Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church
Encyclopedia
Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church is a Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
(ROCOR) church in Ottawa
, Canada
. The church is located at 99 Stonehurst Avenue in the Mechanicsville
area of Ottawa. It is part of the Montreal and Canada Diocese of ROCOR.
The church was built in 1988 to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the arrival of the conversion of Russia to Christianity. It was paid for by ROCOR members from around the world. The parish had previously been based in a structure at 267 Richmond Rd.
In its short history the church has seen considerable controversy. Alongside the church St. Vladimir's Russian Residence, a seniors home run by the church was built. However after complaints of harassment and financial mismanagement the government took control of the facility away from the church in 1989. In 1999 the church's priest, Father Dimitri Sever, led the congregation in a vote to leave ROCOR and join the Russian Orthodox Church
. Bishop Michael Donskoff alleged that the decision was contrary to ROCOR's bylaws and stripped Sever of his position, however when Donskoff came to take possession of the church members of the congregation barred him from entering. The matter eventually went to the courts and it was ruled that that Sever had violated the bylaws and the church was restored to ROCOR.
Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia , also called the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, ROCA, or ROCOR) is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church....
(ROCOR) church in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The church is located at 99 Stonehurst Avenue in the Mechanicsville
Mechanicsville (Ottawa)
Mechanicsville is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located to the west of downtown and bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the transitway railway to the east, Scott Street to the south, and Parkdale Avenue to the west...
area of Ottawa. It is part of the Montreal and Canada Diocese of ROCOR.
The church was built in 1988 to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the arrival of the conversion of Russia to Christianity. It was paid for by ROCOR members from around the world. The parish had previously been based in a structure at 267 Richmond Rd.
In its short history the church has seen considerable controversy. Alongside the church St. Vladimir's Russian Residence, a seniors home run by the church was built. However after complaints of harassment and financial mismanagement the government took control of the facility away from the church in 1989. In 1999 the church's priest, Father Dimitri Sever, led the congregation in a vote to leave ROCOR and join the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
. Bishop Michael Donskoff alleged that the decision was contrary to ROCOR's bylaws and stripped Sever of his position, however when Donskoff came to take possession of the church members of the congregation barred him from entering. The matter eventually went to the courts and it was ruled that that Sever had violated the bylaws and the church was restored to ROCOR.
External links
- Official website for Protection of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church