JOURNALS of the meeting of the Holy Synod of May 14, 2018

May 14, 2018 in the historic building of the Holy Governmental Synod in St. Petersburg, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church was held. The permanent members of the Holy Synod are: Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine ; Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna ; Metropolitan of Chisinau and All Moldova Vladimir ; Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan Alexander , head of the Metropolitan district in the Republic of Kazakhstan ; Metropolitan Vikentiy of Tashkent and Uzbekistan , head of the Central Asian metropolitan district ; Metropolitan Varsonofi of St. Petersburg and Ladoga , manager of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan of Minsk and Pavel Zaslavsky , Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk , chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. To participate in the summer session (March-August) of the Holy Synod invited: Metropolitan of Simferopol and the Crimean Lazarus ; Metropolitan of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky Mark ; Archbishop of Anadyr and Chukchi Matthew ; bishop of Daugavpils and Rezeknensky Alexander ; Bishop Nestor of Korsun . JOURNAL No. 16 HAVE JUDGMENT about the celebration of the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To hold festive and memorable events - conferences, concerts or exhibitions dedicated to the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus in metropolias and dioceses that are not part of the metropolis. 2. To the diocesan bishops to perform on July 28, 2018 in their cathedral cities solemn divine services dedicated to the celebration of the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. 3. To prepare the celebration in Moscow, to form the Organizational Committee under the chairmanship of the administrator of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, Varsonofia, instructing him to present the composition for the approval of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. JOURNAL No. 17 HEARD: Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on his visit to the Albanian Orthodox Church on April 28-30, 2018. Reference: From 28 to 30 April 2018, at the invitation of His Beatitude Archbishop of Tirana and all of Albania, Anastasia, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia made a peaceful visit to the Albanian Orthodox Church. His Holiness was accompanied by a delegation including, in particular, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and the head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate Archbishop of Solnechnogorsk Sergiy, deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, Protopriest Nikolai Balashov. On April 28, a prayer service was held in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana on the occasion of the arrival of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. Then the fraternal meeting of the Primates of the Russian and Albanian Orthodox Church took place. On the fourth day of Easter, April 29, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, and His Beatitude Archbishop Anastassy of Tirana and all of Albania, together with the hierarchs and clergy of the Russian and Albanian Orthodox Churches, performed the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. On the same day, a solemn ceremony was organized in honor of the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to Albania, where, in particular, the Russian translation of the book of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasia "Even to the End of the Earth" was presented. On April 30, His Holiness visited the monastery of St. Vlasius and the Theological Academy of the Resurrection of Christ in Durres. During his stay in Albania, the meetings of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia with the President of the Republic of Albania, I. Meta, Prime Minister of Albania E. Rama, as well as the Ambassador of Russia in Albania, A.R. Karpushin. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To take note of the message. 2. Express cordial gratitude to His Beatitude Archbishop of Tirana and all of Albania for the warm hospitality extended to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and the delegation accompanying him. 3. Thank God for the consecration and fraternal fellowship of the Primate of the Russian and Albanian Orthodox Churches. 4. To consider useful the meetings of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Cyril held during the visit with the statesmen of Albania. JOURNAL No. 18 HEARD: Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the First Hierarchical Visits to the Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church on the Territory of the Russian Federation. Reference: Since the previous session of the Holy Synod, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the following dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church: April 10, 2018 - Moscow (in its regional part); May 3, 2018 - the Kemerovo. On April 10, 2018, Tuesday of Holy Week, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the village of Gagino, Sergiev Posad district of the Moscow Region, where he inspected the restored temple complex. The ordinance of the great consecration of the church was performed by Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna in the morning of the same day, in co-operation with the bishop of Serpukhov Roman, Bishop Peter of Lukhovitsy and the clergy of the Moscow diocese. In the Kazan church, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was greeted by Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna. Together with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill with the history of revival of the temple complex, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Restoration of the