Head of the Church: how he is elected, duties

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Orthodox Christians believe that the only head of the Church is Jesus Christ. This position is based on information from the Holy Scriptures. The first bishop in the local church after the Son of God is, as a rule, called the primate of the church. An example of this in the Russian Orthodox Church is the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

But, in addition to this, another term is used for the primate - the head of the Russian Church. There are other names that are found on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church, on other church resources. So, for example, there is the concept of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is also related to its primate - the patriarch. It is about the last position that will be discussed.

Who is a patriarch?

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia - this title is the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Various options have been used at different times.this denomination. The modern one was used both in antiquity and now when designating all patriarchs, but it became the official title when Sergius (in the world - Stragorodsky) was elected to the throne of the metropolitan in 1943.

The patriarch is the ruling bishop (that is, the highest rank) of the Moscow diocese, which includes the city of Moscow and the region. But, in addition to this, according to the charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, he has a number of church-wide powers inherent in the head of the Orthodox Church. They will be discussed in more detail below.

The year of the establishment of the patriarchate - 1589, the city - Moscow, the first patriarch was Job. In 1721, the patriarchate was abolished, and then it was restored already in 1917. This was done on the basis of the decision of the All-Russian Local Council.

How is he elected?

As the current church charter of 2000 says, the rank of patriarch is conferred for life. Issues of instituting a trial against the patriarch, his departure from the service are decided by the bishops' council.

At a time when the patriarchal chair is not occupied by anyone, the Holy Synod from its midst nominates the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne. Then, after a period not exceeding six months, after the throne has been vacated, the synod and the locum tenens convene a local council to elect the next head of the Church.

Requirements for candidates

In order to be elected to the patriarchs, a candidate for this position must meet certain parameters, including:

1. Age is at least 40 years old.
2. Availabilityhigher education in theology.
3. Presence of sufficient experience in diocesan administration.

It should be noted that the criteria, as well as the procedure for election to the ROC, are periodically reviewed. For example, in 2011, such a church body as the Presidium of the Inter-Council Presence considered a draft document relating to these issues. After that, this draft was sent to the dioceses to collect feedback, and it was also made public in order to organize a wide discussion.

The election process was first detailed in one of the internal regulatory documents of the Russian Orthodox Church - a special provision, which was adopted by the Council of Bishops on 05.02.2013

Elections in the 20th century

Here are a few examples of how individual patriarchs were elected in the 20th century.

• Metropolitan Tikhon was elected to the patriarchal throne by lot. In this case, the choice was made from three candidates previously approved by the local council.
• At a time when there was tight state control over church affairs, three patriarchs such as Pimen, Sergius, Alexy I were chosen by open, uncontested voting, with mandatory approval from the government.
• Alexy II was elected by the local council in 1990 by secret ballot. In the 1st round, the participants were three candidates who were previously approved by the Bishops' Council. Then the local council was given the right to add other candidates to the list. 2 candidates participated in the 2nd round,who received the majority of votes in the previous round.

After the election

After the candidate is elected to the patriarchal throne, a formula is pronounced, according to which the name of the newly elected with the addition of the rank is called - His Grace Metropolitan, and he is called by the great council to exercise the patriarchate in the “God-saved city of Moscow and all of Russia”. To which the newly-appeared head of the Church replies that, since the great council "loaned" him "unworthy" to be in the service, he thanks and does not object to this at all.

The official entry into the dignity is made in the form of a specially held, solemnly furnished ceremony called enthronement. It is held after a few days have passed since the election.

Powers of the Patriarch

According to the current church charter, legalized in 2000, subject to later amendments, the patriarch has the primacy of honor in the circle of bishops. At the same time, he is accountable to both councils: local, bishops. He must take care not only of the internal, but also of the external well-being of the Russian Church and govern it together with the synod, holding the post of its chairman.

The duties of the patriarch as head of the Church include the following:

1. He must convene local and bishops' councils, being their chairman.
2. He is responsible for implementing their decisions.
3. Is the representative of the church in all its relations with the outside world, namely with other churches and withsecular authorities.
4. Supports the unity of the church hierarchy, together with the synod, issuing decrees on the appointment and election of bishops in the diocese and controlling their activities.

Among the duties of the patriarch is such as the consecration of churches and speeches to the faithful. So, for example, on November 1, 2015, which fell on the 22nd week after Pentecost, the current Patriarch Kirill became the consecrator of the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist. It is part of the complex of the Chernigov metochion in Moscow, which in 2015 turned 600 years old. Also, a service was held by the patriarch in the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist.

Position attributes

The Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church provides for emphasizing the status of the head of the Russian Church with signs that distinguish patriarchal dignity. Some of them are:

• Doll (head cover) white.
• Two panagias (the image of the Mother of God, which has a round shape).
• Green robe.
• Large paraman (adding to the mantle).
• Presenting cross (worn in front of the patriarch).
• Patriarchal standard (introduced during the time of Alexy II).

The patriarch is the ruling bishop, called the diocesan bishop, who heads the diocese of Moscow and the region. And he is also a sacred archimandrite, the manager of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra and church stauropegia.

Stavropegia is a church status that is assigned to laurels, monasteries, brotherhoods, theological schools, cathedrals. He makes themindependent of the local authorities of the diocese. They report directly to the patriarch or the synod. In a literal translation, the word "stavropegia" - "hoisting the cross." This name indicates that in stauropegial monasteries, the patriarchs erected the cross with their own hands. This status is the highest.

The official residence of the patriarch, together with the synod, is the Danilov Monastery, located in Moscow, on Danilovsky Val. Since 1943, the working residence has also been located in Moscow, in Chisty Lane. There is another place where the patriarch periodically stays - this is a summer residence located in Novo-Peredelkino, on 7th Lazenki Street, which is located in Moscow, in the Western District.