The Heretical State-Owned Moscow Patriarchate Strikes Again!

From Bishop Andrew Of the ROAC:

As has been reported in recent news stories, the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church is being sued for possession of 13 churches that it received from local authorities over the past 15-20 years, which were received by us in utterly ruined conditions and carefully renovated and returned to use as churches at our expense. The cases were heard at trial on February 5th by the Vladimir Regional Court of Arbitration. This court ruled against the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church and ordered the local authorities to confiscate the churches. We were given 30 days to vacate the buildings. Appeals were begun, and recently the Court of Appeals postponed the hearing of these cases until the 24th of April. Believing that the Court of Appeals is prejudiced against us, and in compliance with the court order, our people have been trying to gradually remove our belongings from these churches - vestments, icons, church vessels, books, etc. Two of our deacons were recently detained by the local police, who explained that they had received a request from the Moscow Patriarchate not to allow us to remove our own belongings from these churches. Apparently, they think that they have a right even to those furnishings that we have placed in these churches.

Today, on Orthodox Good Friday, Metropolitan Valentine made a frantic telephone call to Bishop Andrew of Pavlovskoye, who resides in the US, and had time enough to say only that he and those with him have been arrested for entering the church to serve Holy Week services, before his telephone call was cut off.

We ask all of our people to pray for the deliverance of our FIRST HIERARCH from police custody, and we ask all men of good will, who value the rights of people everywhere to pray in peace and freedom of conscience, as supposedly guaranteed by the Constitution of the new Russian Federation, to make their concerns known to the authorities both in Russia and in their respective countries.

Bishop Andrew
95 Elm Street
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 USA
Telephone: (347) 321-4870
Mobile: (551) 580-4965
Fax: (208) 730-7551
Email: bishopandrei@gmail.com

UPDATE: 9 pm 4/17/09 Metropolitan Valentine has been released. More to follow...

A Question For The Entire Orthodox World- About Baptism

Here is the question:

Is there any scenario in which an individual who has NOT been baptized by

"triple immersion" AND in "in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit",

can be received into the Orthodox Church through Chrismation alone?

Rules for responding:

1. You must be Orthodox to answer.
2. Keep answers to five sentences or less.( You may refer to links for documentation.)
3. Refrain from personal opinion.

Thanks!

The Approach of The One World Church

World orthodoxy is the end-time Church in ecumenical union either directly, or by association, with the one world church about to be revealed.

The equation should be: Julian (old) Calendar + Holy Tradition + The Seven Ecumenical Councils + the Holy Scriptures + the Holy Fathers = Holy Orthodoxy.

Today, world orthodoxy is abandoning, more and more, one or more of the "parts" which make up this equation.

How Apostasy Approaches:



Notice how it flees when confronted face to face!

A Letter Of Appeal From His Grace Bishop Andrew

--> -->

Dear All,

My name is Bishop Andrew of Pavlovskoye. I am the American representative of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church. We are a small group of about 200 communities, worldwide, who do not belong to the “official” Russian Orthodox Church in Russia headed by the recently elected “Patriarch Kirill.” We consider his group, the “Moscow Patriarchate,” to be nothing more than an apostate group, which long ago (1927) opted to serve the interests of the Soviet state, and now the Russian Federation, rather than follow the examples of numerous martyrs for the purity of our ancestral Russian Orthodox faith. The people of our communities are some of the last members of the Church in Russia that was underground for 80 years, or existed in the free countries of the world without recognizing the stolen authority of the so-called patriarchs of Moscow during this period.

The present-day Russian government, in spite of its constitutional guarantees of freedom of conscience, or religion, has been trying for 20 years now, to force us to either join the Moscow Patriarchate, or cease operating. Officially in Russia, there is supposed to be separation of church and state. The church is indeed separated from the government, but the government is not separated from the church. All religions operating in Russia today are supposed to be equal before the law. No one church is supposed to have any more or any less rights than any other. Russian citizens, after so many years of brutal repression, are supposed to be guaranteed today the right to believe as they desire and practice accordingly.

