GREEK CHURCH

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11773, 8 March 1924, Page 6

GREEK CHURCH

SOVIET GALLS A CONCLAVE PATRIARCH ARRANGING FOR UNION WITH ROME, SECRET PACT ALLEGED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Reuter’s Telegram. 'Received March 7, 7.50 p.m.) MOSCOW, March 6. A world-wide conclave of the Greek Orthodox Church —the first sinoe A.D. 325—has been oalled at Mosoow ' n 1925, for the purpose of defrocking the Patriarch Tikhon, who continues to head the church despite the abolition of the Patriarchate. The newspaper “Svetmaya” states that Tikhon made a secret pact with the Vatican for the union of the Greek and Roman Churches, hoping to save the Russian Church from destruction. The prevailing religion of Russia, is the Graeco-Russian, officially called the Orthodox Faith. It has its own independent synod, but maintains the relations of a sister church with the four Orthodox Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria. Antioch, and Jerusalem, The Soviet Government disestablished the church, and'has for years been longing to extinguish its faith. In reply, the church (in Russia) summoned a conclave which declared the Archbishop Tikhon, Metropolitan of Mosoow, Patriarch. The new Patriarch excommunicated and unsparingly denounced the Bolsheviks, Who retaliated by arresting him. His trial did not take place, chiefly because of the protests of religious leaders in all parts of the world. The Greek and Roman Churches separated in the eighth century.