Temple Complex, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation V.R. Medinsky and the governor of the Moscow region A.Yu. Sparrows. May 3, 2018, on the 40th day after the fire in the shopping center "Winter Cherry", His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the city of Kemerovo. From the airport His Holiness Patriarch Kirill went to the shopping center "Winter Cherry", where he laid flowers at the memorial created by the citizens next to the building of the burnt down building. After visiting the site of the tragedy, His Holiness went to the Znamensky Cathedral of the city, where he performed a memorial service for the victims of the fire. Relatives and relatives of those who died in the fire prayed for the service, as well as Metropolitan Aristarchus of Kemerovo and Prokopyevsky, Archbishop of Solnechnogorsk Sergiy, Bishop of Mariinsky and Yurginsky Innokentiy, bishop of Novokuznetsk and Tashtagolsky Vladimir, clergymen of the Kuzbass Metropolia and residents of Kemerovo, the head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate. After a memorial service and conversation with the relatives of the victims of the tragedy, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia visited the diocesan administration of the Kemerovo diocese, where he met with the plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District, SI. Change, temporary acting governor of the Kemerovo region SE. Tsivilev and the head of the Kuzbass Metropolitan Metropolitan Kemerovo and Prokopyevsky Aristarchus. At the end of the conversation, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill left for Moscow. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To take note of the message. 2. To thank the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for his labors and prayerful communion with the archpastors, pastors, monastics and laymen of the regional part of the Moscow diocese, and for special care for the grieving flock of the dioceses of the Kuzbass Metropolitanate. 3. To express gratitude to Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Metropolitan Aristarchus of Kemerovo and Prokopyevsky, as well as to the temporarily acting governor of the Kemerovo region, S.E. Tsivilevu for the hospitality extended to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and his accompanying persons. JOURNAL No. 19 HEARD: Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the reports of the synodal institutions on their activities for 2017. Reference: According to paragraph b of Article 29 of Chapter V of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church: "By administering the synodal institutions, the Holy Synod ... approves the annual work plans of the synodal institutions and receives their reports." IT WAS RESOLVED: To approve the reports of the synodal institutions on their activities in 2017. JOURNAL No. 20 HAVE REUSE JUDGMENT about the submitted petition of His Eminence Metropolitan Eskevius of Pskov and Porkhovsky on reckoning him to rest in connection with the achievement of the 75th anniversary. Reference: The request of His Eminence Metropolitan Eusebius of Pskov and Porkhovsky to reckon it for rest in connection with the achievement of the 75th anniversary was considered by the Holy Synod on May 30, 2014 (Journal No. 33). According to paragraph 26 of Chapter XV of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church: "Upon reaching 75 years of age, the bishop gives the petition to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for retirement. The question of the time for the satisfaction of such an application is decided by the Holy Synod. " IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. The request to satisfy. 2. Express cordial gratitude to His Eminence Metropolitan Eusebius for his many years of archpastoral care for the Pskov diocese. 3. The place of residence of His Eminence Metropolitan Eusebius in rest to define the Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky Monastery. 4. The Most Reverend Pskov and Porkhovsky, the head of the Pskov Metropolia, to be Bishop Tikhon of Yegoryev, while retaining the post of chairman of the Patriarchal Council for Culture. MAGAZINE № 21 HAVE JUDGMENT about the state of affairs in the Alexandrov Diocese (Vladimir Metropolitanate). IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. Archbishop of Alexandrovsky and Yuryev-Polsky, Archbishop of Alexandrov and Yevstafy count in peace for health reasons, expressing gratitude to him for the archpastoral works incurred in the Alexandrov diocese. 2. The seat of His Eminence Archbishop Eustathius in resting to determine the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. 3. The Most Reverend Alexander and Yuryev-Polsky to be the bishop of Nizhny Tagil and Nevyansk Innocent with an expression of gratitude for the archpastoral care of the Nizhny Tagil diocese. 4. The Most Reverend Nizhny Tagil and Nevyansky to be Bishop of Sredneuralsk Eugene, vicar of Ekaterinburg Diocese. JOURNAL No. 22 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan Volgograd and Kamyshinsky Herman on appointing him a vicar bishop. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. Vicar of the Volgograd diocese with the title "Gorodishchensky" elect hieromonk Feoktist (Igumnov), cleric of the diocese of Moscow. 