Archpriest Pyotr Perekryostov, a widely known U.S.-based theologian and columnist for the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia said the church's rapprochement with the Russian Orthodox Church may proceed faster than opponents would like.
"On numerous occasions, great decisions in the history of the church were made very fast," Father Pyotr told a meeting with instructors and students of Moscow's religious schools in the Trinity- Sergius Lavra on Sunday.
Archpriest Nikolai Artyomov, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia's special envoy who has arrived from Germany, told the gathering that he was amazed by attempts to obstruct unification with the Patriarchal church.
"The opponents of reunification are renowned for their somewhat narrow view of the situation. Their views can be understood, but not accepted," he said.
The visit by the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, headed by Metropolitan Laurus, coincided with the celebration of the Day of Butovo New Martyrs last Saturday, Father Nikolai said.
The Church Outside Russia could not for years forgive the Moscow Patriarchy's loyalty to the Soviet communist authorities, expressed in a declaration issued by Metropolitan Sergius in 1927.
Butovo is the site where nearly 1,000 Orthodox Christians, who preferred death over abandoning their faith, were shot in the Stalin era. Patriarch Alexy and Metropolitan Laurus laid foundation stones for a church there two years ago.
"New Martyrs is the basis on which the Russian church may reunite, and the fact that the visit of the Church Outside Russia's delegation coincided with the day of memory for those people is a clear demonstration of the will of Providence that the doubting and opponents of unification cannot fail to see," Father Nikolai said.