Bishop to take leave of absence

Alaska Newspapers Inc.
editor@alaskanewspapers.com

April 17, 2008 at 1:39PM AKST

Bishop Nikolai Soraich, head of the Russian Orthodox Diocese in Alaska, has agreed to take a voluntary leave of absence, according to a statement posted on the Orthodox Church of America Web site.

Filling in will be the Right Reverend Benjamin, Bishop of San Francisco and the West, who will assist Metropolitan Herman, the national church's top leader, in the administration of the Alaska Diocese, said the statement.

The statement is posted at www.oca.org.

The announcement follows an investigation by national church leaders into reports that Soraich insulted Alaska priests and parishioners and is disrespectful toward Alaska Native culture. Soraich has denied the allegations.

Over the last two weeks, Archbishop Nathianel and Bishop Tikhon traveled to Alaska to meet with Alaska clergy and church-goers to hear the complaints firsthand.

The Holy Synod of Bishops, the church's supreme authority, met Thursday at church headquarters in New York to discuss the allegations with Soraich in attendance.

Soraich agreed to take the leave of absence after hearing the report from Nathaniel and Tikhon and following the deliberations of the Holy Synod.

The leave of absence will be reviewed at the Holy Synod's session in May, the letter said.

Father Archimandrite Isidore, the second-highest ranking Russian Orthodox official in Alaska, was reached by phone in Anchorage on Thursday.

He spoke with Soraich on Thursday before Soraich left New York to return to Alaska. Isidore said he did not know why Soraich agreed to the leave of absence.

“I didn’t have much time to speak to him, other than he was grateful that the meetings concluded and he was going to come home,” Isidore said.

National church leaders had asked Soraich to step down from his position and leave Alaska while the investigation took place. He refused, saying church leaders had not followed canonical law and the scriptures.

The church bowed, saying Soraich could stay and continue to head the diocese during the investigation.

Soraich will not have to leave Alaska during the leave of absence, said Isidore.

Following is Metropolitan Herman's letter to the Alaska clergy:

"His Grace, NIKOLAI, Bishop of Sitka, Anchorage, and Alaska, after having heard the report of His Eminence, Archbishop NATHANIEL, and His Grace, Bishop TIKHON; and after the deliberations of the Holy Synod of Bishops, has agreed to take a voluntary leave-of-absence, to be reviewed at the May 2008 Session of the Holy Synod of Bishops.

I have, in my capacity as Administrator of the Diocese of Alaska, appointed His Grace, the Right Reverend BENJAMIN, Bishop of San Francisco and the West, to assist me in the administration of the Diocese of Alaska, effective April 17, 2008. I encourage your prayers for His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN as he assumes the responsibilities that have now been entrusted to him.

In accordance with canonical order and accepted liturgical practice, Bishop BENJAMIN is to be commemorated during the Divine Services only when he is present. On such occasions, his name is to be commemorated as 'The Right Reverend BENJAMIN, Bishop of San Francisco and the West.' His name will be commemorated following the usual commemoration of His Grace, Bishop NIKOLAI of Sitka, Anchorage, and Alaska. In circumstances on which other hierarchs are present, his name is to be elevated according to rank.

In light of the fact that he is assisting me in administering the Diocese of Alaska, I also bless his name to be elevated at all Divine Services in the Diocesan Cathedrals of St. Michael the Archangel, Sitka, AK and St. Innocent Cathedral, Anchorage, AK."