Difference between revisions of "Orthodox Church of France"

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[[Image:Kovalevsky-Maximovitch.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Bp. [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis]] and St. [[John Maximovitch]] in 1964]]
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{{westernrite}}
The '''Orthodox Church of France''' (''l'Eglise Orthodoxe de France'' or ''l'Eglise Orthodoxe Catholique de France'', a.k.a. ''l'ECOF'') was a group of [[Western Rite]] parishes in France formed under the auspices of [[Vladimir Lossky]] and [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalesky) of Saint-Denis|Evgraph Kovalesky]] in the 1930s and 1940s.  It has suffered several internal breaks, and the main extant body is now known as the '''''Union des Associations Cultuelles Orthodoxes de Rite Occidental''''' (UACORO) (the Union of Western Rite Orthodox Worship Associations).
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The '''Orthodox Church of France''' (''l'Eglise Orthodoxe de France'', formerly ''l'Eglise Catholique Orthodoxe de France'' or ''ECOF'') is an autonomous church comprised of three dioceses of [[Western Rite]] parishes in France formed in 1936 by the [[Church of Russia]]. The Orthodox Church of France is currently neither recognized by nor in communion with any of the [[List of autocephalous and autonomous churches|autocephalous or autonomous Orthodox Churches]].
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
In 1936, the [[Church of Russia]] received a small group under the former Liberal Catholic bishop, Louis-Charles (Irénée) Winnaert (1880-1937), dubbing them ''l'Eglise Orthodoxe Occidentale'' ("Western Orthodox Church").  The work of Winnaert was continued, though not without some occasional conflict, by [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalesky) of Saint-Denis|Evgraph Kovalesky]] (1905-1970) and Lucien Chambault (later known as ''Pére Denis''), the latter of which oversaw a small Orthodox Benedictine community in the rue d'Alleray in Paris.  Also associated with them was the former Benedictine monk, Archimandrite Alexis van der Mensbrugghe (1899-1980), who favorably viewed the restoration of the ancient Roman rite cleansed of medieval accretions and supplemented by Gallican and Byzantine interpolations.  In 1948, he published his ''Liturgie Orthodoxe de Rite Occidental'' and in 1962 the ''Missel Orthodoxe Rite Occidental''.
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In 1937, the [[Church of Russia]] received a small group under the former Liberal Catholic bishop, Louis-Charles (Irénée) Winnaert (1880-1937), dubbing them ''l'Eglise Orthodoxe Occidentale'' ("Western Orthodox Church").  Upon his repose, the leadership of the Church was turned over to [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Evgraph Kovalevsky]] (1905-1970). Also in the French Church were [[Denis (Chambault)|Lucien Chambault]], who oversaw a small Orthodox [[Rule of St. Benedict|Benedictine]] community in the rue d'Alleray in Paris (as Pére Denis), and the former Benedictine monk, Archimandrite [[Alexis van der Mensbrugghe]] (1899-1980), who favorably viewed the restoration of the ancient Roman rite cleansed of medieval accretions and supplemented by Gallican and Byzantine interpolations.  In 1948, he published his ''Liturgie Orthodoxe de Rite Occidental'' and in 1962 the ''Missel Orthodoxe Rite Occidental''.
  
After 1946, the Eglise Orthodoxe de France (Orthodox Church of France) was developed by Kovalesky specifically with the intention to restore the ancient [[Gallican Rite|Gallican usage]] of the pre-[[Charlemagne|Carolingian]] Roman rite, basing his work on the letters of St. [[Germanus of Paris|Germanus]], a 6th century [[bishop]] of Paris. During this troubled period, the Orthodox community in Paris went through several [[jurisdiction]] changes, but eventually Fr. Alexis returned to the [[Church of Russia]] and was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1960, continuing his Western Rite work under the auspices of the Moscow Patriarchate.
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Fr Evgraph worked for several years on restoring the ancient rite of the Gauls, which came to be known as the [[Divine Liturgy according to St Germanus of Paris]]. After the French church broke with Moscow to preserve the Western character of its liturgy, Archimandrite Alexis remained with the [[Church of Russia]] and was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1960, continuing his Western Rite work under the auspices of the Moscow Patriarchate.
  
After some years of canonical limbo, Kovalesky's group came under the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] between 1959 and 1966, and Kovalesky himself was consecrated with the title of Bishop [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalesky) of Saint-Denis|Jean-Nectaire de Saint-Denis]] in 1964.  During this time, the Eglise Orthodoxe de France received considerable encouragement from St. [[John Maximovitch]] (who was ROCOR's representative in Western Europe at the time), and his death in 1966 was a serious blow to these French Orthodox Christians, who had had an influential and holy advocate in St. John.
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[[Image:Kovalevsky-Maximovitch.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Bp. [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis]] and St. [[John Maximovitch]] in 1964]]After some years of isolation, Kovalevsky's group came under the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] between 1959 and 1966, and Kovalevsky himself was consecrated with the title of Bishop [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Jean-Nectaire de Saint-Denis]] in 1964.  During this time, the Eglise Orthodoxe de France received considerable encouragement from St. [[John Maximovitch]] (who was ROCOR's representative in Western Europe at the time), and his death in 1966 was a serious blow to these French Orthodox Christians, who had enjoyed an influential and holy advocate in St. John.
  