The latest event in the oppression against our Church was the decision on Feb. 5^th, of the Vladimir Regional Court to take away all of our church buildings in Suzdal, buildings that we restored from ruins over the last 20 years or so at our own expense in exchange for the right to use these churches indefinitely rent-free. According to Russian law, these buildings can only be used for their original intended purpose - religious ceremonies. That is exactly what we were using them for. Our people in Suzdal have been told that the buildings are not going anywhere; they will not be torn down. If they want to use them, all they have to do is change leadership and realign themselves with the local hierarchy of the Moscow Patriarchate. Our bishops have been attacked physically, slandered with every imaginable charge, arrested, and threatened. Yesterday, our Chief Hierarch, Metropolitan Valentine of Suzdal and Vladimir returned to Russia after a two-week stay. During his stay, we traveled to Washington, DC, and met with several organizations there. I received your email addresses as people who might be interested in writing about our plight. We need help. The only thing that we believe can help in this situation, besides God’s help, of course, is making the world aware of just what is going on in the Russia of today. The leaders of today’s Russian government are still sensitive to public opinion, and little else.

Whether you believe as we do or not, is not the point. If the human rights of our faithful, citizens of Russia, which claims to be a democratic nation, a member of the civilized nations of the world, can be done away with without even the slightest sign of disfavor, then who will be next on the list? Won’t you please raise your voice, inquire into the particulars of these events, and write something to bring the attention of the world to this gross miscarriage of justice?

Thanking you in advance

Bishop Andrew
95 Elm Street
Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 USA
Telephone: (347) 321-4870
Mobile: (551) 580-4965
Fax: (208) 730-7551

BishopAndrei@ROACusa.org

Choose Gods For Yourselves Today Whom You Will Serve...

...But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord, because He is holy.

The Orthodox World Church in union with Papal Globalism
through the heresy of Ecumenism.
A documentary in three parts.

Part One


Part Two


Part Three

"Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins,
and lest you receive of her plagues."

Hard Questions Hard Answers

On March 17th, 2009, Protopresbyter Paul O'Callaghan and The Council of Presbyters of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America wrote a letter to Metropolitan Philip concerning the demotion of the Antiochian Bishops to the status of Auxiliary. Two things are noteworthy and commendable. One is that the Diocese representatives took courage to respectfully ask a series of questions seemingly challenging the recent decision and secondly that Antiochian.org decided to publish it for all to see. The following is the letter and Metropolitan Philip's point by point response to each question. With such detailed answers as to the whys of the unprecedented action on the part of the Holy Synod of Antioch, the discussion can now begin over the canonisity of such action. In reviewing the letter and response it is not difficult to ascertain that opinion has asserted itself in the Synod's decision. It remains to be seen if the opinion is consistent with the canons and practices of the church. It also remains to be seen as to whether or not the questioners and others whose discourse has been in a less visible forum will remain in communion with the Metropolitan and the Patriarch.
March 17, 2009
Your Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP,
Master, bless.
Our Council of Presbyters met today at St. George Cathedral, Wichita, KS, with deans and elected presbyters, to study the recent decision of the Holy Synod of Antioch regarding the status of diocesan and auxiliary bishops.
With love and reverence, we seek your counsel on the following questions that arose during our deliberations. We assure you of our prayers and respect as our beloved Metropolitan of this Holy and God-Protected Archdiocese, and our love and respect for His Grace, Bishop BASIL. We pray for your continued good health.
We humbly submit the following questions for your consideration.
1. Are there any other diocesan bishops, outside our Archdiocese, that are affected by the Holy Synod's decision?
2. There seems to be differences in tone and meaning between the Arabic original and the English translations of Articles 77 and 78. Can these be clarified?
3. What were the intentions of the Holy Synod in formulating these amendments?
4. Is the Pittsburgh Constitution binding, since it was duly approved and implemented by the legally binding decision made at special Archdiocesan Convention of July 2004?
5. Since official Archdiocesan documents state that the provisions for self-rule, including those pertaining to the local synod of the Archdiocese, are irrevocable, as witnessed both by the Pittsburgh Constitution and the Patriarchal version of October 15, 2004, how can they be overturned by amendment of the Patriarchal by-laws?
6. Given that the granting of self-rule required that the Patriarchal Constitution be amended to reflect the self-ruled status of the North American Archdiocese, and that this constitution governs its by-laws, not vice versa, how could the Constitution be overturned by amendments of by-laws?
7. What was the need, and why the urgency, for a special meeting of the Holy Synod of Antioch? Were constitutional procedures followed for the calling of that meeting?
8. Given the fact that the mechanism of resolution for possible problems or disagreements is specified in our Constitution as belonging to the Local Synod of Bishops, with right of appeal to the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, why were these amendments necessary?
9. We are not aware of any study, investigation, or report containing information regarding concerns of disunity or other issues of disagreement within our Archdiocese. What was done by our bishops that precipitated the Holy Synod's decision? Did the Patriarch discuss these issues with our bishops when he visited in the fall of 2008?
10. How can enthroned diocesan bishops be dethroned other than on specific canonical grounds?
11. If there is no local synod within our Archdiocese, in what way do we retain our status of Self-Rule?
12. If Bishop BASIL, for example, is no longer Bishop of Wichita, what is his current title?
13. How are we to understand the status of bishops who were not only enthroned but also consecrated for specific dioceses, if they are no longer bishops of those dioceses?
14. Are the dioceses which were created at the time of our becoming self-ruled now reduced to regions?
15. We understand that the decree was sent for approval to all the members of the Holy Synod. Did they all respond? What were their responses?
Once again, assuring your Eminence of our filial love and obedience, we pray for the abiding unity of your flock in Christ.
Your servants in Christ,

