Bp Gregory (Sao Paolo): “Bishop John” has no jurisdiction over ROCOR clergy

  

          Several ukases signed by “Bishop John” were recently sent out and posted on the Internet at the behest of Metropolitan Hilarion from the diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate which calls itself the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.  The ukases stated that all clergy in South America, who did not accept the Act of union with the MP, are “interdicted from serving because of leaving their lawful hierarchy and creating a schism,” and further, are in danger of being suspended for their disobedience.

          We remind our parishioners and members of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad who are troubled by these misleading declarations, that after joining the ranks of the Moscow Patriarchate, the bishops who comprised the new Synod lost their right by their own volition to address any ukases to us and the ukases therefore have no validity.  Since the beginning of 1927, the Church Abroad never considered any of the sanctions from the MP to be valid, as it did not recognize the Moscow Patriarchate or its episcopate.  This continues to be true, as the sanctions are being issued by those who knowingly violated the sobornost of the Church and abandoned all earlier synodal declarations and rulings of the ROCA regarding the MP and have for all intents and purposes become a part of the MP.

          +Gregory

          Bishop of Sao Paulo and South America