Metropolitan Hilarion Kapral of New York and Eastern America (1948- ), First Hierarch of the ROCOR
The Archpastoral Council of the MP was in session last week, and bishops of the ROCOR, headed by their newly-elected First Hierarch, Metropolitan Hilarion of New York and Eastern America, participated in it for the first time. During one of the breaks between sessions, Metropolitan Hilarion gave an exclusive interview to RIA-Novosti. His interlocutor was Andrei Zolotov.
Andrei Zolotov
Vladyki, in your address on the first day of the council you emphasised that you were here for the first time, so, much was new and incomprehensible to you. Now, some three days of sessions have passed. Is this still your impression and feeling?
Metropolitan Hilarion
Firstly, there was joy in the fact that we bishops from abroad had this contact with our brother-bishops for the first time. Certainly, I did not know many of them. However, I think that many of the Russian bishops do not know one another either, because so many of them have been so recently promoted. Our cooperation was joyful because we learned so much about church life and management here in the motherland, and we also were able to discern which problems existed only here and which problems are general for all of us. As we became acquainted with our brother-bishops, as we talked with them, a bond of fraternal love and understanding developed. We saw that these are remarkable people, whom we did not truly know, and, then, only from a distance, we saw their photographs or we heard about them on the news. Now… we have fraternal contact. This development is creative.
Andrei Zolotov
You indicated in your address that you would not remove from the agenda the question of the withdrawal of the MP from the World Council of Churches. Were there discussions on this in the official sessions of the council or informal talks outside of the sessions?
Metropolitan Hilarion
No, we did not address the matter formally. However, many of the bishops came up to me and expressed their agreement with this proposal, they were glad that I had brought it up and that the question was raised. Truly, I believe that most believers from all quarters would like to see this happen. This shall strengthen our position at home, abroad, that is, where some clergy and laymen went into schism precisely because of this question. If we re-evaluated our membership in the WCC, if we altered our participation to be merely observers, as the Roman Catholics are observers at its sessions, probably, this would greatly ease the minds of many people who feel that the past participation of the MP in the WCC and other ecumenical bodies was beyond the pale. If we could correct this, it would cause great joy throughout the church.
We should not fear that our witness to the truth of Orthodoxy shall be restricted by this. On the contrary, when others see that we not only confess the Orthodox faith, but, we also reflect it in our lives, it shall be attractive. People are drawn in from Protestantism and Catholicism precisely because our church dogma is immutable, it continues on the path of the Apostles and Holy Fathers, and it stands firmly rooted in the ancient church traditions. They see that the teachings and practise of the church do not change in mindless conformity with contemporary fads, but, everything remains as it was taught by the Saviour and His Apostles, it stands fast in the Orthodox way. When people see this, they wish to be Orthodox. I believe that this shall not only continue, but, intensify, because the decline in the contemporary Protestant and Catholic churches is palpable. Now, Orthodoxy is growing everywhere.
Andrei Zolotov
If we speak of an increase in the Orthodox Church, then, I understand that a question concerning mission was raised at the Council. You have much experience in mission amongst heterodox communities. What, in your view, is most important for mission in the contemporary world?
Metropolitan Hilarion
At first, the most pressing need is for internal mission. It is necessary for the Russian people to return to Orthodoxy, those who have not yet been baptised, and those who still do not believe. There is still much work to be done here. Our task in the West is similar, because our first priority is looking after our flock. For example, there are young people in mixed marriages. Often, it happens that the Orthodox partner gradually moves away from the church. Sometimes, the heterodox partner converts to Orthodoxy, but, frequently, this can turn out negatively. Another large problem is assimilation. Therefore, we must work hard to hold our young people in the church. Nevertheless, we also witness to the outside world. We are always eager to welcome them, if we can sense a sincere desire to embrace the Orthodox faith. We prepare them with catechetical instruction and we receive into the church either through baptism or through chrismation.
We do not do as some groups do, where they go from house to house knocking on strangers’ doors, and so forth. No. People learn about Orthodoxy from literature, their friends, family contacts, and religious publications. In all these different ways, people come.
Andrei Zolotov
Even before your election as the First Hierarch of the ROCOR, you went down to Latin America and attempted to win back those who went into schism. What is the situation today with those people who went into schism from the ROCOR after its reunification with the MP?
Metropolitan Hilarion
In Latin America, they still refuse to join us. There are many clergy in several countries that left, for example, in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. I talked with all of them. They told me the reasons why they left. Certainly, they are isolated. Their bishop passed away several years ago, and we could not find a replacement for him immediately. Now, we have a new bishop for Latin America in the ROCOR that we ordained literally on the eve of the Archpastoral Council, but, thus far, there is no archpastoral care directly on the spot. Unfortunately, they did not accept my answers to their questions. I think that this occurred because there was a lack of information. Perhaps, their relative isolation preserved old concepts, concepts of the past, when there was no confidence in the hierarchy in Russia. Maybe, this is due to the fact that they have not had the opportunity to visit Russia and see what has changed, that the church is now completely free. However, the issue of ecumenism disturbs many of them. In Australia, those who left indicated that it was precisely the fact that the MP is a member of the WCC that constituted the main reason for their departure.
Andrei Zolotov
Vladyki, our experience here in Russia is that the same people who protested against the membership of the MP in the WCC were the same people who are in favour of canonising figures such as Ivan Grozny, et al.
Metropolitan Hilarion
Certainly, there are extremists. However, I am speaking of ordinary parishioners who are disturbed about the membership of the MP in the WCC. There shall always be those who are never satisfied and they shall always find “reasons” for their dissatisfaction. But, as I say, I am referring to the majority of the believers abroad here.
30 June 2008
RIA-Novosti
Quoted in Pravoslavie.ru
Voices from Russia 
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