The Council of the former Exarchate met on September 30, under the presidency of Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, who has been appointed Locum Tenens by the Holy Synod Ecumenical Patriarchate, at the request of the majority of the elected members of the Council of the former Exarchate.
The Council took note of the end of the mandate of Archbishop John of Dubna, formerly head of the Exarchate under the title of “Archbishop of Charioupolis,” and has taken the appropriate steps to guarantee the proper exercise of duties of the Directorate of the former Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe, preserve their interests and regulate the current unstable situation.
Meanwhile, the Governing Council was informed that Archbishop John of Dubna is exerting great pressure on the clergy of the former Exarchate to join the Patriarchate of Moscow. The Metropolitan of France and the Council strongly disapprove of these actions of the former head of the dissolved Exarchate, Archbishop John, and urge the clergy and parish officials to remain firm to their position.
One such incident of pressure by Archbishop of Dubna took place on October 8 at the Church of Saint Sergius in Paris, which is headed by Father Vladislav Trembovelski. The latter asked Archbishop John of Dubna to respect the fact that the parish refused to join the Patriarchate of Moscow, in compliance with the existing statute.
Archbishop John entered the temple shouting, claimed to be the “shepherd,” and then performed the Divine Liturgy in the presence of the Dean of the Theological School of St. Sergius, who has not been associated with the Church for two years.
The Locum Tenens, Metropolitan of France Emmanuel, and the Council renewed their trust in Protopresbyterian Vladislav Trembovelski, Chief of the Church of Saint Sergius in Paris, and asked Archbishop John not to go too far.