From the Pontifical Court
His Apostolic Highness the Prince-Bishop and Pope-Catholicos of Rome-Ruthenia is formally styled Radislav I in all regnal and patriarchal contexts, particularly in ecclesiastical, diplomatic, and nobiliary usage. This form reflects the Church’s Slavic, Roman, and Byzantine heritage and aligns with the historic customs of liturgical and official language.
Since the Union forming the modern United Roman-Ruthenian Church, it has been the policy and consistent practice of the Holy Apostolic See that the preamble and principal signature of official documents appear in Church Slavonic or Russian, in Cyrillic script. Therefore, the use of the Slavic name Radislav — declared the equivalent of the given name Rutherford — accords with both linguistic and ecclesiastical tradition.
This is not a change from prior usage, but a continuation and deepening of the Church’s cultural and apostolic expression. It further affirms the alignment of the Roman-Ruthenian Papacy with the legacy of Holy Rus’ and its apostolic inheritance as Third Rome.
For informal or practical purposes, the English form Rutherford may be used where appropriate. However, in all formal and official usage, Radislav I remains the normative regnal expression.
