While I understand that the times we're living in can be confusing and we need to be cautious in regards to which synods are True Orthodox synods and which synods are not, I just want to voice my belief that Vladyka Raphael's synod is indeed a True Orthodox synod which shouldn't be too surprising of a belief for myself to have since my synod is in communion with his.
After the fall of Communism in Russia there were many people who wanted to become Orthodox but knew they didn't want to be involved with the Moscow Patriarchate. While many turned to the Seraphimo-Gennadites, many others (unjustifiably as they were) questioned some of these Catacomb bishops' orders. In order to help bring Orthodoxy to these people, Met. Raphael was originally made a priest and bishop in the Kievan Patriarchate. When it became known of the scandal with the Patriarch, the then Bp. Raphael turned to Met. Dmitry of the UAOC with statements against the heresies of Ecumenism, Sergianism, etc. and when they both agreed to having a united belief regarding these, Met. Dmitry reconsecrated Bp. Raphael. Unfortunately after a year went by Met. Dmitry reneged on his former shared beliefs in regards to Ecumenism and, under the sway of one of his bishops, sought to go under the Ecumenical Patriarch. After Met. Raphael couldn't convince Met. Dmitry into remaining True Orthodox, Met. Raphael and other bishops had to break communion with them.
During this time there were quite a few other bishops running around in various different synods in Russia which shared Met. Raphael's True Orthodox beliefs. Met. Raphael was able to hold a council with most of these bishops in the various synods (I think it was around 3 or 4 synods if I remember correctly) and brought them all together into one synod. They ended up electing Met. Raphael as the head of the synod and this synod has continued to grow over the years. So basically that's the history of their synod in a nutshell.
First off, I have yet to see any proof of Met. Raphael being involved with occultism. And when I asked a hieromonk of my own synod about Met. Raphael's synod since I was curious about their history, he also concluded that he has seen absolutely no proof of this. What this hieromonk did know was that Met. Raphael practices herbal medicine, naturopathy, and tells people that they should pray to St. Raphael the Archangel for healing. Basically what Met. Raphael does can hardly be considered "occultism."
Second, while it was difficult for me to read the catacomb.org.ua article as I don't speak Russian, I did use the Google translator and saw that the "Mother of God" center was mentioned a few times. I'm not exactly sure what connection the article was trying to make between the Center and Met. Raphael's synod, but I actually knew a man who was involved with the Mother of God Center for a while and with the help of a bishop in Met. Raphael's synod he left the Center, converted to True Orthodoxy, and eventually became a deacon. The Mother of God Center cult is in no way connected with Met. Raphael's synod.
Also, while I saw the article from portal-credo.ru about Met. Raphael visiting the tomb of Met. Valentine of ROAC and also visiting other churches, and saw a few pictures on Met. Raphael's synod website (http://ipckatakomb.ru/?s=news&newsgroup=2&nid=1225), there was no mention of them going into any of the altars without permission or ROAC having to reconsecrate any altars. To verify if this reconsecration took place I searched the internet and the ROAC website but it doesn't appear to have any news past April 2012. I'm not saying that this didn't take place as I obviously wasn't there to verify any of this and all I have is the internet to look this up (and I know that, despite popular belief, not everything is on the internet and not everything on the internet is correct). I'm just saying that I personally haven't found anything suggesting that Met. Raphael went into any of the ROAC altars, prayed a Panikhida, or that ROAC ordered their altars to be reconsecrated (which in my opinion would be sad if they felt the need to do this).
Anyways, that's just my two cents regarding Met. Raphael and his synod. Overall I trust my own Metropolitan and know that he wouldn't just enter in communion with Met. Raphael without knowing some of his history.
