Information, news stories, and questions about True Traditionalist Orthodox Churches. This is the place to post encyclicals and any official public communications from True Orthodox jurisdictions.
I have started this thread to explore the Serbian True Orthodox Church (STOC) objectively, so that our guests and inquirers can have an opportunity to learn more about True Orthodoxy in Serbia and in other countries. Any inflammatory accusations will be promptly moved over to the Intra-TOC Polemics Private Forum.
Since other True Orthodox jurisdictions will be explored in their own threads, please keep all your discussions in this thread focused only on the STOC jurisdiction.
Below are some questions. Please feel free to provide links and excerpts from official sites as references.
What is the history of the Serbian True Orthodox Church (STOC)?
Who are their former hierarchs and leaders?
Is the STOC in communion with any other True Orthodox jurisdictions?
Three important events mark the development of True Orthodoxy in Serbia. The first took place about fifteen years ago, when three Serbian monks from the Holy Mountain confessed the Faith by choosing the path of True Orthodoxy. The second occurred eight years ago when the entire sisterhood of Stjenik Monastery decided for the love of the Truth to leave the Belgrade Patriarchate and join True Orthodoxy. The third happened at the Lesna Monastery, when the True Orthodox Christians of Serbia, after many efforts, were finally given their own elected bishop.
I have started this thread to explore the Serbian True Orthodox Church (STOC) objectively, so that our guests and inquirers can have an opportunity to learn more about True Orthodoxy in Serbia and in other countries. Any inflammatory accusations will be promptly moved over to the Intra-TOC Polemics Private Forum.
Since other True Orthodox jurisdictions will be explored in their own threads, please keep all your discussions in this thread focused only on the STOC jurisdiction.
Below are some questions. Please feel free to provide links and excerpts from official sites as references.
What is the history of the Serbian True Orthodox Church (STOC)?
Who are their former hierarchs and leaders?
Is the STOC in communion with any other True Orthodox jurisdictions?
Did the STOC break with the ROCOR? If so, when?
There are two jurisdictions claiming to be the STOC. One is led by Bishop Akakios, who is also a member of the RTOC synod. The other is under the omophor of Abp Kallinikos of Athens.
The Serbian TO community (which includes both jurisdictions) never had a direct relationship with ROCOR, since practically the entire flock of the Serbian Patriarchate fell into sergianism and ecumenism under Patriarch German in the 1960s, though after that ROCOR had an ambiguous relationship with Serbia. True Orthodoxy was revived in Serbia only in the 1990s, although Despotovac may have some things to add.