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FN Emnznc Ukase from the Synod of Blshops of the Rocor $HUN$H HgU$ An IndependentPublication of ChurchOpinion May- June,2001 Vol.13,#3(94) Supportedby the voluntary contributions of its readers. Republicationpermitted upon acknowledgment of source. CONTENTS FNemnznc UKAsE FRoM THE sYNoD oF BlsHoPs oF THE RocoR A PARALLEL"WESTERN EUROPE DIOCESE"? APPEALTO THEFLOCK OF ROCOR'SWESTERN EUROPE DIOCESE THEGLORTFICATION OF METROPOLITANPHILARET (VOZNESENSKY) AN INTERVEWWITHMETR. VALENTIN PROVOCATIONSIN SUZDAL EPISTLEFROM HIS EMINENCE VALENTIN A REPLYBY "CHURCHNEWS'' TO A LETTERPUBLISHED IN "ORTHODOX REVIEW'' ECUMENICALADVENTURISM OF ARCHBISHOP MARK ALEXISKHOMIAKOFF AND CONTEMPORARY RUSSIA ABOUTTHE ELECTION OF A NEWPATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM ..PILGRIMAGES''OF THE ROMAN POPE ARCHBISHOPMARK SHOWS HIS HAND CHURCHNEWS 639Center St. Oradell,NJ 07649 relfel Lz91)s!7:7384 AN AMAZINGUKASE FROM THE SYNODOF BISHOPSOF THE RUSSIANORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE RUSSIA Thelnternet "Listok," originally set up withthe blessing of MetropolitanVitaly, published the following Ukase, translated fromthe Russian by "Ch.N," suspending clergymen in theWestern Europe Diocese: UKASE Fromthe Synod of Bishopsof theRussian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. To: the clergymenof the WesternEurope Diocese, Archpriest Michel de Castebaljac,Archpriest Benjamin Joukoff, ArchpriestPaul Puarie, Archpriest Radu Apostolesku, Priest Nicholas Semenoff, Priest Quentin de Kastelbajac,Priest NicholasApostolesku, Protodeacons Sergius Vsevoljsky and Herman lvanoff-Trinadzaty. TheSynod of Bishopsof the RussianOrthodox Church Outside of Russia onApril 11124,2001 h e a rd: A writtenreport by two clergymen- ArchpriestGeorge Larin and Archpriest Steven Pavlenko of February10123,2001 in whichthey outlined the details of theirinvestigation related to theunrest that developed in theWestern Europe Diocese. Theyhave spent 11 days there. TheSynod of Bishopsafter a thoroughexamination of thepresented report decreed: The above mentionedclergymen, for distortionof ecclesiasticaldiscipline and disobedienceto the Supreme Administrationand for refusalto commemorateduring the servicesthe diocesanruling bishop, His GraceBishop Ambrose,appointed by the Councilof Bishopsin 2000,based on the ecclesiasticalcanons 14 and 15 of the Second ConstantinopleCouncil and 25 and 31 of the ApostolicCanons, are suspendedby the Synodof Bishopsuntil their full repentance. lf theywill repent and agree not only to commemorate,but also obey Bishop Ambrose, in thisway will discontinue their rebellionagainst the churchauthorities and thenthey may havetheir right to serverestored. On all of themthe duty 'Ch. imposedto cometo Munich[Germany, N."]on May2 (newcal.) of thecurrent year in orderto meetwith Archbishop Luausto settletheir further status. About what Ukase to givethem. Signed:Metropolitan Vitaly, President of theSynod of Bishops ArchbishopLaurus, Secretary to theSynod of Bishops Thisukase shines with a rarelyseen administrative and even grammatical illiteracy. To beginwith, it seemsthat the presentChancery of the Synodof Bishopsaccepted the view that any sort of Internet announcementmay be nowaccepted as an officialdocument, even if it lacksthe genuine signatures of thePresident and theSecretary, plus the obligatory Synod seal. This "document" is alsolacking an outgoing number! In quotingby thisSynod's decree of canons- thereis againa failure.The newSynod's "canonist", it seems, tried to pileup as manycanons as he couldand didn't notice that the 25thApostolic canon has absolutely no relationshipto the of the WesternEurope clergy. lt says:"lf a bishop,presbyter, or deaconbe foundguilty of fornication,perjury, or case 'thou theft,let him be deposed,but let himnot be excommunicated;for the Scripturesays, shallnot punisha mantwice forthe same offense.' In likemanner other clergy shall be subject to thesame proceeding." Notone of theWestern Europe clergymen was accused of anyof thecrimes listed in thiscanon, while The Synodof Bishopsdemonstrates its own illiteracy by twice suspending Priest Nicholas Semenoff! However, this is notthe first such blunderin the misuseof the canonsby the Synodof Bishops.In theeffort to puttogether as manycanons as the page canhold, the Synodof Bishopsin thecase "defrocking" Bishop Valentine even used a canonreferring to the situationof thebaptism of thechildren of theheretical Donatists! The storyof an ukasesent via Internetdemonstrates Synod's Office even more.Bad enoughthat the ukasewas fonrvardedonly by the Internet(one mightquestion: will it ever be sentout directly?)