United Roman-Ruthenian Church Announces Historic Concordat Between the Russian and Yugoslavian Branches of the Order of St. John

H.R.H. Sire Rubén, Royal Protector
of the Order of St. John

By A. DiNardo 

ROME-RUTHENIA 17 November 2025 (NRom)

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church today formally announced the signing of a historic concordat between the Russian branch of the Hospitaller Order of St. John, led by His Highness Don Basilio Calì, Prince of Rhodes, Grand Master, and the Russian-Yugoslavian branch of the Order of St. John, maintained under the ecclesiastical protection of the Church. 

The concordat was solemnly signed earlier this month by His Apostolic Highness Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope, Sovereign of the Russian-Yugoslavian Order of St. John, and His Royal Highness Sire Rubén (Esteve IV), Chief of the Merovingian Dynasty, Royal Protector of both historic branches of the Order.

Church officials described the agreement as “a reaffirmation of historical legitimacy, fraternity, and continuity” within the ancient chivalric tradition rooted in the Crusader Knights of St. John.

H.I.M. Tsar Pavel I of Russia as Grand Master of the Knights of Malta

A Renewal of a Shared Heritage

The cooperation between the Russian obedience and the Yugoslavian obedience (also known as Russian-Yugoslavian) represents a reunion of two lines that share a common origin in the upheavals following the fall of Malta in 1798. When Tsar Pavel I gave sanctuary to the displaced Knights of St. John, he established the order under his sovereign authority, becoming the first Orthodox Grand Master in the Order’s history. That tradition endured within the Romanov dynasty (the order later being known as a Grand Priory in Russia) until the early twentieth century, when Tsar Nikolai II placed the care and continuity of the Order under the Royal House of Yugoslavia. King Peter II later renewed the statutes of the Yugoslavian continuation in 1964 while in exile.

H.M. King Peter II of Yugoslavia

In the complex history of the Russian–Yugoslavian succession of the Order of St. John, the United Roman-Ruthenian Church ultimately became the principal steward of the line descending from King Peter II. His Apostolic Highness Pope Radislav I had long held the rank of Bailiff Grand Cross under the authority derived from King Peter II’s statutes, and had also been admitted to a Russian successor branch recognized by Prince Trubetskoi, who served as Lieutenant Grand Master in the time of Peter II. While various modern bodies claim heritage from the original Knights Hospitaller of St. John, including from the Russian and Yugoslavian traditions, what can be clearly affirmed is that the branch maintained within the United Roman-Ruthenian Church is the only continuation that unites both the Peter II succession and the Trubetskoi connection under a single, traceable line of authority supported by the ecclesiastical endorsement of the Orthodox Old Catholic Roman-Ruthenian Pope. In this sense, the Church’s custodianship represents not exclusivity, but the responsible preservation of the specific lineage entrusted to it.

H.R.H. Sire Rubén, Royal Protector, at the Magistral
Palace of the Russian obedience of the
Order of St. John located in Malta

The related Russian branch, under Grand Master Don Basilio Calì, preserves the active charitable and chivalric dimension of the legacy. The new concordat formally links the two living continuations of the same historic institution, recognizing shared roots, mutual legitimacy, and a commitment to safeguarding the Order’s heritage for future generations.

Also, the United Roman-Ruthenian Church recognizes that the centuries-long history of the Knights of St. John has resulted in several successor bodies around the world, each preserving aspects of the Order’s charitable and chivalric mission. While the Church maintains its own historic Russian-Yugoslavian continuation, it affirms respect and Christian fraternity toward all legitimate traditions descending from the ancient Hospitaller heritage. The concordat announced today is thus not exclusive in spirit, but stands as a testament to unity, mutual goodwill, and shared devotion to the timeless ideals of the Order.

First page of the concordat document

Details of the Concordat

The concordat establishes mutual recognition between the two branches as continuations of the historic Russian and Yugoslavian tradition of the Order of St. John. It also appoints H.R.H. Sire Rubén (Esteve IV) as the Royal Protector of both obediences.

Church officials emphasized that, while the Russian-Yugoslavian branch remains primarily custodial and honorary in nature, the concordat allows deeper cooperation with the active charitable works of the Russian branch.

