Assembly of Bishops Issues Last Warning to Elpidophoros

Helleniscope reports that the Assembly of Bishops (the former SCOBA, or at this point, what’s left of it) has reiterated a warning in writing to Abp Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese not to consecrate Alexander Belya. As we know from our previous article, Abp Elpidophoros doesn’t really care what they think, but they are issuing one last warning regardless.

As we wrote in our previous members-only article, World Orthodoxy’s “unity” in America is a ticking time bomb, and this may well be the action that lights the fuse. The text of their response is as follows.

ASSEMBLY OF CANONICAL ORTHODOX BISHOPS OF THE USA

August 11, 2023
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
10 East 79th Street
New York, NY 10075

Your Eminence, Beloved Brother in Christ,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was with sorrow and disappointment that we received your letter of August 7, 2023, regarding your intention to ordain Alexander Belya to the Holy Episcopacy in spite of our concerns and objections. Our position, as expressed in letters dated June 27, 2022, July 12, 2022, and January 19, 2023, has not changed.

Therefore, we come to you at the eleventh hour, praying that, for the sake of Orthodox unity in America, you will not proceed with this ordination. Moreover, we ask that you propose to the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that it reverse its decision to elevate this individual to the Episcopacy, whose conduct and canonical status have caused, and will continue to cause, so much division among the Orthodox Christians of the United States.

Wishing you a blessed Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, we remain,

Your brothers and concelebrants,

Metropolitan Saba, Vice-Chairman
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Bishop Longin, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of New Gracanica-Midwestern America

Metropolitan Nicolae, Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas

Metropolitan Tikhon, Orthodox Church in America

CC: His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
His Beatitude, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East
His Holiness, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia
His Beatitude, Patriarch Daniel of Romania