97-110
Activities of Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov) as Exarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in America: June–December 1941
Authors: Kirill M. Ivanisov
Number of views: 253
Based on a number of historical sources and the materials from the Russian
emigration newspapers published in the United States, the article reproduces
the situation that developed from June to December 1941 in the Orthodox
parishes in the USA. The Russian Orthodox Church in America at the beginning
of the Great Patriotic War was represented by the North American Metropolis
of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops, led by Metropolitan Theophilos (Pashkovsky),
as well as the exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the United States,
headed by Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov).
The question of support for the Russian people at war with Nazi Germany
caused a serious discussion among representatives of the American church
emigration. The discussion spread out on the pages of major American
newspapers and was accompanied by widespread public outcry. At the
time of the German army’s massive attack on Moscow, the hierarchs of the
North American Metropolis asked to postpone the decision on assistance
to the Soviet Union in a telegram that was addressed to F. Roosevelt. The
issue of the restricted freedom of religious conscience in their homeland
was mentioned as the main reason. The Council of Hierarchs of the North
American Metropolis approved the same line in their attitude.
Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov), while defending the position of the
Moscow Patriarchate and Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky) and urging
everyone to fervently pray for the victory of the Russian army over the Germans, encouraged the representatives of the Russian emigration in America to "be
with our people, and not against them," i. e. to start the cooperation with USSR
in the very near future. He managed to have a serious impact not only among
the Russian emigrants, but also on broad sectors of the American society and
the US government during the period of serious political decisions.