Canon Law Deacon Andrei Psarev In Focus Jordanville Moscow Patriarchate

Deacon Andrei Presents in Russia and Partricipates in Inter-Council Presence

D. Andrei with Fr. Sergio at the parish in Mitino
D. Andrei (right) with Fr. Sergio at the parish in Mitino

On Sunday, Oct. 15, Deacon Andrei served with Fr. Nikolai Balashov at his parish of Re-sanctification of the Resurrection Church in Jerusalem (Воскресения Словущего в Брюсовом пер.). Following the liturgy, Deacon Andrei presented the Russian version of his paper on the Inter-Council Presence (ICP). The presentation was enhanced by the historical excurse of Fr. Nikolai, who has been active within ICP in various capacities since its foundation in 2010. This presentation drew attention to the significance of the ICP’s document on the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist, and Fr. Nikolai decided to conduct another parish meeting dedicated exclusively to this document at a later date.

On the evening of the same day, HTS Assistant Professor of Russian History and Canon Law spoke about “What is Canon Law?” at the parish of the Elevation of the Cross. An alumnus of ours, Fr. Sergio Silva, who serves in that parish had invited him to this hospitable community on the outskirt of Moscow.

On Monday, Oct. 16, Deacon Andrei met with Fr. Alexander Zadornov, Secretary of the church law commission of the ICP in Sergiev Posad, 70 km (43 miles) from Moscow. Fr. Alexander teaches canon law there at Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy. In order to implement a decision of the Presidium of ICP to inform church people about the work of ICP, the V. Rev. Prof. Vladislav Tsypin, Prof. Elena Silvestrova from St. Tikhon’s University for the Humanities (Moscow), and Deacon Andrei conducted a seminar for fourth-year seminarians on suspensions and depositions of the clergy. After faculty lunch, Deacon Andrei met with the same group of students to tell them about the life of Holy Trinity Seminary. This meeting was organized as part of Fr. Alexander Zadornov’s seminar.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, Deacon Andrei took part in a meeting of the ICP canon law committee at Moscow Sretesnskii monastery chaired by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany (ROCOR). This meeting was graced by the participation of Vladimir Kravets, director of the unprecedented Orthodox Encyclopedia project, which has so far published 46 volumes. Mr. Kravets explained the work of his team, which is dedicated to the elucidation of the sources for canon law of the Russian Church.

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, Deacon Andrei presented on “What is Canon Law?” at the parish of Prophet Elijah in Cherkizovo, Moscow. Prof. Evgeniia Zhukovskaia from Moscow Orthodox Institute of St. Apostle John the Divine also attended this meeting with her students.

The regular work of a faculty member in Russia demonstrates that Holy Trinity Seminary considers it important to maintain strong connections with the mother Church.

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