2. The place of the naming and ordination of hieromonk Feoktist (Igumnov) to the bishop, upon his elevation to the rank of archimandrite, leave for the benefit of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. - About what to send the corresponding decree. JOURNAL No. 23 HAVE JUDGMENT about the candidates for the chair of the Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church. Reference: April 19, 2018 in Tallinn, the Primate of the self-governing Estonian Orthodox Church metropolitan of Tallinn and all Estonia Cornelius. According to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, "The Primate of the Self-governing Church is elected by the Council from among the candidates approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod" (XII.4). According to the Charter of the Estonian Orthodox Church, "The Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church is elected by the Council of the Estonian Orthodox Church from among candidates nominated by the Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church, approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod" (3.3.2). On May 5, 2018, a meeting of the Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church took place in the Pyhtitsa Dormition Stavropigial Convent, during which the following candidates for the election of the Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church were represented: Archbishop Evgeny Vereisky, vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church's Educational Committee, rector of the Moscow Theological Academy; Bishop of Narva and Prichud Lazar, who temporarily operates the Estonian Orthodox Church. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. Praying to the Lord about the repose of the newly-departed Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia Cornelius, noting his many years of work on archpastoral care of the Estonian Orthodox Church. 2. To approve, as candidates for the chair of the Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church: Archbishop Evgeny Vereisky, vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church's Educational Committee, rector of the Moscow Theological Academy; Bishop of Narva and Prichud Lazar, who temporarily operates the Estonian Orthodox Church. JOURNAL No. 24 HEARD: Report of His Grace Metropolitan of Minsk and Pavel Zaslavsky, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, on the session of the Synod of the Belarusian Exarchate. Reference: According to Article 8 of Chapter XII of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church: "The journals of the Synod of the Exarchate are presented to the Holy Synod and are approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia." IT WAS RESOLVED: To approve the journals of the Synod of the Belarusian Exarchate of April 19, 2018 (Nos. 1-18). JOURNAL No. 25 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan Alexander, Head of the Metropolitan Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the meetings of the Synod of the Metropolitan Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Reference: According to Article 9 of Chapter XIII of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church: "The journals of the Synod of the Metropolitan District are submitted to the Holy Synod and are approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia." IT WAS RESOLVED: To approve the journals of the Synod of the Metropolitan Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan on February 11, 2018 (Nos. 1 (385) - 27 (411)). JOURNAL No. 26 HEARD: The report of His Eminence Metropolitan of Tashkent and Uzbekistan Vikenty, the head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District, about the meeting of the Synod of the Central Asian Metropolitan District. Reference: According to Article 9 of Chapter XIII of the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church: "The journals of the Synod of the Metropolitan District are submitted to the Holy Synod and are approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia." IT WAS RESOLVED: To approve the journals of the Synod of the Central Asian Metropolitan District of March 17, 2018 (Nos. 1-17). JOURNAL No. 27 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Commission for the Making of the Month of the Russian Orthodox Church, proposing to include in the months the names of the ancient saints who worked in Western countries, as well as saints who had been honored in the Georgian Orthodox Church since ancient times. Reference: Created on September 18, 2014, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Commission for the drafting of the month's month of the Russian Orthodox Church carried out work on the formation of a list of ancient saints who lived in Central and Western Europe until 1054 on the basis of information about their veneration by Orthodox in Western European dioceses The Russian Orthodox Church, and also on the basis of the tradition of their veneration in other Local Orthodox Churches. When considering the question of including the saints in the holy months, the Commission was guided by the following criteria: the impeccable confession of the Orthodox faith; the circumstances under which glorification took place; the absence of mentioning the name of the saint in polemical works against the Eastern Church and the Eastern Rite; modern veneration in the foreign dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Local Orthodox Churches. In addition, the work included the information contained in the "Full month of the East" Archbishop Sergius (Spassky), the report of St. John (Maximovich) to the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad in 1952, articles of the "Orthodox Encyclopaedia", as well as in the synaxar, compiled by Hieromonk Makari from the monastery of St. Simonopetra. Also, the Commission considered the issue of the possibility of including saints who are revered in the Georgian Orthodox Church in the months of the month. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. Include the names of the following saints in the month of the month: Reverend Gall (16/29 October, † 650); Reverend Columbus, Hegumen of Luxembourg (November 23 / December 6, † 615); Rev. Fridolin of Sekingen (March 6/19; † 540); the apostolic king of Iveron Mirian (1/14 October; † after 361); the Equal-to-the-Apostles queen of the Iberian Nana (1/14 October; † around 364). 