Cc: His Beatitude Patriarch IGNATIUS IV of Antioch and All the East
His Grace Bishop BASIL
March 26, 2009
Protopresbyter Paul O'Callaghan and
The Council of Presbyters of the Diocese
of Wichita and Mid-America
Beloved in Christ,
Greetings and Blessings to you during this holy season of The Great Fast!
We have received and reviewed your letter dated March 17^th, 2009 in which you pose fifteen questions related to the February 24^th, 2009 decision of the Holy Synod of Antioch regarding the status of all bishops across the Holy See of Antioch. We will try our best to answer these questions as follows:
1. Are there any other diocesan bishops, outside our Archdiocese, that are affected by the Holy Synod's decision?
Answer: Yes. In the Patriarchate there are three bishops, the Bishop of Saydnaya, the Bishop of Qatana, and the Patriarchal Vicar. In addition, the Archdiocese of Akkar had the Bishop of Tartous and the Bishop of Marmarita & Al Hosn. The Bishop of Marmarita & Al Hosn was elected as Metropolitan for the Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe. The Bishop of Tartous was elected to succeed Metropolitan Paul Bendali in the Archdiocese of Akkar. He refused to have either diocesan or auxiliary bishops in his Archdiocese at this time.
2. There seems to be differences in tone and meaning between the Arabic original and the English translations of Articles 77 and 78. Can these be clarified?
Answer: The English translation was my best effort. If someone can produce a more accurate translation, this would be most welcome.
3. What were the intentions of the Holy Synod in formulating these amendments?
Answer: The intention was to have good order and consistency throughout the Holy See of Antioch by normalizing the status of all bishops.
4. Is the Pittsburgh Constitution binding, since it was duly approved and implemented by the legally binding decision made at special Archdiocesan Convention of July 2004?
Answer: The constitution is binding to the extent that it is consistent with the decisions of the Holy Synod of Antioch, which is the highest authority in the Church of Antioch. The Holy Synod has the prerogative to modify any decision that it had previously approved.
5. Since official Archdiocesan documents state that the provisions for self-rule, including those pertaining to the local synod of the Archdiocese, are irrevocable, as witnessed both by the Pittsburgh Constitution and the Patriarchal version of October 15, 2004, how can they be overturned by amendment of the Patriarchal by-laws?
Answer: We can find no language in any Constitution, or the original decision of the Holy Synod dated October 10, 2003 which indicates that the provisions of any constitution or by-laws are irrevocable.
6. Given that the granting of self-rule required that the Patriarchal Constitution be amended to reflect the self-ruled status of the North American Archdiocese, and that this constitution governs its by-laws, not vice versa, how could the Constitution be overturned by amendments of by-laws?
Answer: The Patriarchal Constitution was never amended to reflect self-rule status, so the February 24^th decision is consistent with the current in-force Patriarchal Constitution.
7. What was the need, and why the urgency, for a special meeting of the Holy Synod of Antioch? Were constitutional procedures followed for the calling of that meeting?
Answer: At the October 7^th, 2008 meeting of the Holy Synod in Damascus, His Beatitude appointed a special committee which included the Archbishops of Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Akkar to study the question of the status of bishops across the See of Antioch, and to make a recommendation which would normalize that status. The meeting of February 24^th, 2009 was convened to hear this recommendation and to act on it. The Patriarch may convene a meeting of the Holy Synod at any time that he sees fit.
8. Given the fact that the mechanism of resolution for possible problems or disagreements is specified in our Constitution as belonging to the Local Synod of Bishops, with right of appeal to the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, why were these amendments necessary?
Answer: The February 24^th decision was not a result of any wrongdoing by any bishop. It was necessary to normalize the status of all bishops across the See of Antioch.
9. We are not aware of any study, investigation, or report containing information regarding concerns of disunity or other issues of disagreement within our Archdiocese. What was done by our bishops that precipitated the Holy Synod's decision? Did the Patriarch discuss these issues with our bishops when he visited in the fall of 2008?
Answer: Once again, our bishops did not do anything that precipitated this decision. It should not be viewed as a matter of discipline, since this was not the intention. To my knowledge, the Patriarch did not discuss this with our bishops during his visit in the Fall of 2008.
10. How can enthroned diocesan bishops be dethroned other than on specific canonical grounds?
Answer: To dethrone a bishop is to remove him from his episcopal throne. This has not been done. The status of the bishops has changed from diocesan bishop to auxiliary bishop.
11. If there is no local synod within our Archdiocese, in what way do we retain our status of Self-Rule?
Answer: Our Archdiocesan Synod remains in place. The February 24^th decision made no mention whatsoever of self-rule, or a change in status of the Archdiocesan Synod.
12. If Bishop BASIL, for example, is no longer Bishop of Wichita, what is his current title?
Answer: Our bishops will carry the title Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of (name of Diocese). As an example, Bishop BASIL carries the title Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America.
13. How are we to understand the status of bishops who were not only enthroned but also consecrated for specific dioceses, if they are no longer bishops of those dioceses?
Answer: They are Auxiliary Bishops who are overseeing a Diocese on behalf of The Metropolitan.
14. Are the dioceses which were created at the time of our becoming self-ruled now reduced to regions?
Answer: No. The dioceses remain intact and they retain their current names.
15. We understand that the decree was sent for approval to all the members of the Holy Synod. Did they all respond? What were their responses?
Answer: We are not privy to the individual responses from each member of the Holy Synod. Suffice it to say that the decision was approved by a majority of the Holy Synod.
It is our prayer that the remainder of your Lenten journey will be greatly blessed.
Your father in Christ,

