Archbishop JOHN - Russia

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

THE VERBANIA DECLARATION

SPEAKERS

SPONSORS & PATRONS

Orthodox Church of Mother of God Derjavnaya
Marian movement in Russia

Archbishop JOHN
(V. Bereslavsky)

JOHN (Veniamin Bereslavsky), Archbishop Orthodox Church of the Mother of God Derjavnaya. Ascetic theologian, mystic, visionary prophet. Author, Christianity of Light doctrine, focused on holiness in 3rd Christian millennium. Leader, movement for sanctity through consecration to Our Lady.

150 theological books: Theology of the Immaculate Heart, Orthodoxy Tranaflguring, 21st Century Saints, &c. 30 books of the Lord's and the Virgin's revelations received since 1984. Engl. eds., The Woman in the Wilderness, The Earthly Days of Our Lady. The White Gospel (3 Russ. printings), prophetic book on Mary's message to the human race, sums up principal apparitions of Our Lady, 19th-20th cent. Cycle, The Liturgical Canticles, on penetration through prayer into the Holy Spirit's realm.

15 books on contemporary problems (The Way of the Holy Fathers, The Notes of a Monk in the World, A Farewell to Euroculture, &c.). 3 novels on contemporary man's tortuous road to God, popular with young readers (e.g., The Notes of a God's Fool). The Evangelical Door, Luminocentric Christianity, Zen Christianity, &c. treat God as the Lamb and the Groom of the Good Tidings to denounce the misconception of the merciless Judge.

The Living Vitae, loving portrayal of the lives of renowned saints and martyrs of the recent past. Prophetic and documentary analyses of Russian historical landmarks, and biographies of Joseph Stalin, Metropolitan Sergius, martyr Tsar Nicholas II and Grigori Rasputin. Russian translations: Liturgy according to St. John Chrysnstnm, Vespers, Psalms.

Rector, Russian Theological Academy, Mary's Light/Peace Academy. 1992, certified honorary member, Order of Transfiguration (Canada). 1993, honorary award, Our Lady the Queen of the World, of the Legion of Mary (Huntsville, Ala., USA) for "a life exemplifying the service of love and peace". 1994, special consultant, International Assn., Educators for World Peace (UN, UNICEF, UNESCO) "in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the cause of service to humanity". Honorary award winner as outstanding peace partisan. Took part in international congress, Montreal, 1992; Orthodox and Catholic episcopal conferences, Japan, 1994, Moscow, 1995; interreligious congress, Washington, B.C., November 1997, where he was among six world church leaders to bless 40,000 families.

Born, Moscow, 1946. Music college, Foreign Language Institute, Moscow, 1970. Moscow State University, Philosophy Dept., lecturer. Christian "conversion, 1978. Joined catacomb True Orthodox Church. Secretly took monastic vows, ordained priest, 1985. Blessed to witness by catacomb Church primate. Carried on mystical tradition of Solovki martyrs. 1991, chirotonised bishop of Russian Autocephalous Orthodox Church by Metropolitan John (Bodnarchuk) of Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

1991, first community registered in Moscow as Church of the Mother of God Transfiguring. 1997, as All-Russia Orthodox Church of the Mother of God the Queen of Heavenf and Earth. 1992, Church affiliated with the International Council of Community Churches, member unit of World Council of Churches, as All-Russia Mother of God Church/Centre (Archbishop John, primate). Retaining canonical and spiritual links with the past, the movement combines the best in the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches, revering saints of the world religions.