On May 1, the entire Council of Bishops of ROCOR, together with dozens of diocesan clergy, assembled for the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the New Martyrs in Munich.

Bishop Luke, Rector of the seminary, took part in the Bishops’ Council. Protodeacon Andrei Psarev, Professor of Russian Church History and Canon Law, has been actively involved in organizing the academic conference on the history of the Russian Church Abroad in Germany, which began on May 6.

For additional information, visit the Synodal website:

https://www.synod.com/synod/eng2026/20260429_ensoor.html

During the first Sunday of the council, following established practice, the bishops in attendance served in local parishes. At St. Nicholas Church in Ingolstadt, the services on May 2–3 were led by His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse and His Grace Bishop Michael of Boston, concelebrating with the rector, Priest Ilya Deev, and Deacon Andrey Boschman (Stuttgart).

On the evening of the same day, Bishop Luke, together with Protodeacon Andrei Psarev and other hierarchs and guests, visited the traveling exhibition “White Rose,” dedicated to St. Alexander of Munich, at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where the saint had studied. The group was welcomed by Prof. Carola Metzner-Nebelsick, Vice President for the Humanities, and received a personal tour of the exhibition from Dr. Hildegard Kronawitter. A nephew of St. Alexander Schmorell was also present.

The delegation then met with representatives of the local theological department, which appears to be the only Orthodox theological faculty in Western Europe operating within a state university and formally preparing candidates for the priesthood. The guests were received by Prof. Dr. Konstantin Nikolakopoulos, Chair of the Doctoral Committee for Orthodox Theology. Metropolitan Mark thanked the department for its work, noting that a number of members of the German Diocese, including Bishop Job of Stuttgart, received their theological education there. The visit included a substantive discussion, during which Bishop Luke asked detailed questions about the structure and approach of the program.

From April 29 to May 5, 2026 the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia met in Munich as part of the celebrations marking the centennial of the German Diocese. The Council of Bishops is the highest ecclesiastical authority of the Russian Church Abroad.

His Grace, Bishop participated in the council. The final day of the meetings took place at Seyfriedsberg Castle, which is expected to become the new home of the St. Job of Pochaev Monastery in Munich. The estate located in the Bavarian countryside and thus seems to a be a Jordanville counterpart in the German Diocese.

The following day, May 6, a conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the German Diocese opened at Blutenburg Castle, located just across the road from the St. Job of Pochaev Monastery. At the end of 2024 the organizers invited Protodeacon Andrei Psarev, Ph.D., Professor of Russian Church History and Canon Law and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, to serve as an academic advisor for the conference.

Bishop Luke participated in the first day of the conference before returning to Jordanville the following day.

For more information on the Munich Conference, visit the ROCOR Studies Website:

May 6 - Munich Conference Day 1

https://www.rocorstudies.org/.../munich-conference.../...

May 7-8 Munich Conference Days 2-3 and Conclusion

https://www.rocorstudies.org/.../the-munich.../...

For more information on the Council of Bishops Meetings, visit the ROCOR website:

April 29 - Council Commences:

https://www.synod.com/synod/eng2026/20260429_ensoor.html

May 2 - 100th Anniversary of the German Diocese:

https://www.synod.com/synod/eng2026/20260502_enmunchen.html

May 5 - Report on the Council:

https://www.synod.com/.../eng2026/20260505_encommunique.html

May 5 - Epistle of the Council

https://www.synod.com/.../5epistleofthecouncilofbishops20...

May 11 - Commission to Study the Life, Legacy, and Veneration of Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) Continues

https://www.synod.com/.../20260511_ensynodalcommission.html

May 11 - Services and Meetings of Metropolitan Nicholas in Germany:

https://www.synod.com/.../eng2026/20260511_enmngermany.html