Significance of the Agreement

The concordat marks one of the most meaningful developments in the Order’s modern history. For the first time in decades, the two obediences that stem from the same Russian and Yugoslavian inheritance have formally affirmed a shared mission of Fides, Caritas, et Servitium (Faith, Charity, and Service).

Its significance includes a restoration of unity in a divided legacy. The Order’s survival through political turmoil—from Napoleon’s conquest to the Bolshevik Revolution and the fall of Yugoslavia—left multiple lines of succession. The new agreement strengthens unity among the legitimate continuations of the Russian tradition. And, the concordat ensures that this distinctive heritage is preserved both spiritually (through the Church) and actively (through the Russian branch).

With both branches under the Royal Merovingian Dynasty’s patronage and, for the Yugoslavian branch, the sovereignty of the Roman-Ruthenian Pope, the Order gains renewed stability. 

Statements from Church Leadership

In remarks following the signing, Pope Radislav I stated that the agreement “honors the memory of Tsar Pavel I and King Peter II, and solidifies the shared vocation of the Order across its historic branches.” He noted that the Church remains committed to preserving the Order’s legacy with dignity and fidelity.

H.R.H. Sire Rubén, Royal Protector of both branches, praised the concordat and stated that for him “it will be a great honor to accept this responsibility.”

An Enduring Mission

The Order of St. John, from its origins in the medieval Hospitaller tradition to its Russian and Yugoslavian chapters, has remained steadfast in its dedication to Christian charity and chivalric service. The 2025 concordat reaffirms that legacy, ensuring that both the active and custodial aspects of the Order continue to work in harmony, preserving a tradition that has endured for nearly a thousand years.

Walsingham Guard Colonel Tony Williams Re-Elected to Lead Historic Odd Fellows Lodge

By Staff

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, USA 11 November 2025 (NRom)

Marquis Tony Williams, Honorary Colonel of the Pontifical Walsingham Guard and officer of General Command, has been re-elected to a second term as Noble Grand (President) of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Neith Lodge, founded 177 years ago, is among the oldest in the state and holds its meetings within the Grand Lodge of Louisiana IOOF headquarters. Colonel Williams presided over the recent meeting and election, which took place in observance of both U.S. Veterans Day and U.K. Remembrance Day, wearing his Walsingham Guard insignia — including rank shoulder boards, epaulettes, and ceremonial ribbons — in honor of the occasion.

A distinguished retired U.S. Army combat veteran (Master Sergeant) and current member of the Louisiana State Guard (Chief Warrant Officer 2), Colonel Williams is also recognized as the 14th Lord of the Manor of Packwoods and 14th Lord of the Manor of Skeeby. His long record of military and civic service continues to reflect the principles of faith, duty, and fellowship espoused by both the Guard and the Odd Fellows.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), founded in the 18th century, is a worldwide fraternal organization dedicated to the timeless virtues of Friendship, Love, and Truth. With a deep-rooted tradition of charity and community service, the Order has historically established orphanages, hospitals, and homes for the elderly — tangible expressions of its commitment to compassion and human dignity.

Colonel Williams’ leadership embodies these enduring values, uniting the spirit of Christian brotherhood with steadfast service to God, country, and community.

Motu Proprio: Per Mariam ad Cor Iesu, On the Singular Cooperation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Work of Redemption

Motu Proprio: Per Mariam ad Cor Iesu

Of Our Most Holy Father, Radislav I, by Divine Providence Supreme Pontiff of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church

On the Singular Cooperation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Work of Redemption

RADISLAV PP. I

Through Mary to the Heart of Jesus, pierced for the salvation of the world, there flows an unfailing river of grace and mercy. Yet by the mysterious will of God, the channel through which that grace first entered the world was the humble consent of the Virgin of Nazareth. In her the divine plan found a dwelling-place; through her obedience, the Word took flesh, and through her fidelity, the disciple learns to draw near to the Sacred Heart of her Son. The Church, pondering these mysteries, has ever discerned in Mary not a rival but the purest reflection of the Redeemer’s love; she who, by her maternal compassion, leads souls ever more deeply to the Heart of Jesus.

     From the earliest centuries of the Church, the faithful have honoured the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Theotokos, as the woman through whom the Word became flesh and by whose obedience the new creation was begun. The holy Fathers acclaimed her as the new Eve, for as the first woman freely shared in the fall of mankind, so the Virgin, by grace and faith, freely shared in the plan of salvation. In this sense her fiat constituted a true though subordinate participation; entirely dependent upon, yet inseparably joined to the redemptive work of her Divine Son.

