitage named Alexy Solovyov. He drew lots in front of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. It was not by chance that this elder was chosen for such an important mission. At that time, he was already 71 years old, he entered Zosimov Pustyn in 1898, where he was tonsured a monk. In 1906 he began to engage in eldership. This is a special type of monastic activity, which is directly related to spiritual guidance. During eldership, a special person provides spiritual guidance to other monks who live with him in the same monastery. Mentorship is carried out, as a rule, in the form of advice and conversations that the elder leads with people who come to him.
By that time he was already quite a respected person. He announced the name of the new patriarch, who became Metropolitan Tikhon. Notably, the candidate with the fewest votes initially won.
New Patriarch
Tikhon became Patriarch of Moscow. In the world Vasily Ivanovich Bellavin. His biography is interesting. He was born in the Pskov province in 1865. His father was a hereditary priest. In general, the surname Bellavin was very common in the Pskov region among the clergy.
At the age of 9, the future patriarch entered a theological school, then was educated at a theological seminary in Pskov itself.
The patriarch took monastic vows in 1891. Then he received the name Tikhon. An interesting stage in his biography is missionary work in North America. In 1898 he was appointed Archbishop of the Aleutian and Alaska.
In the memory of his contemporaries, Patriarch Tikhon remained the author of loud appeals, anathemas and other statements that were actively discussed in society.
So, in 1918, he issued an Appeal, in which, in particular, he called on everyone to come to their senses and stop the bloody massacres, because this is actually a satanic deed (for which a person can be exiled to Gehennafiery). In the minds of the public, the opinion was entrenched that this anathema was addressed directly to the Bolsheviks, although they were never directly called that way. The patriarch condemned everyone who went against Christian values.
In July 1918, in the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square, Patriarch Tikhon openly condemned the execution of Emperor Nicholas II and his entire family. Soon the Bolsheviks began criminal prosecution of the clergyman. He was never sentenced to a real criminal punishment.
In 1924 there was a robbery attack on the patriarch's house. Yakov Polozov, who for many years was one of his closest assistants, was killed. This de alt a serious blow to Tikhon. His he alth has deteriorated greatly.
In 1925, he died at the age of 60, according to the official version, from heart failure.
Second session of the council
Returning to the local council, it is worth noting that at the very beginning of 1918 the second session began, which lasted until April. The session was held in conditions of extreme political instability in society.
There have been a large number of reports of massacres against the clergy. Everyone was especially struck by the murder of the Kyiv Metropolitan Vladimir Bogoyavlensky. At the cathedral, the Parish Charter was adopted, which called for parishioners to rally around Orthodox churches in this difficult time. The diocesan administration was supposed to be more actively involved in the lives of the laity, helping them cope with what was happening around.
At the same time, the council categorically opposed the adoption of new laws oncivil marriage, as well as the possibility of its painless termination.
In September 1918, the cathedral stopped work without completing it.
Third session
The third session was the shortest. It ran from June to September 1918. At it, the participants had to work out the main conciliar definitions that should guide the highest bodies of church government. Questions were considered about monasteries and their novices, the involvement of women in various worship services, as well as the protection of church shrines from the so-called blasphemous seizure and desecration.
Just during the cathedral, the murder of Emperor Nicholas II and his entire family took place. At the council, after the debate, the question was raised about the need for a divine service dedicated to the assassination of the emperor. A vote was organized. About 20% of the participants of the cathedral spoke out against the service. As a result, the patriarch read the funeral litia, and an order was sent to all Russian churches to serve the corresponding memorial services.
Memory of the Cathedral
There are many documentary sources left in memory of the cathedral. Among them were icons. The most famous of them is the icon "Fathers of the local cathedral". It was written in 1918. It depicts all the hierarchs who supported the resumption of the Russian patriarchy. It is noted that behind each image there is a real confessional story, which is important for any Orthodox.