Cc: His Beatitude, IGNATIUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
Bishop ANTOUN, Bishop JOSEPH, Bishop BASIL, Bishop THOMAS, Bishop MARK, Bishop ALEXANDER

Comment From "An Antiochian Who Wears Black"

A JTO reader sent me the link below which has an apparently authentic first hand assessment of the recent Bishop demotion from "an Antiochian who wears black" (AWWB). The assumption is that this AWWB is a deacon or a priest. Since the Metropolitan is still continuing his crypticism, such information from the ranks of the clergy is helpful. I received a harsh comment from a JTO reader (which I didn't post because of reader's slang usage of the word "God") presumably relating my posts concerning the Metropolitan's actions as that of a Baptist deacon talking to his pastor. While I must apologize to good Baptist deacons everywhere, I must also remind the reader and others that the submission we have to those who "rule over us" does not include the idea that the Laity are to shut up, chill out and not ask questions. All need to be reminded that the Laity are the Fourth Order Of The Priesthood, and that Orthodoxy is not Papist but ordered by consensus. When one man, one church, one emperor strays from the canons, doctrines or scriptures, all righteous everywhere must speak. To the accusing reader: Anthanasius was a deacon when he grabbed the reigns of the emperor's horse.


Click Here to read the AWWB's comments.

A Frog In Boiling Water

(From Orthodox Prophets)

