European Bishops’ Conference

Co-labours of the Church Abroad’s Hierarch Across Europe

A collaborative structure for the Church Abroad’s activities across the whole of Europe

At its regular session of 1 / 14 September 2021, the Holy Synod of Bishops blessed the establishment of a European Bishops’ Conference comprised of the archpastors of the Church Abroad who serve in Europe, to be chaired by the senior of those hierarchs. While newly-constituted for the present day, such a Conference harks back to a tradition of our Church Abroad that dates from the time of St John the Wonderworker who, as Ruling Bishop of the Western European Diocese, convened similar gatherings for the benefit of the Church as a whole across Europe.

The main goal of this council is to consider shared matters of local Church life and pastoral ministry across the ROCOR’s dioceses in Europe. The constitution of the Conference is, at present:

• His Eminence Mark, Metropolitan of Berlin and Germany, President
• His Grace Irenei, Bishop of London and Western Europe, Vice-President
• His Grace Alexander, Bishop of Vevey (Vicar of the W. European Diocese)
• His Grace Job, Bishop of Stuttgart (Vicar of the German Diocese)

The first meeting of the European Bishops’ Council took place at the men’s Monastery of St Job in Munich from 25th-26th July 2022.