     When, in later ages, writers and pastors employed the title Co-Redemptrix, the prefix co- was neither intended to place Mary on a level of equality with Christ the Redeemer nor did it do so in fact. Rather, it signified that she stood with Him, united in compassion and purpose beneath the Cross, sharing in His sufferings as only a Mother might. Every grace flows from the Passion of Christ alone; Mary’s part is wholly derivative, wholly maternal. The venerable title Mediatrix belongs to her in this same subordinate sense, for all her intercession derives from, and leads back to, the one Mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5).

     And in proof of its universal doctrinal truth, this same mystery is proclaimed in different terminology, with praises sung to the Theotokos in which she is hailed as the cause of our deification, the bridge leading those on earth to heaven, and the one through whom salvation came to the world. Such words do not exceed the bounds of sound doctrine but rather manifest the profound conviction that her cooperation in the divine economy was both free and real, and that her maternal intercession continues unceasingly within the communion of saints. Thus, in the contemplation of Mary, the whole Apostolic Church throughout the entire world meets upon common ground, acknowledging that the mystery of redemption, while wrought solely by Christ, includes by divine design the loving consent and abiding prayer of His Mother.

     To invoke the Blessed Virgin as Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces is therefore not to propose a new dogma, but to give name to a truth already contained in the deposit of faith and manifest in the Church’s perennial devotion. Indeed, it is Our sacred duty to serve as guardian of the faith, neither innovating nor redacting. And in that one unchanging faith, we know that redemption is accomplished by Christ alone; yet it was welcomed, served, and borne in her who replied, Be it done unto me according to thy word. In recognizing this, the faithful do not glorify Mary apart from her Son, but rather the infinite mercy of God who wills that His creatures should freely share in His saving work. Where this is misunderstood, the Church must explain and teach; and where this is the subject of protest or criticism, the Church must remain firm, not obfuscate, deny, or modify.

      May this truth, contemplated anew, inflame in all the children of the Church a deeper love for the Mother of the Redeemer, and lead them ever closer to the pierced Heart from which flow all graces of salvation.

      Therefore, moved by the example of the Saints and guided by the constant teaching of the Church, We affirm that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the Holy Theotokos, by divine disposition, cooperated in a unique and singular way in the work of human redemption; never equal to her Son the Redeemer, but wholly united with Him in love and suffering. The titles Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces, when rightly understood, express this same mystery of maternal participation and therefore are universal truths throughout all Christendom; and We commend their proper, prudent, continual, and perpetual use to clergy and laity throughout the world, for such is needed in order to deepen the faithful’s understanding of the Mother of the Church.

     Given in Rome-Ruthenia in the House of Sts. Peter, Andrew, Stephen, and Mark, this fifth day of November, in the two thousand twenty-fifth of the Incarnation. 

Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia Issues New Encyclical “De Civitate Christiana”: A Call to Renew the Heart of Civilization

By M. Derosiers

ROME-RUTHENIA 31 October 2025 (NRom)

Summary:  In a powerful new encyclical, De Civitate Christiana, H.A.H. Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope outlines a call for spiritual renewal in modern society. He emphasizes that humanity's quest for peace stems from a divine yearning for communion with God, and true change begins in the heart, not through ideology or policy. The Church serves as a moral guide, advocating for justice and truth under the Cross of Christ. Radislav I critiques modern economic and political systems, urging a sacred economy rooted in service rather than profit. He envisions government as a ministry of justice that must align with God's eternal law to be legitimate. Ultimately, the encyclical champions the idea that transforming the world starts with the conversion of the soul, paving the way for a civilization centered on the sacred.

The full text of the encyclical is available at the Pontifical Chancery.