2. Publish the lives of these saints in the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate. JOURNAL No. 28 HAVE JUDGMENT about the document of the Inter-Sobornaya Presence "Akathist in the Prayer Life of the Church" and the results of his public discussion. Reference: The theme "Akathist in the Prayer Life of the Church" is included in the agenda of the Commission of the Inter-Cathedral Presence for Divine Services and Church Art by the decision of the Presidium of the Inter-Cathedral Presence of January 28, 2015. The Commission, chaired by the Metropolitan of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky Mark, discussed the issue in several meetings and completed work on it on March 19, 2015. The church-public discussion of the document began on January 16, 2017, the publication of the project on the website and in the blog of the Inter-Cathedral Presence, as well as on the portal "Bogoslov.ru". The project was sent to the eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church and theological schools. Based on the results of the discussion that ended on May 2, 2017, responses were received from 117 dioceses, 66 of them contain comments and suggestions on the text of the document. The total number of comments and comments received was 142. According to the Statute on Inter-Cathedral Presence, the conclusion of the Presence Commission can be transferred to the Holy Synod, which, after reviewing the document, submits it to the Local Council or Bishops Council, or takes its own decision on it. According to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, the regulation of liturgical matters is part of the duties of the Holy Synod (Chapter V, paragraph 25, e). With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Working Group on the codification of Akathists and the elaboration of standards for akathist creativity was established at the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on April 29, Since September 3, 2015, the group has been acting under the leadership of Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovo, chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To recognize as useful as the work of the Commission of the Inter-Soborny Presence on the divine service and church art on the document "Akathists in the Prayer Life of the Church", and the general church discussion of this document. 2. Noting that, on the one hand, the use of akathists in public worship still does not have statutory regulations, since the current version of the Typicon presupposes the performance of an akathist only at the Saturday morning of the fifth week of the Great Fast, and on the other hand, other akathists are used in liturgical practice , to emphasize that, according to the observation of the priest Athanasius, bishop of Kovrov, Akathists can be used "only in addition to the main parts of the divine service, and not as a substitute for them." 3. In connection with the foregoing, it should be noted that the texts of akathists should be used primarily outside the liturgical follow-ups that make up the diurnal circle, for example, during pilgrimages, religious processions or in conjunction with conversations held by clergymen. 4. To admit at the same time that the akathists are allowed to perform the prayer service (before reading the Gospel), and also, proceeding from the current practice: at a small vespers (after the released troparion), at vespers (after stichera at the poetry, or after the release troparion) (after the Creed) or in the morning (after the kathisma or after the sixth canon song). 5. Do not recommend the performance of akathists after the Divine Liturgy, as well as during the Holy Thursday, except for the Matins of the Sabbath of the fifth week and the ordination of the Passion in those temples where it is customary to perform such a rite. 6. To remind the diocesan bishops, abbots (abbesses) of monasteries and parish priests and suburbs about the inadmissibility of using the texts of akathists not approved by the Holy Synod or not being part of official publications. 7. To draw the attention of the diocesan bishops that they can bless the official publication of newly formed akathists only to local saints and only within the dioceses headed by them (Journal of the Holy Synod No. 80 of October 1-2, 1993). 8. To instruct the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate, in conjunction with the Working Group on the codification of Akathists and the development of standards for akathist creativity, to prepare a collection of akathists recommended for general church use. 9. Instruct the Publishing Board to post a list of akathists approved by the Holy Synod and their texts on the website of the Publishing Council or on a special Internet site with subsequent regular updates. 10. Instruct the Synodal Liturgical Commission to prepare and submit for approval to the Holy Synod the draft of the ritual service of performing moleben singing with the akathist for subsequent inclusion in the additional part of the Trebnik. 11. To the Working Group on the codification of akathists and the development of the standards of akathist creativity, to accept the akathists for the newly glorified saints only after the preparation and approval in due course of the full liturgical follow-up of such saints. JOURNAL No. 29 HEARD: On the approval of the "Concept of the Diocesan Missionary Department". Reference: The document was prepared by the Synodal Missionary Department in pursuance of the resolutions of the Bishops' Councils of 2016 (paragraph 15 of the Resolutions) and 2017 (paragraph 15 of the Resolutions) and approved at a meeting of the Supreme Church Council on March 16, 2018. The draft concept was preliminarily discussed in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church in the framework of the seven regional congresses held by the Synodal Missionary Department in the fall of 2016 in the federal districts and two meetings of heads of diocesan mission departments held during the International Christmas Educational Readings in 2017 and 2018. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To approve the "Concept of the activity of the diocesan missionary department" . 2. Diocesan bishops and diocesan missionary departments should be guided by this Concept in the organization of missionary activity. JOURNAL No. 30 HEARD: Report of His Grace Bishop Seraphim Luberetskiy, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs, on the adoption of recommendations on the interaction of the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church with higher educational institutions. Reference: March 16, 2018 at a meeting of the Supreme Church Council, the proposals of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs concerning the interaction of dioceses with higher educational institutions were discussed. The Supreme Church Council approved the recommendations, after making a number of amendments to them, and sent the document for approval by the Holy Synod. IT WAS RESOLVED: Approve recommendations on the interaction of the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church with higher educational institutions and send them to the diocese to guide the relevant work. JOURNAL No. 31 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, about the trips to the fraternal Local Orthodox Churches. Reference: From May 5 to May 9, 2018, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, visited the Alexandrian, Antiochian, Jerusalem and Cyprus Orthodox Churches. In the course of the trips, metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met with His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa Theodore, His Beatitude Patriarch of Antioch and all of East John, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of New Justinian and the whole of Cyprus. The subjects of bilateral relations and inter-Orthodox interaction were discussed. IT WAS RESOLVED: Take note of the report. JOURNAL No. 32 HEARD: The report of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, about the participation of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the XI session of the Joint Russian-Iranian Commission for Dialogue "Orthodoxy-Islam". Reference: From 5 to 7 May 2018 in Tehran (Iran) XI session of the Joint Russian-Iranian Commission on Dialogue "Orthodoxy-Islam" was held, dedicated to the theme: "Religions and the Environment". The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church included: Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan Feofan - head of the delegation; Archimandrite Alexander (Zarkeshev), rector of the Nikolaevsky Cathedral in Tehran; Archpriest Lev Semenov, Head of the Theology Department of the Moscow State Linguistic University, Head of the Spiritual and Educational Center of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University; priest Dimitri Safonov, secretary of the Department for External Church Relations for Interreligious Relations; priest Alexy Sorokin, acting rector of the temple of the blessed Xenia of Petersburg in Beskudnikovo, Moscow; A.I. Osipov, Honored Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy; О.Р. Kalimullin, consultant of the Department for External Church Relations; E.V. Dunaeva, senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Participants of the meeting discussed topics related to the attitude of traditional religions to the problem of ecological crisis. On May 6, Metropolitan Theophanes, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, took charge of Sunday worship at St. Nicholas Church in Tehran. On May 8, members of the delegation visited the city of Qom, where they met with the leadership of the leading spiritual educational institutions and the great ayatollah Hussein Nuri Hamadani. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To express satisfaction with the participation of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 11th meeting of the Joint Russian-Iranian Commission on Dialogue "Orthodoxy-Islam". 2. To consider it expedient to continue work on a bilateral dialogue with the Muslim community of Iran. JOURNAL No. 33 HEARD: Report of His Grace Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Varsonofia, the administrator of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate, the chairman of the Commission for the Distribution of Graduates of Religious Educational Institutions on the work of the Commission. Reference: The Holy Synod approved in its meeting of October 22, 2015 (Journal No. 78) Regulations on the distribution of graduates of theological educational institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church and its regulations. Graduates of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, the Orthodox St. Tikhon Theological Institute, the Sretenskaya, Nikolo-Ugreshskaya and Perervinskaya theological seminaries are subject to distribution through the decision of the Holy Synod. In past years, some of the graduates of the bachelor's or master's degrees, previously distributed by the Holy Synod in the diocese with a sharp staff deficit, did not arrive at the place of distribution due to the receipt, respectively, of the magistracy and doctoral studies, the decision of which was taken in August. The current practice was discussed at the Council of Bishops of 2017, whose members spoke in favor of its adjustment. In connection with the foregoing, for consideration of the Holy Synod proposed changes in the procedure of distribution procedures, which require approval by the Holy Synod in the spring of each year: a list of graduates who are scheduled to be sent to the permanent ministry in the diocese from which they came, or to other dioceses (subject to the consent of the ruling bishop), or to a synodal institution or academy; a list of graduates who, in the case of non-admission to the next level of education, will be allocated to a temporary place of service (for a period of two years) in a diocese with a staff deficit; a list of dioceses into which graduates can be allocated on a business trip (in order of priority). The final distribution will be carried out by the Commission for the Distribution of Graduates of Religious Educational Institutions after the entrance examinations on the basis of lists approved by the Holy Synod. Graduates will be sent to the diocese according to the distribution no later than September. