Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church

1. The dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church can be united into Exarchates. The national and regional principle shall be the basis of such unity.

2. The decisions on the establishment or dissolution of the Exarchates as well as on their names and territorial boundaries shall be taken by the Bishops’ Council.

3. The decisions of the Local and Bishops’ Councils and the Holy Synod shall be mandatory for the Exarchates.

4. The General church court and the Court of the Bishops’ Council shall be church courts of final appeal for the Exarchates.

5. The supreme church authority in the Exarchate shall belong to the Synod of the Exarchate chaired by the Exarch.

6. The Synod of the Exarchate shall adopt the Statute regulating the activities of the Exarchate.

The Statute must be approved by the Holy Synod and confirmed by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

7. The Synod of the Exarchate shall act on the basis of the canons, the present Statute and the Statute regulating the governance of the Exarchate.

8. The minutes of the Synod of the Exarchate shall be submitted to the Holy Synod and approved by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

9. The Exarch shall be elected by the Holy Synod and appointed by Patriarchal decree.

10. The Exarch shall be the diocesan bishop of his diocese and shall carry out the governance of the Exarchate on the basis of the canons, the present Statute and the Statute regulating the governance of the Exarchate.

11. The name of the Exarch shall be mentioned in all churches of the Exarchate after the name of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

12. The diocesan and vicar bishops of the Exarchate shall be elected and appointed by the Holy Synod at the presentation from the Synod of the Exarchate.

13. The decisions on the establishment or dissolution of the dioceses comprising the Exarchate and on the determining of their territorial boundaries shall be taken by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod at the presentation from the Synod of the Exarchate.

14. The Exarchate shall receive the Holy Chrism from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

15. At present there is the Byelorussian Exarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church located on the territory of the Republic of Byelarus. ‘The Byelorussian Orthodox Church’ shall be another official name of the Byelorussian Exarchate.