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