Редакция Православного альманаха

«Романитас»

Новости «Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church in America»

Анонс:

1.Еп.Григорий Денверский и Колорадский «возведен» «Митр.»Валентином в сан Архиепископа

2.Спустя 17 дней «Архиепископ» Григорий Денверский «запрещен» «Митр.»Валенином Суздальским в служении после закрытого обращения новоиспеченного «Архиепископа» и клира «Денверской Епархии РПАЦ» к «Синоду РПАЦ» по поводу некоторых «не каноничных» действий «Митр.»Валентина. Клир «Денверской Епархии» передан под «прямое управление» «Архиерейским Синодом РПАЦ»

3.«Митр.»Суздальский Валентин, согласно его заявлению, готов взять награды, которыми он удостоил клир и Епископат Денверской Епархии за 17 дней до того, «назад», и судит своих «священников» и «Архиепископов» по «Консисторским Правилам»

4.При возращении в Россию «Митр.»Суздальский Валентин арестован в аэропорту официальными представителями полиции США за не декларированный провоз в специальных внутренних карманах митрополичьего облачения суммы в размере 100 тыс.долларов

Эти и другие новости – в приводимом «Романитасом» официальном свидетельстве представителя Денверской Епархии РПАЦ» «архимандрита» Георгия, написанном по благословению «Архиеп.» Григория, а так же в официальных извещениях «свящ.» Дионисия и «дьякона» Фотия.

Другие новости «ROAC AMERIСA» боголюбивые читатели могут узнать более подробно, посетив ее официальный сайт.

Для перевода новостей с английского русскоязычный читатель может воспользоваться он-лайн переводчиком www.translate.ru

7/20 июля 2004 г «Романитас»

Beloved Parishioners,

God bless you.

Archbishop Gregory wanted me to put in writing a summary of what has been happening in our Church here in America during Metropolitan Valentine's visit. Vladyka Valentine came to this country very ill, and some people believe, on the point of death. Vladyka did not find help in New Jersey, but, by the mercy of God, he was able to solve all his health problems here in Colorado. It was with great effort and much financial expense that Vladyka Metropolitan had his heart bypass operation, and we are all very grateful to God for his health. Metropolitan received work on himself from the hospital which was valued at over a quarter of a million dollars.

When Vladyka Metropolitan came out of the operating room, he showed great thankfulness. He thanked Vladyka Gregory immensely and said that he was a holy man, that he wanted to retire at the end of his life in Dormition Skete and die here. He also said that he wanted to make Vladyka Gregory an Archbishop before he left for Russia. In the days that followed, Fr. Andrew remained with the Metropolitan all the time to translate, so that Metropolitan Valentine would not feel uncomfortable not being able to communicate with others. Vladyka Gregory told the Metropolitan, "He will be like your shadow for as long as you are in Colorado." During the following days, the Metropolitan explained to us how and when he would elevate Bishop Gregory to the rank of Archbishop. The Metropolitan's stay in the hospital was extended because of complications, and this meant that the elevation would have to occur on Pentecost.

When Father Andrew came to our monastery, after examining him, Vladyka Gregory wrote to the Metropolitan that he had found a candidate for the episcopacy. Vladyka Gregory believed that once Father Andrew was tonsured a monk at Dormition Skete, he would keep his vows by remaining in the monastery, growing spiritually, to the benefit of himself and the whole brotherhood. He had a good understanding of the Russian language and would be of tremendous help for Vladyka Gregory to communicate with the bishops in Russia. He wanted to never leave the monastery and Vladyka never intended for him to leave, until he was well established. Vladyka Gregory believed that just as Suzdal had four bishops in residence, so could our monastery. But, the Metropolitan developed a different plan for Father Andrew.

As time went on, Metropolitan Valentine conceived the idea that Father Andrew should go to New Jersey to help Father Vladimir Shiskoff as his second priest, because, as he later told us, Fr. Vladimir is senile and every day is getting worse. We were told that this arrangement would be temporary, although the time frame was never specified. Moreover if Father Andrew did not like the arrangement, he could return to the monastery whenever he wished. He was free.

This brings me now to a very important aspect of the Church life here in America and the cause of many problems, if not all the problems we have had administratively for the last year and a half.

