Internal Regulations on the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia
The document was adopted at the meeting of the Holy Synod on February 26, 2019 (Journal No. 8).
1. The Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia (hereinafter referred to as the “Exarchate”) is a canonical division of the Russian Orthodox Church, created for the purpose of coordinating the religious and educational, publishing, social, educational and missionary activities of the dioceses and other canonical divisions of the Russian Orthodox Church located in on the territory of the Exarchate and its members.
2. Decisions on the creation or dissolution of the Exarchate, on its name, territorial boundaries and composition of the dioceses included in are made by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter the “Holy Synod”) with subsequent approval by the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter – “Bishops’ Cathedral”).
3. The pastoral responsibility of the Exarchate includes the following countries: the Republic of Singapore, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Indonesia, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Kingdom of Thailand.
4. The Exarchate carries out its activities in accordance with the sacred canons, the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church (hereinafter referred to as the “Canonical Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church”), these Regulations, and in in the case of the state registration of the Exarchate as as a legal entity – in accordance with The Charter of the Exarchate.
5. The decisions of the Local Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Councils of Bishops and the Holy Synod are binding on the Exarchate, and also on the dioceses and other canonical subdivisions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
6. The Supreme General Church Court and the Court of the Council of Bishops are for the Exarchate the ecclesiastical courts of the highest instance.
7. The highest church authority in the Exarchate belongs to the Synod of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia (hereinafter – the “Exarchate Synod”), headed by the Metropolitan of Singapore and Southeast Asia, the Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia (hereinafter – the “Exarch”), and consisting of diocesan bishops of the dioceses of the Exarchate. The vicar bishop of the diocese of the Exarchate may, at the invitation of the Exarch, participate in the session of the Synod with the right of an advisory vote.
8. The Holy Synod may decide on state registration of the Exarchate.
9. The Regulations on the Exarchate and the Statutes of the Exarchate are adopted by the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (hereinafter —“the Patriarch”).
10. Synod of the Exarchate:
a. submits for consideration of the Holy Synod and approval of the Patriarch the draft charters of the dioceses of the Exarchate, and also changes (additions) to
b. ensures the unity of the Exarchate with the Russian Orthodox Church;
v. on on the proposal of the Exarchate, elects the secretary of the Synod of the Exarchate from among the bishops of the Exarchate, and the duties of the secretary of the Synod may be temporarily assigned to the Exarchate himself;
g. submits, in accordance with the established procedure, for consideration by the Holy Synod, proposals on glorification to local veneration or on general church glorification of ascetics of piety who labored on the territory of the Exarchate;
d. establishes general governing bodies of the Exarchate, appoints their leaders and considers annual reports on their activities;
e. approves the Regulations on the Church Court of the Exarchate, corresponding to the Regulations on the Church Court of the Russian Orthodox Church;
w. elects members of the Church Court of the Exarchate with a fixed term of office;
s. approves the decisions of the Church Court of the Exarchate in cases provided for by the Regulations on the Church Court of the Exarchate;
and. can perform the functions of the Churchcourt of the Exarchate in the absence of a sufficient number of bishops in the Exarchate for election to the composition of the Church Court of the Exarchate;
k. in contact with the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, resolves issues of interfaith and interreligious relations, and also interaction with state authorities on the territory of the Exarchate;
l. establishes the award system of the Exarchate, corresponding to the award system established in the Russian Orthodox Church;
m. submits for approval by the Holy Synod the candidates for rectors of theological educational institutions, abbots (abbesses) of monasteries of the dioceses of the Exarchate, proposed by their diocesan bishops; such submissions are considered by the Holy Synod, taking into account the opinion of the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions;
n. in in the event of state registration of the Exarchate as as a legal entity, submits for approval of the Patriarch the order of possession, use and disposition of the property of the Exarchate;
Fr. establishes legal entities and liquidates
p. appoints and dismisses members of the Exarchate Audit Commission;
r. resolves other matters related to internal and exarchate activities;
s. can address messages to clergy and laity of the entire Exarchate.
11. Meetings of the Synod of the Exarchate are held as as necessary, but not less than once in six months. The Synod of the Exarchate is authorized to make decisions with the participation of at least 2/3 of its members in the session of the Synod. Decisions of the Synod of the Exarchate are taken by a majority vote of the members present. In case of equality of votes, the vote of the chairman is decisive.
12. The journals of the Synod of the Exarchate are signed by all its members, submitted to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch.
13. The exarch is elected by the Holy Synod and appointed by the Patriarchal Decree.
14. The exarch is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Singapore and heads the administration of the Exarchate on the basis of the canons, the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church, these Regulations and the Charter of the Exarchate.
