The meeting of Russian Orthodox Church Holy Synod washeld on October 23, 2014 at the Patriarchal and Synodal Spiritual, Administrative and Cultural Center of the Russian Orthodox Church in the South of Russia and it was decided to establish new dioceses of the Belarusian Exarchate on the territory of the Minsk region and the creation of the Minsk Metropolia.
After listening the report of Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of thev whole Belarus, the Synod decided to form the Borisov Diocese within the Berezinsky, Borisovsky, Krupsky, Logoysky, Pukhovicheskiy , Smolevicheskiy and Chervensky districts of the Minsk region, separating it from the Minsk diocese.
The diocesan bishop of Borisov diocese has acquired the title “Borisovsky and Maryinogorsky”. Bishop Veniamin of Borisov, Vicar of the Minsk diocese, has been appointed to be the Right Reverend of Borisov and Maryinogorsk.
Within the boundaries of the Vileysky, Volozhinsky, Dzerzhinsky, Molodechnensky , Myadelsky, Stolbtsovsky and Uzdensky districts of the Minsk region, the Synod decided to form the Molodechno diocese, separating it from the Minsk diocese.
The diocesan bishop of the Molodechno diocese has acquired the title “Molodechnensky and Stolbtsovsky”. Archimandrite Pavel (Timofeyenkov), a cleric of the Minsk diocese, was elected Bishop of Molodechno and Stolbtsov.
Within the Kletsky, Kopylsky, Lyubansky, Nesvijsky, Slutskiy, Soligorsky and Starodorojsky districts of the Minsk region, the Slutsk diocese was formed by the
decision of the Synod, separated from the Minsk diocese.
The diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Slutsk has acquired the title of “Slutsky and Soligorsky”. Archimandrite Anthony (Doronin), a cleric of the Minsk diocese was elected to be the Bishop of Slutsk and Soligorsk.
The territorial boundaries of the Minsk Diocese are defined by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church within Minsk and the Minsk district. The diocesan bishop of the Minsk diocese has acquired the title “Minsky and Zaslavsky”.
By the decision of the Synod, the Minsk Metropolia was formed within tMinsk, the Minsk district and the Minsk region, including Minsk, Borisov, Molodechno and Slutsk dioceses. The Patriarchal Exarch of the whole Belarus, Metropolitan Pavel Minsky and Zaslavsky, has been appointed the head of the Minsk Metropolia.
According to the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, “decisions on the creation or abolition of dioceses belonging to the Exarchate and the determination of their territorial boundaries are made by the Patriarch of Moscow and the whole Russia and the Holy Synod on the proposal of the Synod of the Exarchate with subsequent approval by the Bishops’ Council” (Article 13/Chapter XII). In addition, “diocesan and vicar bishops of the Exarchate are elected and appointed by the Holy Synod on the recommendation of the Synod of the Exarchate” (Article 12/ Chapter XII).
During the meeting on 22nd of September 2014 the Synod of the Belarusian Exarchate, decided to ask His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod to create new dioceses
within the Minsk region and nominated candidates for the proposed new chairs (magazines № 47 and 48).