The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia did not assess the actions of the vicar of the Olomouc-Brno Diocese, Bishop Isaiah (Slaninka) of Sumper, who attempted to seize the Church of the Holy Martyr Wenceslas in the city of Brno, writes UOJ with reference to a source in the OCCLS.

The synod took place on October 7, 2021 in Prague, headed by the Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav. In addition to the Primate, it was attended by Archbishop Michael of Prague, Archbishop George of Michalovsko-Kosice, and Bishop Isaiah, vicar of the Brno-Olomouc Diocese. The ruling bishop of the Brno-Olomouc Diocese, 95-year-old Archbishop Simeon, is in the hospital and cannot move independently.

The decision of the Synod says that at the meeting “apart from other topical issues of the internal life of our Church, appeals of some clergymen against the canonical decisions of their diocesan bishops were also considered.” It can be assumed that it was an appeal by the head of the community in Brno, Archpriest Joseph Faisak, who did not allow Slaninka to seize his church, in the hope that the Synod would make a fair decision regarding the odious bishop. However, the Synod practically withdrew from resolving the conflict, deciding that all disputable situations should be resolved in dioceses by the ruling bishops: “As for some procedural violations, the cases under consideration return to the established investigation and decisions of the respective diocesan bishops.”

However, due to the age and illness of 95-year-old Archbishop Simeon, he is currently unable to resolve conflict situations in his diocese. Therefore, the conflict around the community in Brno persists.

Earlier it was reported that Bishop Isaiah, together with the hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Arseny (Kardamakis), established in Vilemov a certain Association of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was regarded by the hierarchs of the PCChZiS as an attempt to create parallel jurisdiction on their canonical territory.