Reformed Anglican Church (Uganda) Enters Corporate Communion with United Roman-Ruthenian Church

By A. DiNardo

ROME-RUTHENIA 29 October 2025 (NRom)

His Illustrious Highness the Most Reverend Jonathan Kyangasha, ecclesiastical Archduke of Verulamius, Primate of Uganda and head of the Reformed Anglican Church of Uganda (RAC), has entered into corporate communion with the United Roman‑Ruthenian Church (URRC), by decree and Apostolic mandate of His Holiness the Roman-Ruthenian Pope. Simultaneously, the RAC will retain its existing internal structure, identity, customs, and autonomous governance, now recognised as a territorial jurisdiction within the Apostolic Congregation of the Consistory of the Holy Apostolic See, the curial office charged with oversight and support of patriarchates, primatial sees, provinces and dioceses in communion with the URRC.

The faithful of the RAC (Uganda) now participate in the URRC’s worldwide communion, sharing in its mission, liturgical life, and ecclesial family. This union marks a step in the URRC’s stated goal of “preserving and renewing the Orthodox-Catholic faith in its full inheritance” — bridging the Latin and Byzantine traditions as the Eastern Roman Church with Latin heritage.

Archbishop Kyangasha founded the Reformed Anglican Church of Uganda (RAC) in 2017, and currently serves as its primate.  Prior to that, he served in the Anglican tradition in Uganda (Anglican Communion). The RAC has been expanding its presence across Uganda. For example, in 2024 the ordination of Rev. Spencer Byamukama as vicar in the Kigezi archdeaconry in southern Uganda was officiated by Archbishop Kyangasha. His stabilising leadership comes amid a backdrop of ecclesial unrest within Ugandan Anglicanism: some communities dissatisfied with the processes and leadership of the Church of Uganda have joined the RAC under Kyangasha’s primacy. 

This corporate communion signals an ecclesial unity of a different kind. The URRC is an autocephalous Church with inheritance of Western (Latin) and Eastern (Byzantine, Russian, Syrian) traditions. The entry of the RAC (Uganda) as an autonomous territorial jurisdiction in corporate communion with the URRC underscores the Church's growing global footprint.

For clergy and laity of the RAC, the communion affirms recognition of their episcopal orders, sacraments and ministry within a wider communion, which represents both pastoral affirmation and canonical security. And, the RAC maintains liturgical and structural autonomy, respecting ancient ecclesiastical customs and dynamics, placing the RAC in a global communion context while retaining local identity. This is an example of an authentic ecumenical approach, a testament to Christian unity lived out in institutional form.

The new corporate communion of the Reformed Anglican Church (Uganda) with the URRC opens a fresh chapter in ecclesial identity and mission. The link to a global Holy Apostolic See, with acknowledged territorial status in the URRC’s structure, may enable expanded resources, broader relational networks, and deeper sacramental affirmation.

For the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, this partnership marks a further step in its strategy of global outreach and communion-building, particularly in Africa. Uganda, as a vibrant Christian context, offers both challenges and opportunities for living out this emerging ecclesial model. The communion holds great promise for deeper unity, stronger recognition, and broader mission of service in Uganda and beyond.

Celebrating the Living Heritage of Sacred Art and Culture

By Staff

ROME-RUTHENIA 26 October 2025 (NRom)

His Apostolic Highness the Most Holy Prince-Bishop Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia, together with Her Apostolic Highness the Apostolic Princess, attended a performance of Spyashchaya Krsavitsa (The Sleeping Beauty) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — one of the crowning masterpieces of the classical repertoire and a timeless reflection of Christian artistry within the Russian cultural tradition.

The Pontifical and Imperial Household continues its long-standing dedication to the arts as a vital expression of faith, beauty, and civilization. The United Roman-Ruthenian Church regards music, dance, and fine art not merely as entertainment, but as sacred extensions of divine creativity — mirrors through which humanity perceives the harmony of God’s creation.

Tchaikovsky’s work, blending grace, discipline, and spiritual depth, remains a reminder that art transcends all political or temporal divisions. It speaks instead to the eternal soul of a people and of humanity itself, the same universality that the Church seeks to preserve and uphold in every nation and culture. In supporting the arts, we honor not only the gifts of the Creator, but also the shared heritage that unites East and West in beauty, reverence, and peace.

Appointment of the Most Reverend Adrián Guedes as Prefect of the Liturgy, Roman-Ruthenian Curia

His Excellency Bishop Adrián Guedes

By M. Derosiers

BUENOS AIRES 16 October 2025 (NRom)

(La versión castellana se encuentra a continuación.)

