Priests Urge Rupture: Strong Russian Movement to Break Relations With State

St. Petersburg April 1- The move to sever the traditional bonds between church and state and give to the Holy Orthodox Church independence and self rule, in order to increase its influence among the people of Russia, has found favor with an important group of clergy at the capital. A noteworthy document, setting forth these views, which was presented to Metropolitan Antonius of St. Petersburg, has been received with sufficient consideration to insure its publication in "The Church Messenger" the semi-official organ of the diocese of St. Petersburg, and one of the most important religious papers in the country.

The document, after arguing that the church should free itself from obligations to the state in order to lend all its energies to the prosecution of its own special work and eliminate the suspicion that its ministrations may be inclined to worldly ends and interests, demands the summoning of a general council of the church to consider means of attaining the greater freedom required...

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