When the bishops of the ROAC made Vladyka Gregory a hierarch, the entire world knew that the ROAC had made a bishop in America who was very strict, whose reputation in keeping the canons was well-known. He was made vicar of the Hierarchal Sobor for such a vast territory and given permission to travel any place in the world, "even China", according to Metropolitan Valentine. The next year, he was made a ruling-bishop with the same responsibilities throughout America and abroad. Then, the world encountered a strange phenomenon: Fr. Vladimir Shiskoff, a senile priest, was made an administrator of North America, even though there was a ruling bishop with the same responsibilities in residence in the country. This appeared very strange to all, and we believe that this came to be so through Fr. Vladimir's taking advantage of the friendship and indebtedness of our Metropolitan to him, by misleading him and intentionally not reporting accurately the situation in America.

For this change of status, no reason was given to Vladyka, just a fait accompli (an accomplished fact). This decision has caused great trouble for the Church here, because Fr. Vladimir is incompetent for such a position, if not ineligible. We have known Fr. Vladimir longer than anyone in our Church in Russia. We know his reputation; we know his liberalism, his ecumenical tendencies, and his insatiable desire for power.

As an example of his complete incompetence, we have the testimony of Fr. Dionysi McGowan and Fr. Fotios Roseboro, who both witnessed Fr. Vladimir giving communion to a New-Calendarist Greek priest in his sanctuary. All of this information we gave to Vladyka Metropolitan during his visit here. The testimony of Priest Dionysi and Deacon Fotios is attached at the end of this letter. Also we know that Fr. Vladimir has married Orthodox to Roman Catholics in violation of the canons, the laws of the Church.

Also we know from the testimony of others that he has told some of our faithful that they should not come to the ROAC, but attend church and receive communion in a church of ROCOR (Laurus) or ROCOR (Vitaly), as long as it is a Russian church. The Russians here know of Fr. Vladimir's Cyprianite beliefs, due to the many examples where he has encouraged people to go to other jurisdictions that are not Orthodox.

To show his liberalism, Fr. Vladimir believes that a priest is acceptable regardless of his lack of qualifications. As an example, there is the case of Fr. Elia (Yenovkian) who is not only unbaptized, as he told Vladyka Gregory himself, having been poured upon, but is also a crypto-Monophysite, who has renounced the 4th Ecumenical Council. Another example is the reception lately of the heretically-ordained Fr. Michael Graves, from Haiti, who himself told Vladyka that he is an unbaptized, meat-eating archimandrite, who has never kept any fast (with no health reasons to excuse this), and he also has a congregation of people who he himself has never properly baptized, only pouring water on them as he himself was poured upon. They all believe that they are already Orthodox and refuse to accept baptism as Fr. Michael told Vladyka Gregory. He refuses also to have anyone go to Haiti to teach them true Orthodoxy. For all the above reasons, Vladyka Gregory rejected this man a ye! ar ago. So in Haiti, Metropolitan Valentine accepted last month 180 unbaptized and uninstructed "Orthodox" people with two unbaptized priests and one unbaptized deacon through the recommendation of Father Vladimir. Fr. Vladimir also recommended for acceptance into ROAC Fr. Victor Melehov, Fr. Spyridon Schneider, and Fr. Ephraim Burtelete, whose confession of Faith is questionable.

Concerning now Fr. Andrew, after he had been caring for the Metropolitan in the hospital for several weeks and Metropolitan Valentine became well acquainted with Father Andrew, the Metropolitan wrote a petition for Vladyka Gregory to sign and send to the Synod requesting that Fr. Andrew be made a bishop. Metropolitan Valentine had it translated and requested twelve copies for Vladyka Gregory to sign for each bishop of the Synod. Vladyka Gregory did not like the petition for several reasons, among which was the fact that it did not state that Fr. Andrew was to remain in the monastery. Vladyka Gregory changed the text of the petition to say that Fr. Andrew is vitally needed in the monastery and that this petition is only made under the requirement that, if Fr. Andrew is made a bishop, he will continue to live in the monastery, until suitable conditions would be found in New Jersey. Vladyka Gregory showed this to Fr. Andrew and he said that if he put that in the petition t! he Metropolitan would be very angry. Vladyka Gregory then understood that he had a serious problem, because Metropolitan Valentine again showed us that he was given over to the passion of anger. To preserve peace, we decided to temporarily omit the sentence explicitly requiring Fr. Andrew to stay in the monastery but leave in the sentence that said that Fr. Andrew is very crucially needed at the monastery helping us to communicate in Russian, among other things. Vladyka Gregory intended to speak to the Metropolitan about this later.

