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Diocese of New York Extends Partnership with Russian Orthodox Church

Episcopal News Service. September 17, 1993 [93160]

Attempts to link parishes and seminaries of the Episcopal Church and the Russian Orthodox Church moved into a new phase during the August visit of a delegation from the Diocese of New York to Moscow.

The visit was part of a developing relationship built on the presiding bishop's official visit to the Soviet Union in 1989. A joint coordinating committee of the two churches has sponsored exchange of theologians and seminarians, visits by Russian delegations to social service agencies in the United States, and a youth group visit to Washington, D.C.

The two churches have a long relationship, stretching back to hospitality offered to Russians from Alaska when they came down into California. The Episcopal Church has offered its assistance to the Russian Church as it seeks to rebuild following the collapse of Communism. Hundreds of buildings have been returned to the church and it is attempting to reestablish social service and educational ministries forbidden under Communism.

Last year in Moscow bishops of the two churches initiated a "parishes in partnership" program. All Saints Church in Pasadena, California, is pairing with a parish in Moscow and Bishop Richard Grein of New York explored several possibilities during his visit -- not only parish exchanges but other exchange programs, theological conferences and equipment for hospitals.

A highlight of the visit was a long audience with Patriarch Aleksy II. Grein gave the patriarch an album of reproductions of hand-painted illustrations from rare, unpublished medieval manuscripts now in the New York Library, confiscated from the church by the Communist government in the 1930s and sold on the open market.

The patriarch gave Grein a large jeweled medallion worn by Orthodox bishops. "Please accept this as an outward sign of the long friendship and respect, as well as the growing bonds between our two churches," the patriarch said. "I want you to wear this in public so that all may see that the relationship exists and that our churches are working together."

"Part of our Anglican identity is to be good neighbors," Grein said, "and to continue in friendly support of the Orthodox, our first ecumenical partners."

Grein was accompanied by Canon John Backus, rector of Church of the Good Shepherd in New York City, and Canon Prof. J. Robert Wright of General Theological Seminary, both members of the diocesan committee on relations with the Russian Orthodox Church.