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Dear Brothers and Sisters, beloved in the Lord,
Esteemed Benefactors of the Russian Orthodox Youth Committee!
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By His ineffable mercy, the Almighty Lord preserves His Church and us at this present time. As is our good tradition, we prayerfully wish each of you strength and health of soul and body from the Lord, peace, tranquility and prosperity to every Orthodox Christian, wherever he may be in this new “year of the Lord’s favor” (Isa. 61, 1- 2, Luke 4, 18). Тhis year our calendar is dedicated to a certain, still insufficiently studied, phenomenon in the life of our Church. We will consider the ministry of three Russian hierarchs: Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, Confessor (1865-1925). It was in accordance with decree issued by him on November 7/20, 1920, No 362, that the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad received an indisputable canonical justification for its existence. And the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, Metropolitan Anastasy (Gribanovsky) (1873-1965). At the All-Russian Local Council of 1917-18, he headed the cathedral com mission that developed the rite of enthronement of the newly elected Patriarch. On August 10, 1936, after the death of the Abba of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), His Eminence Anastasy, as the oldest ordained bishop and the first deputy of the deceased, was un- animously elected First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.
And, finally, Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) (1903-1985). In 1964, Metropolitan Anastasy, due to old age and declining health, submitted to the Council of Bishops a request to retire. At the Council, a debate arose about who would become the new First Hierarch. And then Saint John the Wonder worker of Shanghai and San Francisco proposed the youngest bishop by year of consecration - Bishop Philaret of Brisbane. Thus, Vladyka Philaret was called by the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR to serve as Primate. The choice of theme for our 2025 calendar be published from the once numerous similar publications of the Russian Orthodox Diaspora not only, and not so much in the fact that for these listed hierarchs the year 2025 is an anniversary date. What is common to all three hierarchs was their service in North America. These archpastors played a special role in preserving and spreading Orthodoxy in this region. The Calendar for 2025 contains brief information on the history of the preaching of Orthodoxy in North America, on the work of St. Tikhon and the ever-memorable Metropolitans Anastasy and Philaret, and includes numerous photographs.
+Gabriel,
Archbishop of Montréal & Canada,
President of the Russian Orthodox Youth Committee |
