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Changes
→2001-present: Warming of Relations
==2001-present: Warming of Relations==
[[Image:Bishops Peter and Nikolai.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Bishops [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter]] ([[ROCOR]]) and [[Nikolai (Soraich) of Sitka|Nikolai]] ([[OCA]]) greet one another at an OCA episcopal consecration service in May 2005.]]
After the election of Metropolitan [[Laurus (SkurlaŠkurla) of New York]] as First Hierarch of the ROCOR and that body's subsequent movement towards rapprochement with Moscow, signs of better relations between the OCA and ROCOR began to appear. Seminarians studying at OCA seminaries attended retreats at the ROCOR's [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)]], and ROCOR seminarians have also participated in [[OISM]] events at OCA seminaries. The first member of the OCA to study at Holy Trinity Seminary, Vitaly Efimenkov, graduated in 2002. It is also worth noting that several graduates of Holy Trinity Seminary, upon receiving their Bachelor of Theology, went on to receive Masters Degrees from [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Seminary]]. The most recent graduate of both Holy Trinity and St. Vladimir's is Andrei Psarev, instructor of Russian Church History at Holy Trinity.
Warmly worded letters from the OCA hierarchy have also been sent to the ROCOR hierarchy.[http://www.oca.org/Docs.asp?ID=49&SID=12] Further, pilgrims from the ROCOR have visited the OCA [[metochion]] in Moscow [http://www.st-catherine.ru/en/news/0118.htm] and Metropolitan Laurus has received representatives of the OCA for informal discussions.[http://www.st-catherine.ru/en/news/0113.htm] Additionally, the OCA's [[chancellor]] and one of its senior priests have attended a banquet at a ROCOR [[clergy]] conference.[http://www.orthodoxnews.netfirms.com/53/OCA%20Chancellor.htm]