His Apostolic Highness the Most Holy Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope has appointed His Excellency Bishop Adrián Guedes to the Curial Office of Prefect of the Liturgy for the United Roman-Ruthenian Church and Pontifical Imperial State. Monsignor Guedes, already a bishop, was also elevated to the rank of Capitular Bishop within the Patriarchal Chapter of the Pontifical Court. 

Prefect of the Liturgy is head of one of the major offices, known as Prefectures, of the Roman-Ruthenian Curia, the central government of the Roman-Ruthenian Church and State. As Prefect of the Liturgy, Bishop Guedes is responsible for ensuring fidelity to the Apostolic tradition in in the liturgy of the Church in its various Western and Eastern usages. His prefecture also includes the Holy Apostolic Office for the Glorification of the Saints, the curial office responsible for evaluating causes for canonization. 

In addition to his curial responsibilities, Monsignor Guedes serves as Chaplain to His Royal Highness Sire Rubén and the Royal Merovingian Household, continuing a long tradition of pastoral ministry to the faithful and to the noble families associated with the Church’s apostolic and imperial heritage.

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church and Pontifical Imperial State stands as the rightful temporal successor of Saint Peter, bearing the historical and documented patrimony of Rome and Russia through Saint Leo X, with full Orthodox and Catholic autocephalous authority — equal in dignity to the Vatican, Constantinople, and the other ancient Patriarchates.

Continuing the unity of the pre-Schism Christian faith, the Church acts as guardian of the theological, liturgical, and cultural treasures of Christendom. It is the true visible Orthodox head of all Latin Christians, in addition to all others under her sacred mantle of care. The Church serves as the Orthodox Old Catholic jurisdiction for the historic lands of the Western Patriarchate and Holy Rus’.

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church remains steadfast in its mission: to safeguard the ancient faith, to proclaim the truth of Christ in all nations, and to uphold the spiritual sovereignty of the Apostolic Church in its fullness.

_________________________

La versión castellana:

Su Alteza Apostólica, el Santísimo Príncipe-Obispo Radislav I, Papa Romano-Ruteno, ha nombrado a Su Excelencia Mons. Adrián Guedes para el cargo curial de Prefecto de la Liturgia de la Iglesia Unida Romano-Rutena y del Estado Pontificio Imperial. Monseñor Guedes, ya obispo, fue asimismo elevado al rango de Obispo Capitular dentro del Capítulo Patriarcal de la Corte Pontificia.

El Prefecto de la Liturgia es el jefe de uno de los principales departamentos, conocidos como Prefecturas, de la Curia Romano-Rutena, el órgano central de gobierno de la Iglesia y el Estado Romano-Rutenos. Como Prefecto de la Liturgia, el Obispo Guedes es responsable de garantizar la fidelidad a la tradición apostólica en la liturgia de la Iglesia, tanto en sus usos occidentales como orientales. Su prefectura incluye también la Santa Oficina Apostólica para la Glorificación de los Santos, el organismo curial encargado de evaluar las causas de canonización.

Además de sus responsabilidades curiales, Monseñor Guedes ejerce como Capellán de Su Alteza Real Sire Rubén y de la Casa Real Merovingia, continuando una larga tradición de ministerio pastoral hacia los fieles y las familias nobles vinculadas al patrimonio apostólico e imperial de la Iglesia.

La Iglesia Unida Romano-Rutena y el Estado Pontificio Imperial se erigen como el legítimo sucesor temporal de San Pedro, portando el patrimonio histórico y documentado de Roma y Rusia a través de San León X, con plena autoridad autocéfala ortodoxa y católica, igual en dignidad al Vaticano, Constantinopla y los demás antiguos Patriarcados.

En continuidad con la unidad de la fe cristiana anterior al Cisma, la Iglesia actúa como guardiana de los tesoros teológicos, litúrgicos y culturales de la cristiandad. Es la verdadera cabeza ortodoxa visible de todos los cristianos latinos, además de todos aquellos que están bajo su sagrado manto de cuidado. La Iglesia sirve como jurisdicción ortodoxa Viejo Católica para las tierras históricas del Patriarcado Occidental y de la Santa Rus’.

La Iglesia Unida Romano-Rutena permanece firme en su misión: salvaguardar la fe antigua, proclamar la verdad de Cristo a todas las naciones y defender la soberanía espiritual de la Iglesia Apostólica en toda su plenitud.