15. The Exarch, consulting in cases requiring it with the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate or with the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate for Foreign Institutions:
a. convenes the Synod of the Exarchate and presides its meetings;
b. represents the Exarchate without a power of attorney in relations with state authorities, citizens and legal entities on the territory of the Exarchate and outside
in. exercises executive and administrative powers to manage the institutions of the Exarchate;
g. issues decrees on the appointment of persons assigned to positions by the Synod of the Exarchate;
d. has supervision over the implementation by the diocesan bishops of the Exarchate of the decisions of the Local and Bishops’ Councils, the Holy Synod and the Synod of the Exarchate and, in cases of improper execution of such decisions, makes a fraternal suggestion, if ignored, it can bring the issue to the consideration of the Synod of the Exarchate, and then report the situation to the Patriarch;
e. teaches fraternal advice to the bishops of the Exarchate regarding the management of dioceses and private life;
w. accepts complaints against decisions or actions of the bishops of the Exarchate and considers such complaints without formal ecclesiastical legal proceedings, independently or jointly with the Synod of the Exarchate; in case of impossibility to reconcile the parties or otherwise resolve the issue to satisfaction of the parties – sends the case to consideration of the Patriarch with attachment of his opinion or the opinion of the Synod of the Exarchate;
s. accepts appeals against the decisions of the diocesescourts of the dioceses of the Exarchate and directs the consideration of the Church Court of the Exarchate;
and. transmits to the Holy Synod with its response the petitions of the diocesan bishops of the Exarchate for the opening of new parishes and monasteries; such petitions are considered taking into account the opinion of the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions;
to. transmits to the Patriarch and the Holy Synod with its withdrawal the petition of the diocesan hierarchs of the Exarchate for sending clerics from their dioceses of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church to their dioceses; such petitions are considered taking into account the opinion of the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions;
Note:
The business trip of a cleric from the diocese of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church to the diocese of the Exarchate is carried out by the decision of the Holy Synod, which also decides on the end of such a business trip;
transition with sending a letter of leave of a cleric from the diocese of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church to the diocese of the Exarchate is carried out with the consent of the hierarchs of both dioceses and the written blessing of the Patriarch;
l. forwards to the Patriarch with his withdrawal the petitions of the diocesan bishops of the Exarchate for awarding clerics; such petitions are considered taking into account the opinion of the Office of the Moscow Patriarchate for foreign institutions;
m. receives from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate copies of annual reports, including financial ones, sent to the name of the Patriarch, as well as copies of resolutions of the Patriarch superimposed on such reports;
n. receives in notifying order from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate information about their scheduled trips outside their dioceses;
about. receives in a notification order from diocesan bishops of the Exarchate information about upcoming visits to their dioceses by other bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, and also by bishops of other Local Orthodox Churches;
p. has the right to visit, in necessary cases, all the dioceses of the Exarchate;
r. can address messages to clergy and laity of the entire Exarchate;
s. resolves other issues in accordance with the norms of canon law of the Orthodox Church and the present Regulations.
16. The name of the Exarch is raised in all churches of the Exarchate after the name of the Patriarch in the following formulation: “Our Lord, His Eminence, Metropolitan of Singapore and Southeast Asia, Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia.”
17. The exarch has the right of liturgical and protocol primacy over the hierarchs of the Exarchate, and also to sit on the high place in all churches of the Exarchate.
18. Diocesan and vicar bishops of the Exarchate are elected and appointed by the Holy Synod.
19. Decisions on the formation or abolition of dioceses included in the Exarchate, and determining their territorial boundaries are taken by the Holy Synod with subsequent approval by the Council of Bishops.
20. The structure of the Exarchate includes the dioceses: Singapore (Republic of Singapore, Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia), Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea), Thailand (Kingdom of Thailand, Kingdom of Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar ), Philippine-Vietnamese (Republic of the Philippines and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam). This list of canonical divisions changes when other dioceses are formed or included in the Exarchate by the decision of the Holy Synod.
21. The Exarchate receives the Holy Chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
August 26, 2020, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Dionisy of the Resurrection, head of the Moscow Patriarchate, at service in Savior-PreAt the Obrazhensky Church of the Novospassky Stauropegial Monastery in Moscow, he elevated to the rank of Archimandrite Hieromonk Pitirim (Dondenko).
At the meeting of the Holy Synod held the day before, a report was heard from Metropolitan Sergius of Singapore and Southeast Asia, head of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia, on the appointment of a vicar bishop to the Diocese of Singapore (journal No. 56).< /p>
The members of the Synod decided to elect Hieromonk Pitirim (Dondenko), a cleric of the Diocese of Singapore, as a vicar of the Diocese of Singapore with the title “Jakarta”.