- the DeputySecretary Bishop Gabrieladded (as one can say- insultto injury)- he calledone of the clergyin Franceand commissioned him to relay thecontents of theukase to theclergy involved by telephone! TheWestern Europe clergy refused to submitto thisukase and it is knownthat they gathered for a meeting,presided by BishopBarnabas and have sent to theSynod a motivatedexplanation. At the 55metime, the situationin Brusselsbecame more strained. A weekbefore the parishfeast (St. Job the Much Suffering),a parishioner warned Bishop Ambrose that his appearance on thisday would not be welcomed by them.At the sametime informationreached Brussels that Archbishops Laurus, Mark and the newlyordained for Ge'rmandiocese Vicar-BishopAgapit were expected for the parish feast. This information frightened the Rector, Fr. Nicholas Semenoff and his parishionerito suchan extent,that they have decided to closethe churchgates and to cancelservices on MaylBth and 19tn. Nevertheless,on FridayMay 18 around5 PM BishopAmbrose arrived. The gates were locked and near them stood a groupof parishioners.Bishop Ambrose asked for the keysand Matushka answered, "One of the parishionershas them." No onegave him the keysand parishioners started to shout"anaxios". The red-faced bishop went to hiscar in angerand servedin anotherparish in Brussels,where the rectoris Fr. StephenWeerts. 2 A PARALLEL"WESTERN EUROPE DIOCESE''? We havereceived a copy(in Russian,translated by "Ch.N.") of the "Epistleto the God-lovingflock by the Diocesan Convention0f the RussianOrthodox Church in Europe,"dated "Cannes, Day of the HolySpirit,2001". The epistle has a sub-title:"Today the grace of HolySpirit has gathered us." lt startswith the sentence: "Gathered around Bishop Barnabas of Cannesfrom variousparts of the WesternEurope Diocese, we havetoday collectively celebrated the descentof the HolySpirit upon the Apostles and Disciplesof our Savioron theday of Pentecostand we prayedthat He would show us theway in thesedifficult circumstances which our diocese and the whole Russian Church Abroad are facing now." Thenthere are discussed2 points(Ecumenism and Sergianism)and the confusingdecisions about them at the unfortunateCouncil of the ROCORin 2000and which introduced "a newextremely perverted spirit of a dual language whichcorrupts and breaks up from within any church group which uses it." Thenafter describing the reasons for the tragic schism in theWestern-Europe clergy because of theoutrageous acts of Ambrose,the Bishop of WesternEurope, the Convention closes its Epistle with following paragraph: "Whilepausinq in orderto securethe clericalduties placed upon our clerqymen. we areforced to createa diocesan structureunder the omophorionof our bishop.the Right Rev. Barnabas.while remainingunder the spiritual authoritvof our blessed MetropolitansAnthonv. Anastassv. Philaret and the present First Hierarchof the RussianOrthodox Church Abroad, His EminenceMetropolitan Vitalv. May the Lordlet us hearthe voiceof our conscienceand follow its direction, following the narrow path which leads to salvation."(Emphasis by "Ch. N."). Underthis work there are the signaturesof BishopBarnabas, Archpriests Michel de Castebaljac,Radu Apostolesku, ConstantineFedoroff and PriestsNicholas Semenoff, Quentin de Castebaljacand ProtodeaconsS. Vsevolojskyand H, lvanov-Trinadzaty.Then follow 23 signaturesof readers,ordinary lay people and even a fewwomen! It is seldomthat one seesa moreabsurd and adventurous epistle signed by a bishopand few respectedarchpriests andpriests! In a privateconversation between the "ChurchNews" editor and MetropolitanVitaly, he statedthat he has no knowledgeof a newlyopened parallel "diocese" without borders. Unfortunately, this adventure was evoked by no means bythe grace of the HolySpirit! APPEALTO THEFLOCK OF ROCOR'SWESTERN EUROPE DIOCESE Christis Risen! Gatheredin Munichin accordwith the resolutionof the Councilof Bishops,2000, for the glorificationof newsaints of Godand also the ordination of a vicarbishop for theGerman diocese, with the Lord'shelp we haveyesterday completed thedouble celebration inwhich participated a multitude of clergymenof theDioceses of Germanyand Western Europe. Disordersin theWestern Europe Diocese disturb and trouble us. ln connectionwith this the Synodof Bishopshad to takespecial measures toward those who refusedto commemoratetheir ruling bishop His GraceAmbrose, Bishop of Genevaand Western Europe, be subjectto him,obey him and fulfill the conciliar regulations. Suchdisobedient behavior and unauthorized acts are a violationof canonicalrules and ecclesiastical discipline. As the FirstHierarch, His EminenceMetropolitan Vitaly did previouslywarn, as wellas the Synodof Bishops,conducting the servicesunder similar violations is a terriblecrime and deprives their sacred acts of legalityand grace. Bythe Ukase of April13126, the Synod of Bishopssuspended the following clergymen: BishopBarnabas, Archpriest Michel de Castebaljac,Paul Puarie, Radu Apostolesky, Benjamin Joukoff, priests Nicholas Sememoff,Quentin de Castebaljac,Nicholas
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