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The '''Russian Orthodox Church in Exile''' (ROCE/ROCIE) is a [[jurisdiction]] formed in 2001 in protest against and breaking from the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]](ROCOR), primarily over the latter's ongoing [[rapprochement ]] process with the [[Church of Russia|Moscow Patriarchate]]. The ROCE still sometimes uses the ROCOR/ROCA name and regards itself as the true ROCOR.

The two jurisdictions are sometimes distinguished , especially by those in the breakaway jurisdiction, as '''ROCOR (V)''' (ROCE) and '''ROCOR (L)'''(the mainstream ROCOR), the initial in parentheses referring to the [[primate]] of each group.

The ROCE is currently led by ==Origins==At the Council of Bishops of the [[ROCOR]] in 2001, Metropolitan [[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly]], who had officially retired in protest as the primate First-Hierarch of the ROCOR but , though attempts to retract what was done on his part were ignored. The reason given was that it was clear that a large faction had already decided upon union with the [[Church of Russia|Moscow Patriarchate]] and the formation Metropolitan wanted no part of the ROCE union. Archbishop [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus]] was declared by immediately elected the ROCE to have been retired forcibly new First-Hierarch by his enemies in ROCOR and then removed to Canadasecret ballot, where he governs the ROCE. It is reported winning by critics a majority of this jurisdiction that one vote (the aged Metropolitan did not participate). Metropolitan Vitaly was kidnapped congratulated Arcbishop Laurus on his election and is essentially a figureheadthen left the Synod for ROCOR's Holy Transfiguration Skete in Mansonville, being unfit for [[bishop|episcopal]] governanceQuebec.

According to its websiteIn Mansonville, the ROCE currently has 8 Metropolitan Vitaly was joined by Bishop [[parishVarnava (Prokofiev) of Cannes|Varnava]]es, missions and home chapels, along with one convent, the then suspended vicar bishop of ROCOR's Western European Diocese. Shortly after taking up residence in the United States; 8 parishesMansonville, missions and chapels, along with 2 [[monasticism|monastic]] [[skete]]sMetroplitan Vitaly issued a declaration, in Canada; 2 parishes stating that he had been forcibly removed from his position as First Hierarch and one convent in South America; 8 parishes in Europe; that he was withdrawing his resignation. Bishop Varnava then ordained Hieromonks Sergius (Kindiakov) and a "[[deanery]]" of [[clergy]] and monastics in RussiaVladimir (Tselischev) to the episcopacy. The ROCE also has a handful of clergy new group became called the Russian Orthodox Church in Exile, and laymen throughout the world which hold allegiance to it but may not have any parish associated with themwas led by Metropolitan Vitaly.

RealisticallyAlmost immediately, those parishes usually tend the ROCiE began to fracture because of internal infighting. Conflict broke out between Bishop Varnava and Protopresbyter Benjamin Zhukov of Paris, France, the rector of ROCiE's largest parish and acting ROCiE secretary. As a result, Bishop Varnava, who was suspended by the ROCiE Synod, declared the ROCiE's actions uncanonical. Bishop Varnava subsequently petitioned to be converted houses with few, if anyreceived back into the [[ROCOR]], parishionersa petition granted at the ROCOR's 2006 Council of Bishops.

From Critics of the ROCiE claim that the aged Vitaly was kidnapped and was essentially a purely canonical point figurehead, being unfit for [[bishop|episcopal]] governance, while ROCiE affairs were run by Zhukov and L.D. Rosnyanskaya, the aged Metropolitan's secretary. Courts in Canada and New York have rejected the claim that Metropolitan Vitaly was psychologically unfit after taking into account multiple court-mandated psychiatric evaluations.<ref>New York Supreme Court, Part 34, Index No. 500180/2001, Chemodakov v. Oustinow, p. 11</ref> However, it should be noted that the erratic behavior of Metropolitan Vitaly caused several factions of viewthe ROCiE to claim at various times the very thing that they denied earlier&mdash;namely, this jurisdiction that the metropolitan was formed being taken advantage of by unscrupulous people, and so various epistles, actions, or ukazes should be ignored. <ref>For example, on the "illegallyofficial" ROCE site that is under the control of Anthony Orlov,we find [http://www.mansonville.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=97&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 this statement] claiming that a " as no canons have actually been broken group of common thugs led by the ROCOR (L). Upon analysis of D. Rosnyansky [had] isolated the First Hierarch against his will from his Assistant and members present at the many justifications provided by ROCOR Sobor..." (VAugust 16, 2006) for [http://www.mansonville.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=97&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0]; and then on [http://www.mansonville.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=95&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 this page], we find claims that the formation metropolitan was being taken advantage of this churchby these same people, and that these people managed to get Metropolitan Vitaly to sign documents he would not a single one has yet have agreed to .[http://www.mansonville.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=95&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0] It should be actually true. The claim noted that these "thugs" are the ROCOR (L) have already joined same people who talked Metropolitan Vitaly into one single church (leaving the initial argument for ROCOR Synod immediately after the schism) is obviously untrueelection of Metropolitan Laurus, as there is still dialogue between the two churches related to this matterwhich he had taken part in, not to mention there are no occurrences and initially approved of any ROCOR (.[https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A2=ind0111A&L) clergy member actively serving with an MP clergy member. It is interesting how quickly one decides to =orthodox&P=R6638&D=1&O=D&m=54423] Then on the rival "jump shipofficial" instead web site of fighting for the true faithROCIE, we find [http://www.rocor-v.com/rocor/roceofficial. For examplehtml this letter], the all-clergy conferences in which a group of bishops in Russia are condemned for having somehow "managed to acquire [Metropolitan Vitaly's] written blessing to perform their proposed episcopal elevations and to create an ecclesiastical administration in the discussion form of some sort of reconciliation between parallel Synod", which the group in Mansonville did not consider to be authoritative, because the ROCOR and MP churches were a perfect venue for presenting arguments (which was done Metropolitan acted on his own, having again been taken advantage of by many ROCORunscrupulous people (L) clergyAugust, 21 2002). Where were the ROCOR (V) clergy[http://www.rocor-v.com/rocor/roceofficial.html] See also [http://www.rocor-v.com/rocor/man720.html this page], April 20 2002. Instead All of fighting for this is very much like what occurred in the true faith, they chose to run away, claiming last couple of years that the fight Metropolitan Vitaly was already overFirst Hierarch of ROCOR. One can only imagine In synod meetings he would sign on to statements, and then subsequently issue epistles taking back what would have happened he had said, only to again contradict his epistles at the New Martyrs of Russia chose this option to just run awaynext Synod meeting.[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/voicesofreason_old.htm]</ref>.

*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurchinexilerocor-v.com/rocor/engindex.html Official site, English]*[http://www.mansonville.org/ A Rival Official Site]*[http://www.rocie.org/ ROCIE News, English]*[http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.uk/] ===Criticism===*[http://www.saintjonah.org/articles/voicesofreason_old.htm Older Documents from the "Voices of Reason" site, that come more from the time before and after ROCE went into schism with ROCOR]