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The synod voted (1999) to anathematize and
depose from office 4 former bishops
of this Church. They are listed (named) on
our excommunicated clergy page.They left
this Church and have since started an
independent church claiming to be orthodox
and using our Church history but advertise
numerous non-orthodox features such as the
old roman rite, and others they state they
use. After contacting those with more
knowledge of the canons and much
consideration and discussion with the synod
we determined the former bishops of
this Church were in violation of the canons
and in fact must be subject to the
penalties as stated for the offenses.
Canon XIV of the 17 canons states when any
bishop shall secede from his Metropolitan
[the holy council has decreed that] "he
shall be deposed from office", while Canon
VI of the 21 canons says "If anyone
conducts a church of his own apart from the
Church and without permssion [from the
Metropolitan or Patriarch] the present
Canon Anathematizes them". Other Canons
such as Canon XXXI of the 85 canons were
also considered and found to support our
action.
Synod Findings Former bishops of this Church have established a church independent of this Holy Church and Synod and without authority of the Metropolitan. This is in direct violation of a number of our (orthodox) canons. The Metropolitan has also been attacked both verbally and in writing in this matter and he was listed (by these same former bishops) as a former primate of their schismatic church and they proclaimed a new primate and claim to be us under a different name. They have publicly declared their church, the orthodox catholic church in north america, to be our Church using our history and then claiming to be using the old roman rite liturgy. They also list and acknowledge recent (1999) ordinations by their own authority and communion with a celtic orthodox bishop and others. These acts continue contrary to the canons. When 2 of these bishops resigned one stated the Metropolitan mandated a consecration without synod approval but this was not true. That individual was cut off from all synod acts by his own request and the other one had been in the hospital and unavailable and failed to reply to a request to vote on synod business. After their return they objected to the newly elected synod members [and the attacked the Metropolitan] and referred to an ongoing (pending) vote as papal irregularity or error. The previously mentioned consecration took place on the mandate that bishop had issued himself. The full synod headed by the Metropolitan declare the former "bishops" of this Holy Church to have left and acted against the canos of the Holy Fathers and to continue to act contrary to the canons by establishing an independent church and using an unauthorized liturgy. The full synod being in agreement that the canns have been violated and that the know claim against this Church and Synod was not acted on as the canons direct the full Synod agrees to follow the canons and declare and proclaim Anathema and depose from office said 4 schismatic "bishops". Their actions against the canons are public, online (internet) and without repentance. The Synod finds no valid reason to justify the actions by these individuals and that their schismatic church has been ongoing for more that a year. All their acts have been determined to be contrary to the canons and we determine the canons mandate this action by the full Synod. Note: They used our Church name without authority or permission along with their new name. We feel this act also gives us the authority to act against these individuals.
DECREE†In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. To fulfill the requirements of the Canons of the Orthodox Church we find it necessary to proclaim and publish this "Anathema" against former bishops of this Church who by their actions have created a Schism by founding and establishing a church titled "the orthodox catholic church in north america" and placing our Metropolitans name, title and photograph on internet pages claiming He (Metropolitan Victor) was a former primate of that same Schismatic entity. These actions by our former bishops violate numerous canons against leaving the Church and Metropolitan and setting up an altar seperate from the Church and without the approval of the bishop of the chief see or Metropolitan, for condemning their Metropolitan and for insulting the Metropolitan. Their schismatic church claims our history, name, clergy while on another website claim to use non-orthodox rites. The Canons (Rudder) are clear that the Anathema be pronounced and the bishops guilty of such acts be Deposed from office. This act is not done lightly, but after much prayer, consideration and discussion with those educated in Canon Law, bishops of historic national (ethnic) Churches and our synod advisors. WE HEREWITH DEPOSE FROM OFFICE AND PRONOUNCE THIS ANATHEMA AGAINST...
The Canons prohibit anyone from praying with them under penalty. (original decree signed) For the Synod, +Victor Metropolitan
Copies of the documents signed by the synod are in the Church archives and the original decree issued was signed as the Church constitution requires...
By the Archbishop President
Authority
c. XIV of the 17 Canons.c. VI of the 21 Canons.
also note; c. LXXVI of the 85 Canons decrees that no bishop shall ordain whoever he wants to the office of Episcopate - such ordiations are invalid and void. c. XIV (any bishop who secede or apostatize from his Metropolitan. c. LV of the 85 Canons: Clergy Insulting their Bishop. and others pertain to such cases and actions. c. XXVIII of the 85 canons If any Bishop, Presbyter, or Deacon, who has been justly deposed from office for proven crimes, should dare to touch the liturgy whch had once been put in his hands, let him be cut off from the Church altogether. (cc. IV, XII, XV of Antioch; c. XIV of Sard.; Basil's epistle to Gregory, which is his c. LXXXVIII.)
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