Vladyka Gregory was made Archbishop on the Sunday of Pentecost, and Metropolitan Valentine said in his speech that, by the decision of the Holy Synod, ukaz number 113, dated 7/20 March, 2004, Vladyka Gregory was awarded the rank of Archbishop with the right to wear a diamond cross on his klobuk, due to his missionary zeal and labors for the Church. After returning to Colorado Springs, the Metropolitan stated to Fr. Andrew, and Fr. Andrew afterwards recounted it to us, that he, Fr. Andrew, would be moving to New Jersey and living on the second floor of Fr. Vladimir's home and that he would have to get a secular job to support himself. Metropolitan Valentine knew that, due to an automobile accident, Fr. Andrew has a prosthetic knee that will wear out in a few years, requiring a major operation in which his false knee will be replaced with another false one. This one will only last about ten years, and then his lower leg will be cut off and replaced by a false leg. The Met! ropolitan also knew that climbing stairs to get to and from his room at Fr. Vladimir's home will hasten the deterioration.

The following week in Colorado Springs, Vladyka Gregory came to visit and told the Metropolitan that we, the brotherhood, were not pleased with the idea of moving Fr. Andrew to New Jersey. The Metropolitan said that since Archbishop Gregory petitioned for him to be ordained a bishop, Fr. Andrew is no longer under his authority, and tried to convince Archbishop Gregory that this move to New Jersey would only be temporary anyway. Archbishop Gregory took Fr. Andrew outside, and asked him again, "Do you want to do this?" He said, "Not really, but this is what the Metropolitan wants. I am afraid to resist him."

Archbishop Gregory returned and told the Metropolitan that Fr. Andrew was not leaving the monastery. The Metropolitan remonstrated with Vladyka Gregory, and Vladyka said that if he was made a bishop, he wanted him to remain in the monastery. We asked the Metropolitan if Fr. Andrew could be Archbishop Gregory's vicar. He said no. After some further discussion, with no compromise in sight, the Metropolitan said, if you want to keep Father Andrew in the monastery, there is a way, but, it is catastrophic. Holding our breath, we waited to hear the following.

"You must write a letter to me, stating that you are unworthy of the Archbishopric, and I, the First Hierarch, made a mistake in elevating you and that you wish to resign." I was stunned by this proposal, but more was to come.

Metropolitan Valentine also made the threat to the Archbishop that he would then repent before the Holy Synod for all the promotions and awards that he had granted to Archbishop Gregory's clergy and would take them all away. But if he did this, he also told Archbishop Gregory, the Archbishop's "career" would be at its end. After talking with Fr. Andrew again, and learning that he was unhappy with the idea of moving to New Jersey, Archbishop Gregory told the Metropolitan that he would submit his letter of resignation from being Archbishop, if that was the condition necessary.

The Metropolitan then said, "I do not believe I made a mistake in elevating you to the Archbishopric. Let us put a period on this discussion." The Metropolitan then retired to his room.

Archbishop Gregory remained with the clergy who had witnessed our conversation with the Metropolitan: Fathers Andrew, Dionysi, Peter and I. Fr. Andrew pleaded with Archbishop Gregory, "Please, do not hurt yourself. I will go for a short time to New Jersey and then say I want to come back to the Skete." We agreed that this was the only way out of this temptation.

Two days later, Fr. Andrew's former wife, Susanna, who Archbishop Gregory had only recently convinced to come back to the Orthodox Church, telephoned him and said that she had just telephoned Fr. Vladimir Shiskoff to tell him that she would be attending his church and that she was repenting to straighten out her life. Fr. Vladimir told her that she should not come to his church, because now Fr. Andrew will be his second priest and that it would be better for her to attend the ROCOR (Laurus) church in Long Island, New York, and take communion there. Upon hearing this, Archbishop Gregory immediately telephoned Metropolitan Valentine to explain what Susanna had told him, and told the Metropolitan that this was yet another example of the great mistake in making Fr. Vladimir administrator.

After Archbishop Gregory talked with the Metropolitan, Fr. Andrew told him that the Metropolitan became very angry again, not at Fr. Vladimir, however, but at the Archbishop, because he thought Archbishop Gregory was still trying to prevent Fr. Andrew from leaving the monastery; therefore, the Metropolitan immediately wrote the infamous ukaz, numbered 114, dated 21 March/June 3, 2004, stating that, by his decree, for the good of the church, Fr. Andrew was no longer a member of Dormition Skete and was no longer the Archbishop's priest, and that Fr. Andrew's future was in the hands of the Metropolitan and that he would be attached to Fr. Vladimir Shiskoff. The Archbishop did not accept this ukaz of course, because it is uncanonical. This Ukase is the evidence against the Metropolitan showing that the Metropolitan stole Father Andrew from our diocese. After this happened, Vladyka Gregory made it official that he was withdrawing his recommendation for Father Andrew's episco! pacy.