Now, being in the bosom of the Church, I am discovering things from this vantage that perplex me. The state of the Church as a whole, the apostasy from Dogma, Canons and Scripture coming from the hierarchy of most major Orthodox jurisdictions is alarming and can send one into despair. When one becomes convinced that it is happening it is not difficult to admire groups like ROAC who tenaciously adhered to that which was handed down. They fight Ecumenism and Sergianism and are being persecuted, tortured, physically attacked by the state-created, state-owned Moscow Patriarchate with which they refused to commune while all of the members of SCOBA participate by their silence. Groups like ROAC have been called "schismatic". Is it accurate to consider the smaller group the schismatics if it is the larger group that is apostatizing? ROCOR is the group that went against their 60-80 year condemnation and anathema of the Moscow Patriarchate as heretical, to join with them, selling their birthright for a mess of pottage. ROAC, groups like them and the ROCOR in Russian refused to...and they are accused of being schismatic. Why? Because they will not submit to the Moscow Patriarchate who was established by Joseph Stalin, still is controlled and infiltrated by former KGB, was responsible for the genocide of millions of our Orthodox Brothers and is led now by a multi-billionaire "Patriarch" who amassed his great wealth by cooperation with an atheistic state by the import of alcohol and tobacco? Once one does research on the history of the Moscow Patriarchate, it becomes clear as to whom has broken from true Orthodoxy. It is certainly not the faithful Bishops of ROAC and others in Russia and abroad who are having their lives, lands, churches, stripped from them by violence at the hands of the apostate church. These discoveries in my Journey To Orthodoxy cause me to question my own communion with any part of the church who communes or endorses such.

I have also been perplexed to find the level of compromise and apostasy from the patriarchs as they continue to create a World Orthodox Church by melding it into the World Council of Churches (WCC) reshaping the Orthodox Church to conform with the world's view of spiritual harmony. Also alarming is the level of collusion on the part of local priests who remain in league with such heretical hierarchs and do not warn their parishioners.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"

What of the sincere parishioners who have no knowledge of where their apostate hierarchs and priests are leading them? One has likened it to a frog in a pot of water on a stove. As the water heats up, the frog will simply adjust to the temperature until he is boiled to death. We are not frogs and Christ's exhortation to follow truth and to abhor heresy and apostasy should cause us to jump out of the pot as soon as we see the flame.

" Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own consciences seared with a hot iron."

Here is evidence that the flame is nearing the boiling point and the iron is heating up:

Take the quiz: WHO SAID...
1. It is "the fundamental ecclesiological truth" that Orthodoxy and Papism "constitute the two lungs of the Body of Christ"
2. "Our Churches are recognized mutually as Sister Churches, responsible together for the preservation of the One Church of God...We exhort our faithful. Catholic and Orthodox to strengthen the spirit of brotherhood, which derives from a single Baptism and participation in the sacramental life."
3. "We do not hold that exclusivity means judgment or exclusion. The idea that membership in a visible Church organization is requisite for membership in heaven is based on a false paradigm--that we somehow parallel the kingdom of God in this world. The kingdom is not an exterior reality, rather it is interior, at least until the end of time. "
4. " We remind all that every form of proselytism... is absolutely condemned by the Orthodox. Proselytism, practiced in nations already Christian, and in many cases even Orthodox,...poisons the relations among Christians and destroys the road to their unity. "
5. "[W]e now clearly realize and understand that our two families [Orthodox and Monophysites] have always loyally guarded the same and authentic Christological Orthodox faith, and have maintained uninterrupted the apostolic tradition although they may have used the Christological terms in a different manner. It is that common faith and that continual loyalty to the apostolic tradition which must be the basis of our unity and communion... The two families accept that all the anathemas and the condemnations of the past which kept us divided must be lifted by the Churches so that the last obstacle to full unity and communion of our two families can be removed by the grace and the power of God. The two families accept that the lifting of the anathemas and the condemnations will be based on the fact that the Councils and the fathers previously anathematized or condemned were not heretics...."
6. "We respect an individual's choice with regard to his or her faith, and we do not proselytize anyone, nor do we participate in dialogues between Christians and our brother Muslims in order to convince them to accept our own faith."
7. "If the diverse peoples of a culture look to the memories of their faith traditions, whatever they may be, they will be sustained, they will be fed the food of God's spiritual knowledge...Orthodox Christian and modernist, Protestant and modernist, Jew and modernist, Catholic and modernist: however we worship, as long as we abide in our faith and unite it to our works in the world, we bring the living and always timely message of Divine Wisdom into the modern world."
8. (To Zoroastrians, Hindus, etc.) "We are united in the spirit [sic] of the one God, 'Creator of all things, visible and invisible' ... we are convinced that there is more that unites the community of man, than divides us ".
9. " Brothers and sisters, the watchword of the Holy Orthodox Church today is unity. We are learning unity within our own house; we must pursue unity with all the children of God... Roman Catholics and Orthodox, Protestants and Jews, Muslims and Hindus, Buddhists and Confucians: the time has come not only for rapprochement, but also for an alliance and joint effort... We have within our grasp the vision of the Psalmist: "Behold, how good and how pleasing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" We pledge to you today that the Orthodox Christian Church will do everything in her power to fulfill that vision. "
10. " The Orthodox Church does not seek to convince others of any one particular understanding of truth or revelation, nor does it seek to convert others to a particular mode of thinking...Whenever human beings react to the perspectives and beliefs of others on the basis of fear and self-righteousness, they violate the God-given right and freedom of others to come to know God and one another in the manner inherent to their identity as peoples...Such xenophobic tendencies are chiefly the result of being out of communion with God...When human beings are in communion with God, who Himself is the very essence of inexhaustible love, xenophobia-- fear of the other--is not possible since human beings do not see each other as strangers, but rather as brothers and sisters in communion with the loving Lord. "

