DELEGATION OF A RUSSIAN PRIEST TO PATRIARCHATE OF ANTIOCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002100740001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 21, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 20, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

C;L.ASSiFICATION
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DATE DISTR. 20 Dee 1948
Uele~ation of a Russian Priest to-?,
Patriarchate of Antioch
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REPORT NO.
to Alexander Tahhan, Patriarch of Antioch* has received another letter from
Aleksei, Patriarch of ,'oucow, reminding him of the need to delegate a
Russian priest as representative to the Patriarchate of Antioch who would
distribute Russian aid t) the Orthodox churches, schools, and needy people.
2. According to source, Tdihan has refused such a delegate for-three roasones
The opposition in ireek Orthodox clerical and lay circles to rapproche-
ment with the Soviet Union is stronger than the close personal relations
which exist betrrtr:n Tahhan and some of his archbishops with the Soviets,
b. There is no precedent for a Russian representative, even in Tsarist
tines when the ciurch did receive aid from the Russians.
c. Each archbishop is independent in managing his archdiocese. The only
other controls over the archbishops are the Community Councils,, which
work in agreerrint with the former.
Corrie st. it was reported that the Patriarch of ch had received iad a letter from Hlel;sei, Patriarch of Uosccsrrs rich
proposed, at:cong c-ther actions, the delegation by the Russian Patriarch of
a priest to act is secretary to the Patriarch -of untioeh. ~
stated that the question of a Russian priest to be delegated to`
Patriarchate of Antioch was a matter yet to be solved by the Church.
also stated that the Greets, in order to counteract Soviet
uence, had tried to persuade Tahhan to accept a liaison man fron the
Greek Church sad had sutgested the archpriest Constantinos I:oraitakis
as candidate -:or the post.
4ocument No.
NO C4ANGE in, 01as
Class. CHA G i , ITS B C
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Auth: fl r ,ry /17165
Date:I Lit& 197 y;t:
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PUBLIC RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT.
Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002100740001-0