The BOC Has Been Publicly Lambasted From Moscow

The reason is the Belarusian name.

The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has publicly reprimanded the leadership of the Belarusian Orthodox Church - its structural subdivision. The point is in the name specified in the BOC's charter, writes "Khrystsiyanskaya Viziya".

The resolution of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, which met on July 24, 2025, states:

"To remind the priesthood of the Belarusian Exarchate, Metropolitan Districts that the official names of such (including legal names and names placed on official websites and documents), as well as the names of their canonical structures - dioceses, parishes, monasteries, suburbs and others - must contain the word combinations "Russian Orthodox Church" or "Moscow Patriarchate".

The Synod demanded that all names "be brought into compliance with this definition."

According to "Khrystsyanskaya Viziya," this statement may be due to the fact that, as reported in some sources, the BOC's "second name" - the Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate - has disappeared in the BOC's charter, which was revised for re-registration. This is how Moscow calls the Belarusian church and no other way, avoiding the name "Belarusian Orthodox Church".

The same Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church earlier at the meeting on May 30, 2024 approved changes and additions to the charter of the BOC. True, with the caveat: "taking into account the proposed amendment." As one can assume, this amendment concerned the name and was not taken into account by the Belarusian side.

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