ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. JULIUS IN FULL EUCHARISTIC COMMUNION WITH THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ITALY

Civitas Classis, Sunday, October 9, 2016

By unanimous decision of the Holy Synod of the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Italy – BP (Bulgarian Patriarchate) and the Holy Synod of the Holy Archdiocese of St. Julius and Classis. His Beatitude Metropolitan Vassilij and His Grace Metropolitan Volodymir , have respectively signed the Tomos of Eucharistic intercomuion.

Short history of the Orthodox Church of Italy:

On 6 October 1995 during its ordinary section with Act N ° 264, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Bulgaria under the presidency of Patriarch Pimen, unanimously, has placed permanently “The Autonomous Diocese of Italy” under the protection of the Metropolitan of Bulgarian ‘ Central and Western Europe.

The July 1, 1997 by decree N ° 190, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Bulgaria under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen (enthronizated in 1996 in St. Alexander Nevky Cathedral by His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kiev), in its plenary session has granted the status of Autonomy to the Orthodox Church (in) of Italy, which is present throughout the territory national with parishes and communities.

On that date the Bishop Antonio de Rosso which was raised to the dignity of Metropolitan with the title of Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in Italy.

The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Bulgaria has declared full, and Canonical Eucharistic Communion with the Metropolitan Antonio de Rosso and the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Italy.

The Orthodox Church in Italy with such act can stand in its interior with complete autonomy regulated by a statute approved by the Holy Synod itself and is in full sacramental communion with other Orthodox Churches (Patriarchate of Kiev, Orthodox Church of Montenegro, etc.)

After returning to the Father of the first Primate of the Orthodox Church (in) of Italy restored by the same (well for almost five centuries has not existed the Italian Orthodoxy), was canonically elected on March 16^th , 2009 by the Councill of the Church Metropolitan Basilios. Metropolitan Basilios, consecrated bishop in 1995 by His Holiness Patriarch Volodymir of Kiev and All Rus Ukraine and Co-consecrator of His Eminence Volodymir of St. Julius Island and Classis, took the title of Archbishop of Latium and Metropolitan of All Italy.

His Beatitude Basilios I of Italy is also in full communion with the Orthodox Church of Montenegro,  Autocephalous Church of Greece (traditional), Orthodox Archdiocese of St. Julius island and Classis and the Ukranian Orthodox Church in America.

With the full agreement of the Sisters Churches, the new official name of the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Italy, is: 

AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ITALY

And the Title of His Beatitude Vassiljy is:

ARCHBISHOP OF LATIUM, ISLANDS  AND METROPOLITAN AF ALL ITALY