The delegation of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia arrived led by Archbishop of Prešov and Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Rastislav, and accompanied by clergymen.

The Romanian delegation arrived led by Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște accompanied by Romanian clergymen.

Archbishop Christoforos of Kyriakoupolis welcomed the two delegations.

According to a press release from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the auxiliary bishop from the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy with the Ukrainian primate at the Archangel Michael Cathedral on the Forefeast of the Synaxis of Archangel Michael and Other Bodiless Powers, which is celebrated on November 21 on the Old Calendar. According to the same press release, Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and Bishop Isaiah of Šumperk will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy tomorrow.

The Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia is the youngest of the Orthodox Churches, with the exception of Ukraine, and became autocephalous in 1998. The Czech Orthodox Church is the only church that has not yet made its position clear on the issue of Ukrainian recognition. However, the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia has so far followed the Patriarchate of Moscow on a number of issues. For this reason, the presence of Bishop Isaiah of Šumperk in Kyiv raises questions on whether Prague intends to change course.

The history of this Church dates back to the 9th century legacy of Sts Cyril and Methodius, the enlighteners of the Slavs.

Its modern history started after World War I when Czechoslovakia was mainly inhabited by Catholics.

At that time, many Russians and Ruthenians came to Czechoslovakia.

Among them, priest Matej Pavlik, the future Orthodox bishop and martyr Gorazd, stood out. He had a major influence in the country’s future and was declared a saint in 1987.

Back then the Orthodox numbered almost 40 000.

In 1921, the Serbian patriarch of Belgrade consecrated Bishop Gorazd of Prague as the first independent bishop of the Czechs. During World War II, the church was disbanded and Bishop Gorazd and other Orthodox clergy members were executed in the summer of 1942 by the Nazis for alleged connections with the resistance movement. Also, many people, including Orthodox priests, were taken to forced labor camps.

In September 1987, bishop Gorazd was glorified by the Czechoslovak church for his contribution to the development and organization of the church and also for his martyrdom in the events of 1942.

After the fall of the Communist regime and the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Church restructuring was needed. Thus in November 1992 the Holy Synod resolved to establish two Metropolises, one for each of the two countries, which would include two suffragan dioceses each.

In 1993, the Slovak government decided that almost all the Churches and the church buildings owned by the Orthodox Church be handed over to the Greek Catholics, and the Orthodox believers were forced to build new churches and parish houses with some financial support from the state.

So far, over 50 churches were built on the territory of the Czech Republic and Slovakia and aspiring priests study at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Prešov at the Šafarik University, receiving study grants from the state.

Today the church is headed by His Beatitude Rastislav, Archbishop of Prešov and Metropolitan of the the Czech Lands and Slovakia.

Metropolitan Rastislav visited Romania in 2017 at the feast of St Demetrius the New, protector of Bucharest, when he concelebrated at the festive Divine Liturgy together with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, Patriarch Daniel of Romania, and Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.

Source: basilica.ro

A Czech clergyman of the Diocese of Gorno Karlovci of the Church of Serbia, who martyred in June 1941 for his orthodox faith at the Jadovno concentration camp of today’s Croatia with Bishop Saint Savva (Trlajić) and other Orthodox clergy and lay people in the hands of fascist and nationalist Ustashe.

Archbishop Rostislav, the primate of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia concelebrated with the High Priests: Metropolitan Porfiry of Zagreb and Ljubljana, Bishops Irinej of Bačka, Ignatius of Branicevo, Kiril of Buenos Aires and Center of South America, Isichios of Mohács (Serbian Patriarchate), Bishop Paisios of Gorlice (Church of Poland) and Archbishop Michael of Prague, Bishop Isaiah of Schuberg, as well as Bishop George of Michalovce and Cassovia (Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia).

The protocol of canonization was also signed by the great-grandson of the Saint, monk Paisios of the Kovilj Monastery of the Holy Bishopric of Bačka, Serbia.

The feast day of the New hieromartyr Stanislav (1907-1941) will be celebrated annually on June 20.

On 20 February, Archbishop Michal Prague and the Czech Lands issued a decree on the authorization of co-officiation with clerics of foreign dioceses.

By this decree, the new church of Ukraine is characterized as an non-canonical structure, with which neither the ministry nor access to the Holy Communion can be found in the land of the Prague Orthodox Diocese.

In fact, the Archbishop of Prague pointed out that for the officiation with representatives of foreign dioceses on the territory of the Archdiocese of Prague, two documents were required.

One is the confirmation letter by the supreme metropolitan, archbishop or bishop that this clergy is a full member of the Orthodox Diocese of the canonical Orthodox Church, nor is it under any other canonical disciplinary punishment.

The second is the confirmation letter by Archbishop Michal of Prague and the Czech Lands, on the possibility of serving the Holy Liturgy with the clergy of a foreign Orthodox dyke in the land of the Prague Diocese.

“In the case of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, given the canons of the Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is considered canonical (Moscow Patriarchate – UOC-MP). The so-called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine – OCU” is considered non-canonical, whereby neither the service of the Holy Liturgy nor access to the Holy Communion can take place in the land of the Prague Orthodox Diocese, “says the Archbishop’s Decree.

The document emphasizes that cases of joint church service with the clergy of the non-canonical Church on the territory of the Prague Diocese “will not only harm the Orthodox Religious Community of the Prague Orthodox Diocese, but also the whole Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.”

“The perpetrators will be punished for non-compliance with this order,” sums up the decree of the Archbishop of Prague and the Czech Lands.