PRESS RELEASE: Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia Rejects Communion with “Montenegrin Orthodox Church” on the Basis of Conciliarity

(source) The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia has issued a statement rejecting communion with the “Montenegrin Orthodox Church,” an independent body sponsored by NATO but having no canonical jurisdiction in Orthodoxy. While Metropolitan Seraphim of Moscow has accepted them into communion, the position of the Metropolia is that this was not decided by the member Churches in conference.

The notice reads:

“We would like all Clergy and Laity of our Church to be made aware of the fact that our Synod is only in communion with those Churches that have been approved by both our Synod of Bishops and by our wider Synaxis of Churches unanimously. It is beyond the competency of a single member of the Synaxis of Churches to unilaterally add another member to our wider Synaxis of Churches, therefore, any statements to the contrary are regarded as null and void.

In this regard, we do not consider the so-called “Montenegrin Orthodox Church” to be part of our Synaxis of Churches for various canonical and dogmatic reasons; appropriate actions are being taken to ensure the protection of our Clergy and Laity.”