This is the great temptation and crisis we find ourselves in now. Because so many canons had been trampled underfoot, the only recourse for justice we had was to place accusations against Metropolitan Valentine before the Holy Synod. Vladyka Gregory did this and they are as follows:

Illegally receiving 180 Haitian people into the Church without holy baptism, and thus introducing an unacceptable tradition into the Orthodox Church, contrary to the Canons, which would eventually destroy the Church;

Maintaining Father Vladimir Shiskoff as Administrator of North America when it is manifestly proven by the testimony of Father Dionysi and Father Fotios that he is a crypto Cyprianite, an ecumenist;

Illegally taking Father Andrew, who is a monk of Dormition Skete, and gave vows to remain. This was done without canonical permission from his bishop, Vladyka Gregory.

And the most important, which resulted in all the above, is that Metropolitan Valentine, even though he does not live here or speak the language, wants to rule America from a foreign country through an administrator/priest, Vladimir Shiskoff.

After submitting these accusations to the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Valentine viciously retaliated by writing another Ukase #130, in which he slandered Archbishop Gregory beyond one's imagination. He accused Vladyka of simony, of lying, of stealing, of not understanding the mystery of baptism, of forgery, of slandering Father Vladimir, of unjust suspensions, etc. He also said that all Vladyka's clergy and faithful are now under the Hierarchal Sobor, of which he is the President. He said that Vladyka Gregory is retired, and forbidden to serve, until the Synod makes a judgment concerning him. Needless to say, one bishop does not have the power to suspend or retire another bishop, but to justify himself in breaking the canons this way, the Metropolitan said that he is following the Kniga Consistorium, which is a Pre-Revolutionary, Latin-influenced, Constitution, which contradicts the canons and the Church! He dated this document one day before the date of Vladyka's init! ial accusation. The Metropolitan then had his accusations so full of lies and slanders put on the internet. This was all a campaign to darken Vladyka Gregory's name.

It was about this time that Vladyka Gregory and I went to Bulgaria and Greece. This trip had been planned months in advance. We delayed our trip so that we might be with the Metropolitan during his surgery and recovery. We visited our clergy and strengthened the faithful. We visited Mount Athos and venerated many holy icons. We prayed for our Metropolitan, and all our faithful, that we would all be strong and follow the path of Orthodoxy as God commands us.

We eventually learned that the day after we left Mount Athos, the Metropolitan attempted to leave the United States, but he was detained. Father Dionysios told Father John Claypool that he had been arrested at the airport, and had to sign a paper promising to return for a court hearing in one month. No one would tell us anything more, so inquiries were made and indeed it was determined that he was arrested and a large amount of money was taken away, almost $100,000. The crime was smuggling currency. The Metropolitan had it sewn in special pockets in his trousers. To us it seemed a fitting punishment for all that he did to the Church, to our beloved Vladyka Gregory, and most importantly, to the faithful.

He returned to Russia and now he is attempting to condemn Vladyka Gregory before the Holy Synod. It was obvious that all his accusations in Ukase #130 were nothing but slander, so he is trying to condemn Vladyka Gregory on other charges which he put forth and from other accusers, whom we do not know. We cannot even accurately read the statement that was sent to us from the Holy Synod because it was written in Russian. We sent the written document from the Synod to Father Andrew in New Jersey, so that he could translate it. He did one page, but then stopped. Just this afternoon, I called and asked why. Father Andrew told me that the Metropolitan has forbidden him to continue translating it for us, although we have been given only seven days to reply.

As more events happen, we will inform you. Suffice it to say now that Vladyka Gregory was accused, tried, and it looks like convicted by none other than Metropolitan Valentine himself. He is acting as if he is a pope under no rules.

Before citing the canons which have been violated, I wish to read to you the admonition of the Holy Apostles and of the Holy Church regarding the Holy Canons:

After promulgating their canons, the Holy Apostles warn:

"These instructions, the canons, have been established by us for you, O bishops; and if you continue to adhere to them, you shall be saved, and shall have peace; but if you disobey them, you shall be sorely punished, and have perpetual war with one another, and suffer punishment suitable for your disobedience."

