Latvian authorities call on Pat Kirill to issue Tomos of autocephaly to LOC
On September 20, 2022, the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia authorized Minister of Justice Janis Bordans to appeal on behalf of the republic to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus to grant the Tomos of autocephaly to the Latvian Orthodox Church. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Justice of Latvia.
The Minister of Justice will send a letter to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, in which he will inform the head of the Russian Orthodox Church about the amendments adopted by the Seimas, which legally define and consolidate the independent status of the LOC, and will call on him to use his powers and issue Tomos to the LOC on its new status. This will allow the Latvian Orthodox Church to fulfill the new requirements of the law, including acting as a fully autonomous and independent Church in communion with the Latvian state and other Orthodox Churches.
According to the new amendments, Latvia recognizes that the LOC, with all its dioceses, parishes and institutions, is self-governing and independent of any church authority outside Latvia.
Let us recall that on September 8, 2022, at the initiative of President Egils Levits, the Saeima of Latvia declared the independence of the Latvian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and demanded that the LOC amend its Charter by October 31. The Russian Orthodox Church called this initiative a gross interference of secular authorities in church affairs.
As the UOJ wrote, the Latvian Church considered that the legislative changes do not concern the legal status of the Church.
Read also
Sand for construction of Yermak’s residence brought from cemetery, MP says
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak said that sand illegally removed from a cemetery in Ukrainka was used in the construction of the elite Dynasty cooperative in Kozyn.
Italian court recognizes family with three parents as legal
In Bari, the appellate court ordered authorities to register an adoption according to which a child is listed as having two "fathers" and one mother.
Archaeologists discover biblical Bethsaida on shore of Sea of Galilee
Researchers have discovered a first-century residential house beneath the apse of a Byzantine church and a mosaic inscription mentioning the Apostle Peter.
Israeli soldiers receive jail terms for mocking statue of the Virgin Mary
Those involved in the act of sacrilege in the village of Debel will spend several weeks behind bars for desecrating a statue of the Mother of God.
Serbian Church officially receives back land of 15th-century monastery
An agreement was signed in Belgrade transferring the territory of the ancient Vojlovica Monastery to the Banat Eparchy.
Pat Daniel comments on conflict between Phanar bishop and community in Turkey
The Bulgarian Primate believes that the hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate should not have forced the Bulgarian community in Edirne to serve in Greek.