CONTROVERSY OVER RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN PARIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R000200730007-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 16, 1998
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: January 22, 1947
• Content Type: IR

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. F ndh Oonst. General Ua lstahui, tagar v unoffici, ,ly
notified the Patriarchate that his g nit is opposed to t e Russian
Ort iodc Church in Paris conti ring under the adB ation or ftr.
C r os of Thy .tics in London* MetropoLtt&- of the Orthodox Churchm
'astern Europe.* Ng'. Get .nos hai always been pers non grata
at the Q..daO ?sa s, because of his pro -British sympathies, In ca .ing
this matter to the attention of the Pate rclmte? garde explained that,
in view of the excellent relations- existing betwom Moscow'-and Paris,
?O' . .ng, the, A&~- en signed by re ral de Gaulle, the Fren Government
had no o>ajection either to the Russian Church in Paris continuing under
the orders of Moscow (a. has been the caso since its fan datic by Peter
bxie Great) being placed, under= the jurisdiction of` the dj icAl.
Patriarchate of the Phanaar, but that it did object very seriously to
its admire (ration by ecoleaia sticasl.. authoritieslocated in Londe, .
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. See ~ distributed on' 26 November 1946.
At the same time, the Phan .r has been advised by Mgr. Germanod of Th t .
that Orlof, Professor at the Russian Institute in Paris and the leading
member of the Russian Church in Paris, has protested that the Holy &jnod
in T6taanbul has failed to 3?i ye up to the nt ai. v concluded
between Bu ogius and Patriarch Photius 11 . The said ag ; ?.st stipulated
that the ftseian Church in Paris had becn given the privileges of an
Zzarchate directly attached to Istanbul and that there iias no, question
of a re-attach ut through Mgr. O eeaos of London. Orlof requested that
PatrUwahste of the Pwnar carry out the term, of the original Eulogius--
Phatiusnt.
exandra Bogomolov, Soviet . a as or to Prances,_ continues .to. i upon
the members of the Russian Church in Pa;eis to suport Mgr. Serafia Rodianoy,
nominated by Patriarch Al x to succe T ulogmue, As a re=lt, t129 R ian
Church co pity is divided into two groups. The Vlad.'ha _ group, which at
present is the stronger, favors the direct attachment to the Pbanar Whew
SeraTimcs follc - advocate gosoc, s jurisdictio
The Secretary General of the Phsna ' has approached the French Consul General
op be ? of the * Hol y Synod., with the recommendation that Lagerde mxbmit a
a tten mWarandua on the subjects but bards categorically replied that
it as neither the intention of his Ambassador nor of himself to comply with
this request. He made it very clear to #*_Sacretarv
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that the Pxench Government was not prepared to tolerate even
a no,nirnal control of the Russian Church of Paris by F gr4 Gerrunos
of London, particui_arly since the majority of the members of the
Russian Church of Paris were French c:ttizs_ns. Lagarde further
warmed that, in the event of the Patriarchate's failure to conform
to the desire of the French Government, the latter might decide to
back Seraphim Rodiar'zov, this compe'Lling trladinair of Paris to
withdraw co nletelyr. Suhh a withdrawal would result in placing the
Russian Church of Paris directly under the influence of Moscowo
5, The Secretary General of the Patriarchate explained that placing
the Russian Church of Paris under London's jurisdiction had no
political significance, the Holy Syniod having nerely acted in
accordance 'ai+,h the provisions of the Canonical Law ;#28 of the
Chalcedon3 an Council.. Lagarde d s reply to this explanation was that
the Patriarchate could very roll disregard such a provision, since
the French authorities were detorUned to put on end to the juris-
diction of Archbishop Germanos.
The French Consul General conceded,, ho wevor, that his gover'rmient
had no objections to having tho Russian Church in Paris come under
the control of the Ecume rival Patriarchate in Istanbul. The Secretary
General of the Phanar thereupon inquired rrhy the French Government, had
never objected to the control which MMgr. Ger?nmanos had always, exercised
over the Greek Orthodox Church in Paris. Lagardo replied that the
Phanar was Just as much is error in per omitting Mgr. Gerznanos to
exercise control over the Greek Orthodox Church in Paris as it z-.was
in allowing the Russiwi Church of Parts to cone under his jurisdiction.
7. The toly Synod unanimously agreed to approach the Greek A -)assador,
Pericles akeferis, and has requested. him to take up this question
'with the French Arobassador
Gaston Maugras, with a view to ascertaining
more precisely the views of the French Government and, incidently,
whether the French Airbassador was, in fact, aware of the action taken
by the French Consul General.
8, fir < Maugrss later notified the Greek Ambassador that he had no
previous knowledge of this matter. This rather s la i.in information
caused not only considerable confusion, but a division of opinion
within the I'loly Synod. Some of the etropolitans fear that Lagarde
is in a position to carry out his threats and force Vladimir to
withdraw from offices ;Arhi le others believe that the incident was
created by Lagardo personally and without the backing and knowledge
of the French Governmfient. This latter group recorriaends that Mgr.
Germanos in London be notif Led and his advice requatod in regard
to the further maintenance of the Russian Church in Paris under his
jurisdiction.
Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R000200730007-6