Victor Alexandrov

This article by Victor Alexandrov examines the legacy of the Moscow Council of 1917-1918, focusing on the practice of episcopal election as it was received and codified in the statutes of the Archdiocese of Russian Churches in Western Europe. Proceeding through comparative legal and canonical analysis, the author sets the 1966 and 1999 statutes against the original conciliar decrees. He shows that while both texts stand in continuity with the Council by articulating the principles of conciliarity and hierarchy, the 1999 statutes introduce notable terminological shifts, particularly around the notion of "canonical election," which tend to diminish the canonical significance of the local Church's vote. The article thus highlights the historical viability of this conciliar legacy while drawing attention to its institutional fragility, in a broader Orthodox context that largely ignores its achievements.