On May 30, 2019, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church began its session at the historic building of the Sacred Governing Synod in St. Petersburg. The session is chaired by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
Opening the session, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church made introductory remarks: “I greet all the permanent and temporary members of the Holy Synod. I am glad that we have gathered in these historic walls. Despite colossal upheavals through which our Church has gone through, many things are coming back to their natural course, even if in a somewhat different format. The connection of times does exist. It is quite evident, and the Church is the spiritual institution that addresses not only the past, as scientists, historian, cultural workers do, but also reveals the connection of times so necessary for the life of the people. Indeed, without the preservation of traditions, without the preservation of spiritual connection with the past it is difficult to imagine the progressive development and the future. That is why our being in these walls is connected not only with remembrances of the glorious past of our Church but also mobilizes us for the development of our life for the good of our Church and our peoples while preserving every good things”.
The permanent members of the Holy Synod are Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and All Moldova, Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolis in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Metropolis of Central Asia; Metropolitan Varsonofy of Sankt-Petersburg and Ladoga, Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zalavsk, Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The following hierarch have been summoned to the summer session (March-August): Archbishop Seraphim of Kalinigrad and Baltics, Archbishop Roman of Yakutia and Lensk, Archbishop Antony of Vienna and Budapest, Bishop Leonid of Turov and Mozyr, Bishop German of Sochi and Tuapse.
Historical decision was made in relation to Moldovan parishes in Italy during the session. Considering increasing numbers of Moldovan citizens who moved temporarily or permanently to the Apennine Peninsula, the Holy Synod decided create a new episcopal Vicariate with the title of Bogorodsk within the Patriarchal Exarchate for Western Europe.
In this sense, His Grace Bishop Ambrozie (Munteanu) was moved from the diocese of Neftekamsk și Octeabrsk and appointed Bishop of Bogorodsk, Vicar of the Patriarchal Exarchate for Western Europe of the Russian Orthodox Church.
— Source: Orthodox Church of Moldova with reference to DECR Communication Service