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To approve the changes in the Rules of procedure for the distribution of graduates . 2. Approve the lists of alumni to be sent to the permanent and temporary place of service, as well as the list of dioceses-recipients in 2018. 3. The Chairman is to submit, as information for the winter session of the Holy Synod, this year. information on the actual distribution, taking into account the results of the entrance examinations for the next stages of training. JOURNAL No. 34 HEARD: Report by His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council, about the celebration of the Day of the Orthodox Book in 2018. Reference: The celebration of the Orthodox Book Day in the dioceses of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and Central Asia included various educational, cultural and scientific events aimed at developing the book culture in the society, especially among children and young people. In the regions there were conferences and round tables, excursions, competitions, book exhibitions, meetings with writers and clergymen, concerts of sacred music. Also, traditional actions were held to collect and transfer Orthodox literature to libraries, educational and social institutions. The grand opening of the celebration took place on March 14, 2018 in Moscow in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. In a traditional meeting with the children of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Mayor of Moscow, S.S. Sobyanin was attended by 1,400 schoolchildren: inmates of cadet educational institutions in Moscow, Sunday schools, 200 inmates of social institutions from the Vladimir, Moscow, Ryazan, Tula regions, as well as 100 children with physical development problems undergoing rehabilitation at the Scientific and Practical Center for Children's Psychoneurology in Moscow . Guests of the holiday were presented to the musical and dramatized production "Look Into Your Heart" performed by the creative team of the cultural and educational center at the women's monastery in honor of the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God in Kaluga and the Choir "Otrada" at the Nikolsky Monastery of the Black Sea in Maloyaroslavets, Kaluga Region. All the children were given presents - book sets provided by the Moscow mayor's office and leading Orthodox publishers, as well as confectionery sets. On the website of the Publishing Council, as well as on the information portal "Pravchchenie", a live Internet broadcast of the holiday was held. On March 14, in the White Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate held a presentation of the new books of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church "Living Memory: Saints and Us", "On the Meaning", as well as new issues of the book series "The Word of His Holiness the Patriarch". The chairman of the Public Council Metropolitan of Kaluga and Borovskiy Kliment, the chairman of the Synodal Liturgical Commission Metropolitan Konstantin of Petrozavodsk and Karelia, the vicar of St. Andrew's Stavropigial Monastery, the bishop of Dmitrovsky Theophylact, the editor-in-chief of the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate Bishop Nikolai of Balashikha, the chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs, Bishop Luberetskiy Serafim, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, State Secretary G.B. Karasin, President of the Russian State Library V.V. Fedorov. On the website of the Publishing Council, an interactive map of the events of the Orthodox Book Day was added, containing information on regional events in 2018. According to the data recorded on the interactive map, in March-April of the current year, 3,794 events were organized in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church (as of April 23, 2018). In addition, during the celebration of the Orthodox Book Day, an interactive map of Orthodox libraries was launched on the website of the Publishing Council. The map contains information on 1553 Orthodox libraries. IT WAS RESOLVED: Take note of the report. JOURNAL No. 35 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the fourth season of the International Children's and Youth Literary Competition named after I.S. Shmelev "The Summer of the Lord." Reference: With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church held the fourth season of the International Children's and Youth Literary Competition named after ISKhim. Shmelev "The Summer of the Lord." Important thematic areas of the contest were the themes of the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate, as well as the deed of the New Martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church. In order to develop the competition, the general meeting of the Publishing Council defined special nominations: "For creative originality", "For the best work about the new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church", "For following the traditions of Russian literature". In total, more than 1200 works were received from schoolchildren from 62 regions of Russia, as well as from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Ukraine in three age categories (sixth-eighth, eighth-ninth and tenth-twelfth grades). Based on