The '''Russian True Orthodox Church''' (RTOC), also known as the "Tikhonites,", is one of several jurisdictions [[jurisdiction]]s to emerge out of the [[ROCOR|Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]'s (ROCOR) activity in Russia in the 1990's1990s, claiming to be the "true,", "free,", or "catacomb" Orthodox Church in Russia. Many of the RTOC hierarchs have been suspended or deposed by the [[Russian Orthodox Church]]. The RTOC does not maintain eucharistic [[full communion|eucharistic communion]] with any other jurisdictionbut now retain close ties to the [[Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece]] and are in informal communion.

== History ==The RTOC traces its origins to Archbishop Lazar (Zhurbenko) of OdessaHowever, who was secretly ordained as only a catacomb bishop for Russia by [[Varnava (Prokofiev) of Cannes|Bishop Varnava (Prokofiev)]] of the [[ROCOR]]. Following few months after the Mansonville Schism in Novemberschism, 2001, Bishop Lazar, and with him Bishop Benjamin (Rusalenko) of Kuban left the [[ROCOR]] ROCiE synod and set up their own organization in Russia. In 2002, they unilaterally consecrated bishops for the [[Russian Orthodox Church in Exile]]Russia, one of whom was Leonid Alimpovich Pasechnik, the jurisdiction formed by Bishop Varnava with the self-retired [[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Metropolitan Vitaly]] at its helmfuture Archbishop Tikhon.

However only a few months after Metropolitan Vitaly condemned the Mansonville schism, actions of Lazar and Benjamin left on two occasions. On [[July 28]], 2003, both were suspended from the ROCiE synod and set up their own organization in Russia. In 2002on [[November 19]], they unilaterally consecrated bishops for Russia2004, one Metropolitan Vitaly wrote "I consider the consecrations of whom was Leonid Alimpovich Pasechnik[[Hieromonk]]s Dionisy, Germogen, Tikhon, and Iriney, the future performed by Archbishop TikhonLazar and Bishop Veniamin, to be illicit, and I declare that I have no prayerful or liturgical communion with them."<ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2007/4entikhon.html On the So-called "RT-OC"]</ref>

Metropolitan Vitaly condemned Following the actions death of Archbishop Lazar and Benjamin (Zhurbenko), Tikhon Pasechnik was elected on two occasions. On [[July 287]], 2003, both were suspended from the ROCiE synod and on November 19new First-Hierarch of the RTOC, 2004, Metropolitan Vitaly wrote with the title "I consider the consecrations Archbishop of Hieromonks Dionisy, Germogen, Tikhon, and Iriney, performed by Archbishop Lazar and Bishop Veniamin, to be illicit, Omsk and I declare that I have no prayerful or liturgical communion with themSiberia."<ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2007/4entikhon.html On the so-called RTOC]</ref>

Following ==The RTOC today==The RTOC numbers several dozen [[parish]]es in Russia and Ukraine and a handful of parishes abroad. Among the death of Archbishop Lazar (Zhurbenko)better known are the former ROCOR [[cathedral]] in Lyons, Tikhon Pasechnik was elected on July 7France, 2003and the [[Lesna Convent]], also in France. the latter left the ROCOR for the RTOC following the signing of the new First-Hierarch [[Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate|Act of Canonical Communion]] between the ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007. The RTOCalso maintains a number of web-logs and newspapers, with which publish political propaganda critical of the title "Archbishop of Omsk current Russian government and Siberia"the Russian Orthodox Church. These include the popular Russian émigré newspaper ''Nasha Strana'' (''Our Country'').

[http[Category://www.catacomb.org.ua/ Official RTOC siteJurisdictions]][http[Category://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/voicesofreason.htm ROCOR materials about RTOCOld Calendarist Jurisdictions]]