The following are the canons that have been violated:

By taking Fr. Andrew, who is Vladyka Gregory's priest and the monk he tonsured, and appointing him second priest of the church in New Jersey without express written blessing and permission for him to reside and serve there or be appointed such from Vladyka Gregory, Metropolitan Valentine violated the following fundamental canonical laws of the Church:

Canons 63 and 88 of the Council of Carthage (ratified by the 6th and 7th Ecumenical Councils):

"It is decreed that no Bishop shall appropriate another's clergyman contrary to the wishes of his former Bishop. But if any Bishop should do so nevertheless, let him not have communion any longer with the other bishops.

"It has pleased the Synod to decree that if anyone admits or offers a reception to anyone from a strange Monastery (i.e., a monastery not in his diocese), and should wish to induct him into his clergy, or should appoint anyone abbot (or an Hegumen) of his own Monastery, let the Bishop who does so and thereby separates himself from communion with the rest, content himself with only communion of the laity. And let that person be no longer either a Cleric or an Hegumen (Abbot)."

Apostolic Canons 15 and 16:

"If any Presbyter, or Deacon, or anyone at all on the list of clerics, abandoning his own province, departs to another, and after deserting it entirely, stays in another, contrary to the mind (wish) of his own Bishop, we bid him to liturgize no longer…

"If, on the other hand, the Bishop (of the other diocese) with whom they are associating, admits them as clergymen in defiance of the deprivation (here) prescribed against them, he shall be excommunicated as a teacher of disorder."

Canons 15 and 19 of Sardica:

"We enact that if any Bishop from a different diocese wants to appoint another's servant, without the consent of his Bishop, to any grade or rank, any such appointment shall be deemed invalid and ineffective…

"… If, therefore, anyone should dare to do anything contrary to what has seemed best to all of us (i.e. violate any of these canons), in an endeavor to please egoism and self-conceit rather than God, let him know right now that he will be rendering himself answerable for a crime, and that he shall forfeit both the honor and the office of the episcopate."

Canon 17 of the 6th Ecumenical Council:

"Inasmuch as Clergymen of various churches have abandoned their own churches, in which they were ordained, and have run over to other Bishops, and without the consent of their own Bishop have had themselves enrolled in the others' churches, and thereby became insubordinate, we decree that… not a single one of all the clergymen… has permission, unless furnished by a written dimissory of his own Bishop, to be enrolled in a different church. For, whoever fails to abide by this rule hereafter, but, on the contrary, so far as lies in his power disgraces the bishop who bestowed the ordination on him, let both him and the bishop who illogically accepted him be deposed.

For the sake of brevity, in addition to the canons already cited, forbidding a bishop to take another's monk or clergyman without his written blessing and approval, the following canons also condemn any bishop and clergyman or monk that would dare to do this:

Canon 18 of the 6th Ecumenical Council, Canons 3 and 4 of the First-and-Second Council (of St. Photios the Great; called the Eighth Ecumenical Council by the Holy Fathers), Canon 16 of the First Ecumenical Council, Canons 3 and 7 of the Council of Antioch, Canons 14 and 20 of the 4th Ecumenical Council, etc. Also, canons 34 and 39 of the Holy Apostles have been violated which forbid a clergyman to do anything without the consent of his own bishop and forbid a Metropolitan to do anything outside of his own diocese without the approval of all of his fellow-bishops.

Furthermore, in receiving a multitude of converts (180people) in Haiti without their having received the proper form of baptism, that is, three immersions in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the fundamental 49th and 50th Apostolic Canons have been violated, not to mention the countless testimonies and commands of the Holy Fathers who say that only triple immersion is counted as a baptism by God, with the sole exception permitted by the Apostles being death-bed baptism by triple-pouring (i.e., the candidate being about to die), which does not apply in the case of more than 180 unbaptized souls living in Haiti in good bodily health surrounded on every side by an immense ocean of warm water.

APOSTOLIC CANON 49

If any Bishop or Presbyter baptize anyone not into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in accordance with the Lord's ordinance, but into three beginningless beings or into three sons or into three comforters, let him be deposed.

APOSTOLIC CANON 50

If any Bishop or Presbyter does not perform three immersions in making one baptism, but only a single immersion, that given into the death of the Lord, let him be deposed . For the Lord said not, 'Baptize into my death', but, "Go you and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19).

My beloved brethren:

The times we are passing through are indeed times of great temptation and affliction, when the love of the many will grow cold, because lawlessness shall abound, as our Lord forewarned us.