the results of the correspondence stage, the received works were evaluated by the council of experts and the competitive commission, 36 finalists were identified. On March 25 in the Publishing Council the participants of the finals wrote the final creative works, after which the winners of 1, 2 and 3 places were determined. The solemn ceremony of awarding the winners of the competition was held on March 27 in the White Hall of the Refectory Chambers of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The event was attended by the chairman of the Publishing Council, Metropolitan Kaluga and Borovsky Clement, chairman of the Writers' Union of Russia NF. Ivanov, laureate of the Patriarchal Literary Prize writer VN. Krupin, the poet K.V. Skvortsov, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Youth" VF. Dudarev, editor-in-chief of the literary magazine "Day and Night" M.O. Savvin's. IT WAS RESOLVED: Take note of the report. JOURNAL No. 36 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, proposing changes in the composition of the Chamber of Trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. Reference: The Holy Synod established a Patriarchal Literary Prize in the meeting of 25 December 2009 (Journal No. 115), the Chamber of Trustees of which is formed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod (clause 2.1 of the Regulations on the Patriarchal Literary Prize). IT WAS RESOLVED: Include the chairman of the board of the Writers' Union of Russia NF. Ivanova in the House of Trustees of the Patriarchal Literary Prize named after the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius. JOURNAL No. 37 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan of Constantin Petrozavodsk and Karelian, Chairman of the Synodal Liturgical Commission, on the submission of a number of liturgical texts for approval by the Holy Synod. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To approve the texts of the services provided for church-wide liturgical use: the Cathedral of the Kemerovo Saints; to the holy martyr Michael, the presbyter of Orel; the new martyrs Bykovsky; righteous Alexy, the presbyter of Moscow. 2. To send approved liturgical texts to the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate for inclusion in the liturgical collections. JOURNAL No. 38 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the new edition of the text of the Akathists. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. To approve the proposed texts of akathists for use in worship and in domestic prayer: All the saints in the Russian land beamed; the righteous Paul of Taganrog. 2. To send approved akathists to the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate for inclusion in the liturgical collections. JOURNAL No. 39 HEARD: Report of His Eminence Archbishop Feghognost of Sergiev Posad, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism, concerning the applications of the diocesan bishops for the opening of monasteries, the appointment of hegumens and abbesses of monasteries, and the release of those from office. IT WAS RESOLVED: 1. In connection with the request of His Eminence Metropolitan of Ufa and Sterlitamak Nikon to open the Iversky Women's Monastery of Ufa in the Republic of Bashkortostan and appoint Abbess Moisei (Rakitin) to be Abbess of this monastery. 2. In connection with the request of His Eminence Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan Feofan to appoint Hieromonk Gabriel (Rozhnov) to the post of viceroy of Raifa Bogoroditsky Monastery in Raifa village of Zelenodolsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan. 3. In connection with the request of His Grace Metropolitan of Orenburg and Saraktash Benjamin to open the Nikolsky Women's Monastery in the village of Pokrovka in the Novosergievsky district of the Orenburg region and appoint the nun Joanna (Boyarsky) to the position of abbess of this monastery. 4. In connection with the request of His Eminence Bishop Kolpashevsky and Strezhevsky Silouan to appoint Hegumen Mathew (Cherevichin) to the post of hegumen of the Savior-Transfiguration Monastery in the village of Bolshoy Volok, Molchanovsky District, Tomsk Region. 5. In connection with the request of His Eminence Bishop of Syzran and Zhigulevsky Foma to release Hegumen Mark (Alekseyev) from the post of hegumen of the Ascension Monastery in Syzran. JOURNAL No. 40 HEARD: Message of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia on the direction for serving in Georgia of a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church. IT WAS RESOLVED: Based on the results of the agreement with the Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the archpriest Vladimir Alexandrov, a clergyman of Moscow, was sent to Tbilisi for pastoral service among Russian-speaking believers, instructing the clergyman to represent the position of the Russian Orthodox Church in necessary cases. JOURNAL No. 41 HEARD: Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on dioceses and parishes abroad. IT WAS RESOLVED: Patriarchal parishes in Canada Archpriest Sergiy Kipriyanovich, in connection with the end of the trip, to relieve the clergyman of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada and send them to the disposal of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in East and South-East Asia 1. To accept the following parishes in the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church: in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir in Jakarta, Indonesia; in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh on Fr. Bali, Indonesia; 2. Hieromonk Joasaph (Tandibilanga), clergyman of the Belgorod diocese, at the disposal of His Eminence Archbishop Solnechnogorsk Sergiy, the administrator of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in East and Southeast Asia, for pastoral service in Indonesia.