The Decision of Metropolitan Laurus to Restore the Unity of the Russian Church was His Way to Golgotha According to Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov

Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov (1958- ), Superior of the Sretensky Monastery

Moscow, 19 March 2008 (Interfax):

Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov, the superior of the Sretensky Monastery, said the decision of the late Metropolitan Laurus to restore the canonical unity of the ROCOR with the Church in the motherland was “very courageous”. “It’s very interesting to think about this decision’s background. Metropolitan Laurus realised that the numerous opponents of reunification would direct their fire against him if he said, ‘Yes, there shall be reconciliation’. There would be not only positive criticism and sincere objections, but defamation, dirt, and slander. Indeed, this was how it happened”, Fr Tikhon said in an interview on theVesti (News) TV channel.

In his opinion, Metropolitan Laurus knew “exactly what he would have to face. There is a popular belief in the Church that a pastor goes to his Golgotha at the close of his days. Metropolitan Laurus entered upon this Golgotha consciously and voluntarily. It is hard to imagine how much mud was thrown at him, a man of simple and holy life”, Fr Tikhon said (note well that Archimandrite Tikhon was one of the active participants in the negotiations leading to the reunion in the Church).

He noted that the First hierarch of the ROCOR “was enormously respected and honoured by his flock because of his age and his position. It would have been a simple thing for him to have simply grumbled, ‘It is not time for this, yet’. Everyone would have said, ‘Oh isn’t Vladyki so shrewd! Indeed, we have to put it on hold. Not everything in Russia or in the Russian Church is clear. Metropolitan Laurus decided wisely. Let’s wait’. However, he did not choose to take this seemingly-safe and cautious route”, Fr Tikhon emphasised.

Interfax-Religion

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