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The Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe

Patriarchate of Moscow
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The Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe, often referred to as 'Rue Daru' for the street in Paris where it is based, is an autonomous jurisdiction within the family of dioceses under the Patriarchate of Moscow, which it rejoined in 2019 under the leadership of its Metropolitan Archbishop, John of Dubna. It was originally formed as a diocese in 1921, emerging from the organisation of parishes that had been established beginning in the nineteenth century to serve Russians in diaspora across Western Europe.

In ethos, it shares much in common with the Orthodox Church in America, especially as it seeks to serve all peoples in Western Europe, regardless of connection with the Russian tradition. The Archdiocese also has a strong intellectual history due to the role of l'Institut St Serge (St Sergius Institute) which has been at the heart of its activity since 1925, and boasts Sergei Bulgakov, Olivier Clément, Paul Evdokimov, John Meyendorff, Alexander Schmemann, and Georges Florovsky among its teaching alumni.

The mother church is the Cathedral of St Alexander Nevsky in Paris, and as of 2019 there were 67 are monasteries, parishes, and communities across France, in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Ireland. The Archdiocese here in Britain has its own website, which can be found here.

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