Who said these things?

Answer:

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Eastern Orthodox Church said all of these things in various speeches and in his leadership role in the World Council of Churches * (WCC). His predecessor Patriarch of Constantinople even said this:
"We are deceived and we sin, if we think that the Orthodox faith came down from Heaven and that all [other] creeds are unworthy. Three hundred million people have chosen Islam in order to reach their god, and other hundreds of millions are Protestants, Catholics, and Buddhists. The goal of every religion is to improve mankind."

What did Jesus mean when He said,

"I am THE way, THE Truth and THE Life, and no man
comes to the Father except He comes by Me."?

According to the Patriarch and the WCC, Jesus said,

"I am A way, A truth and A life and everyone can

come to the Father through me and a few other directions."

What did Jesus mean when he said,

"All authority has been given to ME in heaven and on Earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..."?

According to the Patriarch and the WCC, Jesus said,

"Quite a bit of authority has been give to me so go and be in loving communion with other religions being careful not to proselyte them to me for their way is just as good as any, after all we don't want to offend."

ALL member Churches represented in SCOBA do follow this heresy and apostasy to their own destruction and the destruction of the flocks they shepherd.

Another former Patriarch of Constantinople seemed to understand this:

"We know that salvation itself is a property of the One Church, and that no one can be outside of the catholic [small c] Church and yet share the Faith of Christ, or be saved...Neither do we offer any part of that hope to the ungodly heretics, but we place them entirely outside of that hope; indeed, they have not the least participation in Christ, but vainly assume for themselves that saving Name."-St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (4th Century AD)

Remember Saint Chrysostom's words as you participate in His Liturgy this Sunday. If your Priest, Bishop, or Patriarch is a member of the World Council of Churches or condones such by his action or inaction, thus promoting a gospel that is not of Christ and His Apostles, then depose them or flee from them.

Remember these words:

" Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

'I will dwell in them

And walk among them.

I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.'

Therefore

'Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean. And I will receive you."

" I will be a Father to you

And you shall be My sons and

daughters,

Says the Lord Almighty."

So take note of the links of the Orthodox Churches on the JTO site, who refuse to participate in the great apostasy and heresy that is Ecumenism and The World Council of Churches. Contact these Orthodox communions to see how you might enter their community of believers.

Otherwise the icon you venerate will look something like this:

The Pope Repents and Becomes Orthodox! A Fictional Account

It started in the 60's when the Pope began to ask forgiveness for various "sins" of antiquity. Interestingly enough this new found repentance started about the same time as the Roman Catholic promotion of Ecumenism. If only the Papal confession included sins of heresy, the confessions might be less suspect. Here is a suggested list of real sins the current Pope might consider confessing:

A Fiction Account of Repentance:

“I, Pope John-Paul, would like to ask the forgiveness of the whole world for spreading my evil and destructive doctrine, which is called Roman Catholicism.

“Among the heresies I would like to renounce is the heresy of the Filioque, which destroys the theological understanding of the Trinity. I would also like to renounce the following heresies:

“our diabolical teaching on purgatory, which is similar to the teaching of Origen;

“the teaching on the immaculate conception which we have thought up;

“our use of statues, like the pagans and idol-worshippers;

“the ban on our clergy entering into marriage;

“our introduction of the papist calendar;

“our distortion of all the sacraments which we accepted when we were Orthodox – for example, our heretical practice of baptism by sprinkling, which is like the practice of the Protestants, and our use of unleavened bread, which is like the Jews;

“our teaching that I the Pope am infallible, a teaching that forms the foundation of all the above-mentioned sins, which thereby witness to the fact that I am not infallible.

“I would also like to repent of the fact that I have drawn the Orthodox patriarchs of our century into the new heresy of ecumenism.

“From all the above examples it is evident that I have fallen away from True Christianity, and therefore both my actions and those of my predecessors are like the actions of the pagans, like whom I in the name of ‘Christianity’ killed, burned and destroyed everything that I could and everyone that I could for the sake of spreading my false teachings.

“The list of such evil works includes the Inquisition, when innocent people were burned at the pillar of shame, which witnesses to my unchristian attitude to people; and the crusades, which ravaged the capital of Orthodox Byzantium, Constantinople; the invasion and conquest of America, as a result of which with my blessing the two main indigenous civilizations there were annihilated; the murder by dismemberment of the holy Martyr Peter the Aleut, an Orthodox Christian who suffered in San Francisco at the hands of my Jesuit monks because he did not want to convert to my disgusting faith; and in our century, my predecessor Pius XII’s blessing of forcible conversion in Croatia, during which 800,000 Orthodox were killed because they did not want to convert and be subject to my papal authority.

“From all the above it follows that I am in a wretched condition, and I intend to ask forgiveness. I intend to renounce this heretical teaching and accept Orthodox baptism…” (From The True Church in The Last Times by Vladimir Moss)

"Special" Meeting Called

Continuing the cryptic nature of the recent decision of the Holy Synod of Antioch and Metropolitan Philip's support of the demotion all Bishops to the status of Auxiliary, this announcement appears on the Antiochian.org website.

"A special meeting of the hierarchs of this Archdiocese has been scheduled for Bright Friday, April 24th, 2009 at the Archdiocese headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey.

The sole agenda item for this meeting will be the February 24th decision of the Holy Synod of Antioch regarding the status of bishops."

The meeting would have to be "special" considering the unprecedented move of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America to that of a single ruled church jurisdiction by fiat. What happened to consensus? How is it canonical that the Self-Ruled agreement, constitution and bylaws are stricken overnight with the support of the Metropolitan and without the consensus of the Bishops who rule? Papist? Certainly not the Orthodox way. We can only hope that the specialness of the meeting is so-called because our demoted Bishops will not stand for such an independent act outside the canonical method of governing. No Patriarch nor Metropolitan is above the will of God.

It would behoove the Metropolitan to come into the open concerning the actual real life reasons The Decision (of the Holy Synod) was made in the first place. Thinking that the use of phrases such as "preserve the unity" is sufficient communication highly underestimates the reaction of the laymen to such ambiguity. It would also behoove the Metropolitan to invite some laymen and lowly, subservient priests to the Special Meeting so as not to rule from an Episcopal Tower. JTO is hearing from priests and laymen who all express consternation and alarm that will not be quenched by posturing and subterfuge.

Whether it was The Decision itself or the method in which it was made, it has resulted in turmoil and has the potential of severely dividing what has been one of the most respected jurisdictions of the Orthodox Church. If the Patriarch or the Metropolitan determine that they can rule without the consensus of the people as a measure to the rightness of their decisions, then they have become isolated and out of touch indeed. How will you lead if there is no one left to follow? More than one has told JTO that they can get no response from the Metropolitan's office. JTO has personally experienced this with a previous matter in which a mailed letter went unanswered. Is anyone home up there?

The proof of Holiness in our Bishops and Parish Priests in this hour will be whether they will care more to safeguard their careers and positions rather than the Church of Christ. Will they stand for the right or will they cower under ecclesiastical power? There is a common story that once Metropolitan Philip was in conversation with a parishioner concerning the Canons. As the parishioner was giving his opinion the Metropolitan interrupted, "You don't tell me what the Canons say. I tell you." Could this be the pervasive attitude that is The Decision? Could this be the hierarchical papist attitude that causes the great divide of the Antiochian Church? Pride comes before the fall and until evidence and answers are forthcoming as to the rightness of the recent events, conclusion are limited to the negatives.

I have always said, "It is a wide Church." Damascus Syria, where the See of Antioch resides, is not larger than the state of Nebraska. In North America there are no more than 55,000 parishioners the Antiochian Diocese. There are almost 300 million Orthodox worldwide and about 500,000 of all jurisdictions in North America. If Metropolitans or Patriarchs err in matters of Canons or faith to the harm of the people they must either repent, be removed or the people must remove to another diocese. I hope all, including our Bishops and Priests, will consider this as a viable option should The Decision be revealed to be one not from the heart and will of Christ.