Abp Ofiesh - - - - - - - - - - - -Patriarch Nikon, ST.D
1st Archbishop - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1st Patriarch

Bishop Joseph
Semi-retired
Diocese of the North East US

Canons violated

The Sacred and Divine Canons (Rudder) of the Orthodox Church states "if anyone leaves his Metropolitan, or Patriarch, the holy Council has decreed that he shall be deposed from office for merely by seceding he has created a schism. (c. XIV of the 21 c.) In setting up a separate altar they have left orthodoxy since their new altar is not approved by the Patriarch or Metropolian and their actions are scismatic.

It must be noted that a Bishop gets his authority from the Church and when he leaves the Church he leaves all (sacramental) authority behind and can do nothing as a bishop. Since priests get their authority from their bishop and the bishop has no such authority they have nothing but empty words and claims.

When they continue to use the Church name or adopt one almost identical and write claims to be that Church or the continuation of that Church they steal the Churches identity. In modern times they infringe the Church by using a name or other identifing mark like (a registered service mark) a logo they continue to steal from that church and mislead the public to believe they have sacramental authrity from an Orthodox Church. Members of independent Churches generally have no (orthodox) sacramental authority!

It must be noted that the canons direct that a bishop must know the canons. If they reject the canons they volate the canons and show they are not orthodox.

Some former synod members have acted in an unorthodox manner as follows and are now upset by what we have published;

In leaving they have believe they could use our copyrighted material and attemp to cause confusing by using a very similar name, using a color logo similar to our Registered service mark and claim to be the continuation of this Church. We were canonically established. They violated the canons and violate our intellectual property rights.

We proclaim their actions to be unchristian and unorthodox.

Dominic spoke to Patriarch Nikon on the matter of the mandates required of the synod for all ordinations. He was fully aware the mandate was required by local church canon.

No synod was called but Dominic held a "convocation" in Florida and asked George Michael (bishop-abbot) to ordain a man without the required mandate, and this was done. The Patriarch was unaware of this ordination taking place until after the fact.

The Patriarch stated since no mandate was issued that the ordination was not valid or regular according to the canons. The ordination was not recognized as for this Church.

It was suggested to these bishops that if they would not follow the canons they might want to leave, which they did after taking a vote on or about Dec 7th.

They have decided to use a name similar to ours in their newly established independent church. Nothing they do, according to the canons, are in our name or our lines of Apostolic Succession.

A. These individuals left without the required letters! They had been offered a canonical way out, refused and a few weeks ater claimed they took a vote without advising the Patriarch or Choirepiscopus until after their vote and they walked away contrary to the canons.

B. They have setup a separate altar apart from the Patriarch.

C. They failed (or refused) to obey the Canons

They have acted in the same manner as Bp. Ignatius who in 1933 left without the required letter and by 1934 was claiming to be an Archbishop of the Holy Orthodox Church in America, and independent jurisdiction.

They have claimed they have the individual authority to ordain without a mandate that is required by the local canons. They refused tto accept the requirements oof our canons and refused to accept the requirements of the ethnic jurisdictions who also require approval of some sort to ordain anyone. These individuals decided they have the right to ordain anyone they want on their own decision.

The Sacred and Divine canons state a bishop shall do nothing without the advice, knowledge and consent of all which we interpret as supporting the local canon that required the mandate.

Dominic was advised a mandate must be issued if the synod agreed but he did not pursue the mandate and went ahad with the ordination. It was not approved or signed as required by the Church constiution so the ordination is viewed and null and void.

The ordaining abbot stated he "spoke" by email to theologians (unnamed) who supported their claim of being able to ordain at will but it is doubtful these individuals were old world orthodox or advised of the existing local canon. It was found that one of his "theologians" was a 3rd year seminary student according to the information we received from overseas based on the name we eceived!

Fmr. Metropolitan Leland stated he supported Dominic and the others, and that the canons conflict on certain matters. He went on to state that Orthodox does not mean following others, i.e. the old world orthodox.

The former published material is saved on another page and available for review.