As the number of parishes and bishops of the FROC increased in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflicts among them likewise increased, as well as conflicts between the leaders of the Synod of ROCOR and the bishops in Russia. Bishops of the Free Russian Orthodox Church, who were in communion with under the jurisdiction of the ROCOR, i.e., [[Archbishop]] Lazar and Bishop Valentine, were ultimately removed from their [[see]]s. They chose to separate from ROCOR administratively and form an autonomous, self-governing Church, citing as their canonical basis [[Ukaz No. 362]] of St. [[Patriarch]] [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]] of [[November 20]], 1920. They also consecrated three bishops for the Russian church, Theodore, Seraphim, and Agafangel.

A year later, after unsuccessful attempts to acquire ownership and control of the properties find an acceptable means of self-government for the Russian parishes, on [[February 11]]/24, 1995, the Synod of ROCOR suspended five bishops of the FROC at one time. The result was a [[schism]] between the Synod of ROCOR and a large portion of the FROC.

In 1995, Abp. Lazarus, with Bishops Benjamin and Agafangel, came back to ROCOR, while three bishops, with Abp. Valentine at the head, remained in apart from themschism. In May 1995 the long-term secretary of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR, the famous [[Church History|church historian]] and [[canon (law)|canonist]], Bishop Gregory (Grabbe), visited Suzdal. He approved the decisions of the Russian bishops to withdraw from administrative collaboration with subordination to the ROCOR synod just before he passed away. Some attributed this to his age, while others claimed this was due to his belief that they were following the "true" historical course of ROCOR. Note:(The Church inside Russia never considered itself “in subordination” to the Church outside of Russia, but simply that they were peers who were in communion with each other.)