Metropolitan John of New York Bans Name-Worshippers from Communion

In what is essentially a culmination of weeks of debate between the First-Hierarch of the American Metropolia– with the agreement of the Bishops– and Metropolitan Raphael of Moscow and his Synod, Metropolitan John of New York has formally declared a ban on name-worshippers from parishes of the Metropolia. The practical aspects of this are unclear in terms of application, as there is no overlapping jurisdiction except in Latin America. However, it has an immediate effect on the HOCNA, who, while claiming not to be involved with either jurisdiction, endorsed the epistle of Metropolitan Raphael endorsing name-worshipping “for educational purposes” and has been endorsing name-worshipping teaching for a couple of years, causing a defection of a majority of its clergy & parishes to join the Synod of Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens.

It can be assumed that members of HOCNA, who had been previously received into the Metropolia by chrismation, must now formally reject the heresy of name-worshipping as well.

The short notice reiterates that the Orthodox teaching was exemplified in the decisions of the Russian Synod and Patriarchs St Tikhon and Germanus, and bans communion from those who either hold to Onomatodox teachings or reject the said decisions.