ROCOR-A Priest George Titov Calls for Metropolitan Agafangel to Resign
November 20, 2014 (Source: http://kondakov.ws)
At a recent meeting of the ROCOR-A Holy Ascension Parish in Barnaul, Russia, held on November 3/16, the assembly of parishioners as well as the priest of the church, Fr. George Titov, called upon Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa to resign from his post as First Hierarch of the ROCOR-A. The assembly stated its solidarity with Abp. Sophronius, Bp. Dionysius, the Izhevsk Fathers, and others in their protests about perceived wrongs done to them from Metropolitan Agafangel and ecclesiastical authorities in Odessa.
The assembly claimed that the prominent ROCOR-A news site “Internet-Sobor” is Russophoic and that Metropolitan Agafangel is anti-Russian. The statements by the assembly were put in the form of an appeal to the upcoming ROCOR-A Sobor in November, which has been called to solve the confrontations and problems between various ROCOR-A hierarchs, clergy and laity. Fr. George and the assembly however did praise Metropolitan Agafangel for the positive work he had accomplished, despite the previous criticisms.
Mention was made of a fear for the “physical and psychological safety” of Abp. Sophronius of St. Petersburge if he should journey into Ukraine, as well as mention made of two other ROCOR-A bishops who apparently not going to attend the Sobor, Bp. Dionysius and Bp. Irenaeus. The assembly also asked that Russian parishes of the ROCOR-A be assigned to Archbishop Sophronius, in order to dispel the problem of the supposed anti-Russian stance of Metropolitan Agafangel (Met. Agafangel resides in Odessa, Ukraine, and is a supporter of the Ukrainian Nationalist government in Kiev).
To read the statements made by the assembly go here. For the original Russian, go here.
