ST PETERSBURG: March 5, 2010
Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada Is Added To the Working Group On the Study of the Veneration of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia Glorified by the Russian Church Abroad During the Period of Division

On March 5, 2010, during a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church presided over by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, HEARD was: The report of His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsa and Kolomensk, Chairman of the Synodal Commission on the Glorification of Saints, on changes in the composition of the Working Group on the Examination of the Veneration of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia of the 20th Century Glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia During the Period of Division.

Background:

On October 6, 2008, the Holy Synod (Journal No. 73), formed the Working Group on the Examination of the Veneration of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia of the 20th Century Glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia During the Period of Division. The Synodal Commission on the Canonization of Saints of the Russian Orthodox Church is to coordinate this effort. The Chairman of the Synodal Commission reports to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod on the work of the Working Group.

A letter from His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, President of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, was addressed to His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsa and Kolomensk, Chairman of the Synodal Commission on the Glorification of Saints, with the proposal of replacing Monk Veniamin (Gomarteli) in the Working Group with His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada.

DECREED:

1. To remove Monk Veniamin (Gomarteli) from theWorking Group on the Examination of the Veneration of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia of the 20th Century Glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia During the Period of Division.

2. To include into the Working Group Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada.