Russian Orthodox Church
1. A parish is a community of Orthodox Christians, consisting of clergy and laity, united at the church.
The parish is a canonical division of the Russian Orthodox Church and is under the supervision of its diocesan bishop and under the leadership of the priest-rector appointed by him.
2. The parish is formed by the voluntary consent of believing citizens of the Orthodox faith who have reached the age of majority, with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. To obtain the status of a legal entity, the parish is registered by state authorities in the manner determined by the legislation of the country where the parish is located. Parish boundaries are set by the diocesan council.
3. The parish begins its activities after the blessing of the diocesan bishop.
4. The parish in its civil legal activities is obliged to comply with canonical rules, internal regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church and the legislation of the country of location.
5. The parish must allocate funds through the diocese for general church needs in the amount established by the Holy Synod, and for diocesan needs in the manner and amount established by the diocesan authorities.
6. The parish in its religious, administrative, financial and economic activities is subordinate and accountable to the diocesan bishop. The parish carries out the decisions of the diocesan meeting and the diocesan council and the orders of the diocesan bishop.
7. In the event of the separation of any part or the withdrawal of all members of the parish assembly from the parish, they cannot claim any rights to the parish property and funds.
8. If the parish meeting makes a decision to withdraw from the hierarchical structure and jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the parish is deprived of confirmation of belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, which entails the cessation of the parish’s activities as a religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church and deprives it of the right to property that belonged to the parish on the basis of ownership, use or other legal basis, as well as the right to use the name and symbols of the Russian Orthodox Church in the name.
9. Parish churches, houses of worship and chapels are established with the blessing of the diocesan authorities and in compliance with the procedure established by law.
10. The administration of the parish is carried out by the diocesan bishop, the rector, the parish meeting, the parish council, and the chairman of the parish council.
The diocesan bishop has the highest management of the parish.
The audit commission is the body monitoring the activities of the parish.
11. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods are created by parishioners only with the consent of the rector and with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods have the goal of attracting parishioners to participate in the care and work of maintaining churches in proper condition, in charity, mercy, religious and moral education and upbringing. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods at parishes are under the supervision of the rector. In exceptional cases, the charter of a brotherhood or sisterhood, approved by the diocesan bishop, may be submitted for state registration.
12. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods begin their activities after the blessing of the diocesan bishop.
13. When carrying out their activities, the brotherhood and sisterhood are guided by this Charter, decisions of Local and Bishops' Councils, decisions of the Holy Synod, decrees of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', decisions of the diocesan bishop and rector of the parish, as well as civil statutes of the Russian Orthodox Church, diocese, parish, of which they are created, and their own bylaws, if the fraternities and sororities are registered as a legal entity.
14. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods allocate funds through parishes for general church needs in the amounts established by the Holy Synod, for diocesan and parish needs in the manner and amount established by diocesan authorities and parish rectors.
15. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods in their religious, administrative, financial and economic activities, through the rectors of parishes, are subordinate and accountable to the diocesan bishops. Brotherhoods and sisterhoods carry out the decisions of the diocesan authorities and parish rectors.
16. In the event of the separation of any part or the withdrawal of all members of the brotherhood and sisterhood from their composition, they cannot claim any rights to brotherly and sisterly property and funds.
17. If the general meeting of the brotherhood and sisterhood makes a decision to withdraw from the hierarchical structure and jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, the brotherhood and sisterhood are deprived of confirmation of belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church, which entails the cessation of the activities of the brotherhood and sisterhood as a religious organization of the Russian Orthodox Church and deprives them rights to property that belonged to the brotherhood or sisterhood on the basis of ownership, use or other legal grounds, as well as the right to use the name and symbols of the Russian Orthodox Church in the name.
1. Abbot
18. At the head of each parish is the rector of the church, appointed by the diocesan bishop for the spiritual guidance of the believers and the management of the clergy and parish. In his activities, the rector is accountable to the diocesan bishop.
19. The rector is called to bear responsibility for the correct performance of divine services, in accordance with the Church Charter, for church preaching, the religious and moral state and the appropriate education of the members of the parish. He must conscientiously perform all liturgical, pastoral and administrative duties determined by his position, in accordance with the provisions of the canons and this Charter.
20. The duties of the rector, in particular, include:
a) leadership of the clergy in the performance of its liturgical and pastoral duties;
b) monitoring the condition of the temple, its decoration and the availability of everything necessary for performing divine services in accordance with the requirements of the liturgical Charter and instructions from the hierarchy;
c) concern for correct and reverent reading and singing in church;
d) concern for the exact fulfillment of the instructions of the diocesan bishop;
e) organization of catechetical, charitable, church-public, educational and outreach activities of the parish;
f) convening and presiding at meetings of the parish meeting;
g) if there are grounds for this, suspension of the execution of decisions of the parish meeting and parish council on issues of a doctrinal, canonical, liturgical or administrative-economic nature, with the subsequent transfer of this issue to the diocesan bishop for consideration;
h) monitoring the implementation of decisions of the parish meeting and the work of the parish council;
i) representing the interests of the parish in state and local government bodies;
j) submitting directly to the diocesan bishop or through the dean annual reports on the state of the parish, on the activities carried out in the parish and on one’s own work;
k) carrying out official church correspondence;
l) maintaining a liturgical journal and storing the parish archive;
m) issuance of baptism and marriage certificates.
21. The rector may receive leave and temporarily leave his parish solely with the permission of the diocesan authorities, obtained in the prescribed manner.
2. Pritch
22. The clergy of the parish is determined as follows: priest, deacon and psalm-reader. The number of members of the clergy can be increased or reduced by the diocesan authorities at the request of the parish and in accordance with its needs; in any case, the clergy must consist of at least two persons - a priest and a psalm-reader.
Note: the position of psalm-reader can be filled by a person in holy orders.
23. The election and appointment of clergy and clergy belongs to the diocesan bishop.
24. To be ordained as a deacon or priest you must:
a) be a member of the Russian Orthodox Church;
b) be an adult;
c) have the necessary moral qualities;
d) have sufficient theological training;
e) have a confessor’s certificate confirming the absence of canonical obstacles to ordination;
f) not be subject to ecclesiastical or civil court;
g) take the church oath.
25. Members of the clergy may be moved and dismissed from their places by the diocesan bishop upon personal request, by ecclesiastical court, or by ecclesiastical expediency.
26. The duties of the members of the clergy are determined by the canons and orders of the diocesan bishop or rector.
27. The clergyman of the parish is responsible for the spiritual and moral state of the parish and for the fulfillment of his liturgical and pastoral duties.
28. Members of the clergy cannot leave the parish without permission from the church authorities, obtained in the prescribed manner.
29. A clergyman may take part in a divine service in another parish with the consent of the diocesan bishop of the diocese in which the parish is located, or with the consent of the dean or rector, if he has a certificate confirming his canonical legal capacity.
30. In accordance with the 13th rule of the IV Ecumenical Council, clergy can be accepted into another diocese only if they have a letter of release from the diocesan bishop.
3. Parishioners
31. Parishioners are persons of the Orthodox confession who maintain a living connection with their parish.
32. Each parishioner has the duty to participate in divine services, regularly confess and receive communion, observe the canons and church regulations, perform works of faith, strive for religious and moral improvement and contribute to the well-being of the parish.
33. The responsibility of parishioners is to take care of the material maintenance of the clergy and the temple.
4. Parish meeting
34. The governing body of the parish is the parish meeting, headed by the rector of the parish, who is ex officio the chairman of the parish meeting.
The parish assembly includes the clergy of the parish, as well as parishioners who regularly participate in the liturgical life of the parish, who, due to their commitment to Orthodoxy, moral character and life experience, are worthy to participate in the resolution of parish affairs, who have reached the age of 18 and are not under prohibition, and also not brought to justice by ecclesiastical or secular courts.
35. Admission to and withdrawal from the parish meeting is carried out on the basis of a petition (application) by decision of the parish meeting. If a member of the parish assembly is recognized as not corresponding to the position he occupies, he may be removed from the parish assembly by decision of the latter.
If members of the parish assembly deviate from the canons, this Charter and other regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as if they violate the parish charter, the composition of the parish assembly by decision of the diocesan bishop may be changed in whole or in part.
36. The parish meeting is convened by the rector or, by order of the diocesan bishop, the dean, or another authorized representative of the diocesan bishop at least once a year.
Parish meetings dedicated to the election and re-election of members of the parish council are held with the participation of the dean or another representative of the diocesan bishop.
37. The meeting is held in accordance with the agenda presented by the chairman.
38. The Chairman presides over the meetings in accordance with the adopted rules.
39. The parish meeting has the authority to make decisions with the participation of at least half of the members. Resolutions of the parish meeting are adopted by simple majority vote; in the event of a tie, the vote of the chairman is decisive.
40. The parish meeting elects from among its members a secretary responsible for drawing up the minutes of the meeting.
41. The minutes of the parish meeting are signed by: the chairman, the secretary and five elected members of the parish meeting. The minutes of the parish meeting are approved by the diocesan bishop, after which the decisions taken come into force.
42. The decisions of the parish meeting may be announced to the parishioners in the church.
43. The duties of the parish meeting include:
a) maintaining the internal unity of the parish and promoting its spiritual and moral growth;
b) adoption of the civil Charter of the parish, amendments and additions to it, which are approved by the diocesan bishop and come into force from the moment of state registration;
c) admission and exclusion of members of the parish meeting;
d) election of the parish council and audit commission;
e) planning the financial and economic activities of the parish;
f) ensuring the safety of church property and taking care of its increase;
g) adoption of spending plans, including the amount of contributions for charity and religious and educational purposes, and submitting them for approval by the diocesan bishop;
h) approval of plans and consideration of design estimates for the construction and repair of church buildings;
i) review and submission for approval to the diocesan bishop of financial and other reports of the parish council and reports of the audit commission;
j) approval of the staffing table and determination of content for members of the clergy and parish council;
k) determining the procedure for disposing of the property of the parish on the terms determined by this Charter, the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church (civil), the charter of the diocese, the charter of the parish, as well as current legislation;
l) concern for the availability of everything necessary for the canonical performance of worship;
n) concern for the state of church singing;
o) initiating parish petitions before the diocesan bishop and civil authorities;
o) consideration of complaints against members of the parish council, audit commission and submission of them to the diocesan administration.
5. Parish Council
44. The parish council is the executive body of the parish and is accountable to the parish meeting.
45. The parish council consists of a chairman, an assistant rector and a treasurer.
46. Parish Council:
a) implements the decisions of the parish meeting;
b) submit plans of economic activity, annual expenditure plans and financial reports for consideration and approval by the parish meeting;
c) is responsible for the safety and maintenance in proper order of church buildings, other structures, structures, premises and adjacent territories, land plots belonging to the parish and all property owned or used by the parish, and keeps records of it;
d) acquires property needed for the parish and maintains inventory books;
e) resolves current economic issues;
f) provides the parish with the necessary property;
g) provides housing to members of the parish clergy in cases where they need it;
h) takes care of the protection and splendor of the temple, maintaining decorum and order during services and religious processions;
i) takes care of providing the temple with everything necessary for the splendid performance of divine services.
47. Members of the parish council may be removed from the parish council by a decision of the parish meeting or by order of the diocesan bishop if there are due grounds.
48. The chairman of the parish council, without a power of attorney, exercises the following powers on behalf of the parish:
- issues orders (orders) on the hiring (dismissal) of parish employees; concludes labor and civil contracts with parish employees, as well as agreements on financial liability (the chairman of the parish council, who is not a rector, exercises these powers in agreement with the rector);
- disposes of the property and funds of the parish, including concluding relevant agreements on behalf of the parish and making other transactions in the manner prescribed by this Charter;
- represents the parish in court;
- has the right to issue powers of attorney to exercise on behalf of the parish the powers provided for in this article of the Charter, as well as to carry out contacts with state bodies, local governments, citizens and organizations in connection with the exercise of these powers.
49. The rector is the chairman of the parish council.
The diocesan bishop has the right, by his sole decision:
a) relieve the rector from the post of chairman of the parish council at his own discretion;
b) appoint an assistant rector (church warden) or another person, including a parish clergyman, to the post of chairman of the parish council (for a period of three years with the right to appoint for a new term without limiting the number of such appointments), with his inclusion in the parish assembly and the parish advice.
The diocesan bishop has the right to remove from work a member of the parish council if he violates the canons, provisions of this Charter or the civil charter of the parish.
50. All documents officially emanating from the parish are signed by the rector and (or) the chairman of the parish council within the limits of their competence.
51. Banking and other financial documents are signed by the chairman of the parish council and the treasurer. In civil legal relations, the treasurer performs the duties of the chief accountant. The treasurer records and stores funds, donations and other income, and prepares an annual financial report. The parish maintains accounting records.
52. In the event of re-election by the parish meeting or changes by the diocesan bishop in the composition of the parish council, as well as in the event of re-election, removal by the diocesan bishop or death of the chairman of the parish council, the parish meeting forms a commission of three members, which draws up an act on the availability of property and funds. The parish council accepts material assets on the basis of this act.
53. The duties of the assistant chairman of the parish council are determined by the parish meeting.
54. The duties of the treasurer include recording and storing cash and other donations, maintaining receipts and expenditure books, carrying out financial transactions within the budget at the direction of the chairman of the parish council and drawing up an annual financial report.
6. Audit Commission
55. The parish meeting, from among its members, elects a parish audit committee, consisting of a chairman and two members, for a period of three years. The Audit Committee is accountable to the parish meeting. The Audit Commission checks the financial and economic activities of the parish, the safety and accounting of property, its use for its intended purpose, conducts an annual inventory, audits the entry of donations and receipts and the expenditure of funds. The audit commission presents the results of the audits and corresponding proposals for consideration by the parish meeting.
If abuse is detected, the audit commission immediately informs the diocesan authorities. The Audit Commission has the right to send an inspection report directly to the diocesan bishop.
56. The right to audit the financial and economic activities of the parish and parish institutions also belongs to the diocesan bishop.
57. Members of the parish council and the audit commission cannot be closely related.
58. The responsibilities of the audit commission include:
a) regular audit, including checking the availability of funds, the legality and correctness of expenses made and the maintenance of expense books by the parish;
b) carrying out, as necessary, an inspection of the financial and economic activities of the parish, the safety and accounting of property belonging to the parish;
c) annual inventory of parish property;
d) control over the removal of mugs and donations.
59. The Audit Commission draws up reports on the inspections carried out and submits them to the regular or extraordinary meeting of the parish meeting. If there are abuses, shortages of property or funds, as well as if errors are detected in the conduct and execution of financial transactions, the parish meeting makes an appropriate decision. It has the right to bring a claim in court, having previously received the consent of the diocesan bishop.
Far abroad
Western Europe
- Italian parishes
Central Europe
America
- Patriarchal parishes in Canada
- Patriarchal parishes in the USA
Near East
- Russian spiritual mission in Jerusalem
