On the Failure of the Western Rite in Europe

Let us summarize.

It may seem that the failure of Western Rite parishes was caused by a series of coincidences, of which there were simply too many. However, most likely, the unfavorable fate of this movement was, under those circumstances, natural.

In the matter of spreading the Gallican Rite, a sincere interest of the ecclesiastical authority in the salvation of the souls being united was necessary. Only in this way could a strong French Church be established. Given that the results of the mission might not appear soon, such interest could quickly fade, even under favorable church-state relations.

It can be said that Bishop John (Kovalevsky) succumbed precisely to this temptation. The desire to see an impressive French Orthodox Church during his lifetime led him to fabrications and directed him onto a false path. However, this was not the only problem. Through his liberties, the head of the "French Church" fundamentally undermined the spread of Western Orthodoxy. Any mission is possible only if the preacher instills in people the conviction that accepting his faith is the sole condition for salvation. This fully applies to the preaching of the former Bishop John. His ecumenical indifference raised the question: why should one convert to the Orthodox Church if its Sacraments are accessible even to non-Christians, if entering the Church does not require renouncing Catholic deviations? What is the meaning of uniting those of other confessions? Therefore, the collapse of Bishop John's structure was only a matter of time. As for his deposition by the Synod Abroad, this measure appears entirely justified.

The temporary successes of Western Rite parishes demonstrate that Europeans could be interested in Orthodoxy, and the prospects in this regard were indeed real. However, such activity required the presence of well-prepared, honest, and selfless pastors. Unfortunately, such individuals were almost nonexistent, with Archimandrite Dionysius (Chambault) being almost the sole exception.

Naturally, the dependent position of the Moscow Patriarchate seriously worsened the situation. The Soviet state's lack of interest in the Western Rite undermined all positive initiatives in the matter of Orthodox enlightenment among the French. Without the support of the state, and consequently of the Moscow Patriarchate, Western Orthodoxy could not establish the material foundation necessary for its work.

Since none of this was present, overcoming the centuries-old traditions of Roman Catholicism in Western Europe was practically impossible.

Source: "О некоторых причинах неудачи православия западного обряда," [About Some Reasons for the Failure of Orthodoxy of the Western Rite], by A.A. Kostryukov, published in St. Tikhon's University Review, 69, Issue 2, April 2016.