Meanwhile, the Moscow Patriarchate's Western rite withered and came to an end, but Bishop Jean's church continued to thrive, though after St. John's death in 1966, they were again on canonical hiatus.  Bishop Jean died in 1970, and then in 1972 the [[Church of Romania]] took the Eglise Orthodoxe de France under its [[omophorion]].  Gilles Bertrand-Hardy was consecrated as Bishop [[Germain (Bertrand-Hardy) of Saint-Denis|Germain de Saint-Denis]], and the restored Gallican rite became the regular liturgy used in the many small French Orthodox [[parish]]es established throughout France. The full splendor of that liturgy can be seen in the Cathedral of St. Irénée in Boulevard Auguste-Blanqui in Paris.  In 1993, after a lengthy conflict with the Romanian Holy Synod regarding various canonical irregularities, the Eglise again found itself in canonical limbo with the deposition of Bishop Germain.  The Romanian patriarchate established a [[deanery]] under Bishop Germain's brother Archpriest Gregoire to minister to those parishes which chose to stay with Romania. 
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Meanwhile, the Moscow Patriarchate's Western rite withered and came to an end, but Bishop Jean's church continued to thrive, though after St. John's death in 1966, they were again isolated from the other churches.  Bishop Jean died in 1970, and then in 1972 the [[Church of Romania]] took the Eglise Orthodoxe de France under its [[omophorion]].  Gilles Bertrand-Hardy was consecrated as Bishop [[Germain (Bertrand-Hardy) of Saint-Denis|Germain de Saint-Denis]], and the restored Gallican rite became the regular liturgy used in the many small French Orthodox [[parish]]es established throughout France.
  
Ten other parishes that did not wish to remain under the deposed Germain (and presumably did not want to remain with Romania) formed the ''Union des Associations Cultuelles Orthodoxes de Rite Occidental'' (UACORO) (the Union of Western Rite Orthodox Worship Associations) and began negotiations with the [[Church of Serbia]] to be taken under its omophorion. Talks officially began in September of 2004.[http://www.orthodoxresurgence.co.uk/Petroc/Michael04.htm] The intended outcome of these negotiations is that the UACORO be accepted as part of the Church of Serbia's Diocese of France and Western Europe.[http://www.spc.yu/Vesti-2004/12/14-12-04-e.html]
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In 1993, after a long conflict with the Romanian holy synod regarding canonical irregularities, the Romanian Synod withdrew its blessing from and broke communion with the church, which again found itself in isolation from other Orthodox Churches. The Romanian patriarchate established a [[deanery]] under Bishop Germain's brother Archpriest Gregoire to minister to those parishes formed by the priests and laity that chose to stay with Romania. 
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In 2001, after the scandal caused by the revelation inside the Church of the marriage of Bishop Germain in 1995 (which was later legally annulled), some priests and parishes led by Archpriest Jean-Pierre Pahud left the Church of France and formed the ''Union des Associations Cultuelles Orthodoxes de Rite Occidental'' (UACORO) (the Union of Western Rite Orthodox Worship Associations). Many of these have subsequently been received on an individual basis into the Church of Serbia in 2006.  In the same year, the independent [[Orthodox Church of the Gauls]] was formed by a group that years earlier had left the Church of France and come under the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.
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===Diocesan structure===
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*[[Diocese of Paris - Saint-Denis]]
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*[[Diocese of Rhône-Méditerranée]]
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*[[Diocese of Aquitaine]]
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==Episcopacy==
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===Diocesan bishops===
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* Monseigneur Germain, Archbishop of Saint-Denis (Diocese of Paris-Saint-Denis), Primate of the Church.
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* Monseigneur Cassien, Bishop of Marseille (Diocese of the Rhone and Mediterranean.
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* Monseigneur Benoit, Bishop of Pau (Diocese of Aquitaine) .
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==Sources==
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*Vincent Bourne, ''La divine contradiction: l'avenir catholique orthodoxe de la France'' (1975). ISBN 9782850800030. Bourne was the ''nom-de-plume'' of Madmae Yvonne Winnaert (1907-1997, the widow of Louis-Charles (Irénée) Winnaert.
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*Maxime Kovalevsky, ''Orthodoxie et Occident: renaissance d'une Eglise locale'' (1994). ISBN 9782908986297
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*[http://orthodoxie.free.fr/ l'Eglise Orthodoxe de France] (French)
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*[http://eglise-orthodoxe-de-france.fr/ Eglise Orthodoxe de France] (Official Website - French)
*[http://pagesperso.laposte.net/orthodoxie/ Eglise Catholique Orthodoxe de France] (French)
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*[http://www.forum-orthodoxe.com/~forum/viewtopic.php?t=851&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60/ A bulletin board discussion on the Church of France (anachronistically referred to as "ECOF", in French)]
*[http://www.spc.org.yu/Vesti-2005/03/10-3-05-e.html Pre-Paschal letter of Bishop Atanasije (Jevtic) to the UACORO], [[March 8]], 2005
 