Words cannot adequately express the sorrow and anguish which Metropolitan Valentine has inflicted upon our community, and our clergy. All the problems in America, namely, (1) chaotic foreign rule, (2) an incompetent, senile, priest administrator usurping an Archbishop, (3) receiving unworthy clergy, and (4) stealing priests or parishes, are all instigated, I believe, by Father Vladimir Shiskoff and supported by Metropolitan Valentine.

We ask for your prayers and thank you for your support.

With love in Christ,

On behalf of Archbishop Gregory and the brotherhood in Christ, all of whom contributed to this exhaustive essay,

+George, archimandrite

To:

Gregory, Bishop of Denver and Colorado

Vicar of the Hierarchal Sobor

The Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church

February 25, 2004

Dear Vladyka Gregory:

Master bless;

I am writing to you with concern regarding past and recent events that are having drastic consequences for the Church here in America. I am concerned first by the activities of priest Vladimir Shiskoff, and the subsequent activities of priest Elia Yenovkian. I can't believe that the Church in America has been plunged into so much turmoil just because of one hieromonk, Elia, whom all the other jurisdictions would not keep.

As you know, there have been several public letters from priest Elia, who lives in Mississippi, trying to discredit and undermine many of the works you have started here in America and abroad. These letters, I have learned, have not only been public, but also in the form of private letters, e-mails, and phone calls. These communications have been with those inside of ROAC (laity and clergy) and those outside of ROAC.

Elia has stated publicly that your views are contrary to the traditions of the Orthodox Church, particularly against the policies of our Russian Church, that you are working to split the Church. He has even gone so far as to say that you are a cult leader, and those with you are not Orthodox Christians, but Coloradoans.

When I contacted Priest Vladimir and let him know what my knowledge of priest Elia is, I was immediately dismissed, without any further information asked for, even though I made clear priest Elia's erroneous teachings.

Father Vladimir's dismissal and what has transpired of late lately has caused me now to commit to writing the account of my visit in 2003, when Deacon Fotios and I visited to concelebrate with priest Vladimir, that we might strengthen the bond of the ROAC clergy in this country. Please forward this to Metropolitan Valentine, so he may understand what is going on and take appropriate action.

We concelebrated on this Sunday service and everything had gone well, up to the point when a shaved man with shortly cut hair was motioned by priest Vladimir to come into the altar to receive communion with us. His name was "father Peter", we were told. After Liturgy, Priest Vladimir said that all must leave so he could close up and get home for a parish meeting. We said our goodbyes and started to leave. At this time "father" Peter LaGrutta approach Father Fotios and I, upon which a lengthy conversation ensued. Father Peter explained that he was in another jurisdiction, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and that he was thinking of joining us. Deacon Fotios and I were amazed that he would be allowed to not only receive communion, but to do so within the holy sanctuary, as if we were praying with one mind and heart. To then discover that he was only "thinking" of joining us was indeed a shock. We talked further and found to our shock that he was not th! e only person outside our Church that priest Vladimir permits to take communion.

A Greek man (and his family) who attends Priest Vladimir's parish, also stated to us that Priest Vladimir allows this man's fiancйe to attend and receive communion, even though she is outside of the Church. The Greek man said, "It is nice that he (priest Vladimir) is an open type of person". (Ecumenical)

Dear Vladyka, this is where I see another part of the current problem is coming from. From my own witness and Deacon Fotios', who will attest to this letter, Father Vladimir seems to have a "Cyprianite" ecclesiology. There seems to be "two opinions" of the ROAC in America surfacing. This problem is surfacing because of the Elia affair and people see a backdoor into ROAC through the "Exarch of America", as priest Vladimir has become known. He is willing to receive anyone into our Church without examination. Priest Vladimir allows his own parishioners to go outside of our Church to receive the false mysteries of the ecumenists, as well as opening the holy mysteries to those who are not worthy of them. The boundaries of the Church are vanishing for the faithful.

It is beyond belief that our Church in America has been cast into so much confusion in such a short time due to the efforts of one hieromonk, but this is the reality.

Vladyka, I bring these issues to you with all due respect, knowing that as a God loving hierarch, you will endeavor to protect the flock of Christ from the wolves.

Asking for your holy prayers, I remain,

Your obedient servant in Christ,

Priest Dionysi

Signature of Fr. Dionysi McGowan

I have read the above letter and placed my signature, that everything in it is true, and especially my witnessing the events, regarding Father Vladimir giving Holy Communion to clergy who are not in our Church.

Deacon Fotios

Signature of Father Fotios Roseboro

Sent to Suzdal on June 18, 2004