The Russian Orthodox Church has restored the Protopresbyter of protopresbyter (chief priest) of the military and naval
clergy. On June 7th the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church resolved:
“…To re-introduce the rank of the Protopresbyter
of the military and naval clergy that had existed before 1918. The chairman of
the Synodal Department for Interaction with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement
Agencies, Priest Oleg Ovcharov shall be appointed to the post of Protopresbyter
of the Military and Naval Clergy for the period of his duties as the Chairman
of the above mentioned department”.
This position had originally been introduced
in the Russian Orthodox Church in 1890, per decree of Emperor Alexander III. The
protopresbyter had the right to personal reports to the Emperor, and was equal
in civil rank to archbishop and lieutenant general. The chief priest of the
military and naval clergy also appointed chaplains for the Army and Navy.