Shaburov recalled that this structure emerged in the early 1930s as conditionally centrist in Orthodox migration. He noted that the status and names changed, but the structure of the Constantinople Patriarchate was in place for the last decades.
Since Constantinople decided to dissolve the exarchate, and Russian parishes were asked to join the existing Western European dioceses, the outcome of the vote was expected, the expert believes.
“From the very beginning it was clear that the majority of believers, the clergy, the archbishop himself, who heads it, were against it. Because it would mean the disappearance of Russian identity and traditions, ”added Shaburov.
He also noted that at this meeting the issue of the jurisdiction of the Exarchate was not resolved.
“He was put off for later. The Russian Orthodox Church offered to join it, but this should be decided by a plenipotentiary assembly. The options for uniting with the structures of the Russian Church Abroad and also about the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Church are being considered, ”the expert concluded.
Earlier, the Russian Exarchate in Western Europe, which was abolished by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, voted against dissolution.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople abolished the Western European Exarchate of Russian parishes in November 2018.
In January, it was reported that the clergy of the Russian Exarchate of Western Europe refused to obey this decision of Constantinople and carry out the orders of European bishops. The exarchate stated that in recent days many priests and deacons received letters from the Greek metropolitan of the “country in which they live”, with orders to stop commemorating their archbishop and joining the clergy of the Greek metropolises.