 
 
  
 
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
 
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
 
[[Category:Western Rite]]
 
[[Category:Western Rite]]
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[[Category:Orthodoxy in France]]

Latest revision as of 18:26, February 14, 2018

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The Orthodox Church of France (l'Eglise Orthodoxe de France, formerly l'Eglise Catholique Orthodoxe de France or ECOF) is an autonomous church comprised of three dioceses of Western Rite parishes in France formed in 1936 by the Church of Russia. The Orthodox Church of France is currently neither recognized by nor in communion with any of the autocephalous or autonomous Orthodox Churches.

History

In 1937, the Church of Russia received a small group under the former Liberal Catholic bishop, Louis-Charles (Irénée) Winnaert (1880-1937), dubbing them l'Eglise Orthodoxe Occidentale ("Western Orthodox Church"). Upon his repose, the leadership of the Church was turned over to Evgraph Kovalevsky (1905-1970). Also in the French Church were Lucien Chambault, who oversaw a small Orthodox Benedictine community in the rue d'Alleray in Paris (as Pére Denis), and the former Benedictine monk, Archimandrite Alexis van der Mensbrugghe (1899-1980), who favorably viewed the restoration of the ancient Roman rite cleansed of medieval accretions and supplemented by Gallican and Byzantine interpolations. In 1948, he published his Liturgie Orthodoxe de Rite Occidental and in 1962 the Missel Orthodoxe Rite Occidental.

Fr Evgraph worked for several years on restoring the ancient rite of the Gauls, which came to be known as the Divine Liturgy according to St Germanus of Paris. After the French church broke with Moscow to preserve the Western character of its liturgy, Archimandrite Alexis remained with the Church of Russia and was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1960, continuing his Western Rite work under the auspices of the Moscow Patriarchate.

After some years of isolation, Kovalevsky's group came under the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia between 1959 and 1966, and Kovalevsky himself was consecrated with the title of Bishop Jean-Nectaire de Saint-Denis in 1964. During this time, the Eglise Orthodoxe de France received considerable encouragement from St. John Maximovitch (who was ROCOR's representative in Western Europe at the time), and his death in 1966 was a serious blow to these French Orthodox Christians, who had enjoyed an influential and holy advocate in St. John.

Meanwhile, the Moscow Patriarchate's Western rite withered and came to an end, but Bishop Jean's church continued to thrive, though after St. John's death in 1966, they were again isolated from the other churches. Bishop Jean died in 1970, and then in 1972 the Church of Romania took the Eglise Orthodoxe de France under its omophorion. Gilles Bertrand-Hardy was consecrated as Bishop Germain de Saint-Denis, and the restored Gallican rite became the regular liturgy used in the many small French Orthodox parishes established throughout France.

In 1993, after a long conflict with the Romanian holy synod regarding canonical irregularities, the Romanian Synod withdrew its blessing from and broke communion with the church, which again found itself in isolation from other Orthodox Churches. The Romanian patriarchate established a deanery under Bishop Germain's brother Archpriest Gregoire to minister to those parishes formed by the priests and laity that chose to stay with Romania.

In 2001, after the scandal caused by the revelation inside the Church of the marriage of Bishop Germain in 1995 (which was later legally annulled), some priests and parishes led by Archpriest Jean-Pierre Pahud left the Church of France and formed the Union des Associations Cultuelles Orthodoxes de Rite Occidental (UACORO) (the Union of Western Rite Orthodox Worship Associations). Many of these have subsequently been received on an individual basis into the Church of Serbia in 2006. In the same year, the independent Orthodox Church of the Gauls was formed by a group that years earlier had left the Church of France and come under the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.

Diocesan structure

Episcopacy

Diocesan bishops

  • Monseigneur Germain, Archbishop of Saint-Denis (Diocese of Paris-Saint-Denis), Primate of the Church.
  • Monseigneur Cassien, Bishop of Marseille (Diocese of the Rhone and Mediterranean.
  • Monseigneur Benoit, Bishop of Pau (Diocese of Aquitaine) .

Sources

  • Vincent Bourne, La divine contradiction: l'avenir catholique orthodoxe de la France (1975). ISBN 9782850800030. Bourne was the nom-de-plume of Madmae Yvonne Winnaert (1907-1997, the widow of Louis-Charles (Irénée) Winnaert.
  • Maxime Kovalevsky, Orthodoxie et Occident: renaissance d'une Eglise locale (1994). ISBN 9782908986297

External links