Decree of ROCOR severing communion with the Matthewites

Decree of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia regarding the cessation of ecclesiastical communion with the Matthewite Synod

 

On April 29/May 12, 1976, the following was heard: The resolution dated February 20, 1976, issued by the Synod headed by Archbishop Andreas, regarding the cessation of ecclesiastical communion with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, due to its allegedly unclear position regarding modernists and New Calendarists, was published in the February issue of the Old Calendarist Greek publication Herald of the Genuine Orthodox.

Resolved: The hierarchy of the True Orthodox Church of Greece, headed by Archbishop Andreas, turned to the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 1971 for assistance in correcting their canonical status, which was disputed by many on the grounds that their origin stemmed from a consecration performed out of necessity by a single bishop. After thoroughly studying this matter, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia accepted into prayerful communion as representatives of this hierarchy, the His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos of Corinth and [Metropolitan] Epiphanios of Kition, and corrected their canonical status by laying hands upon them in the manner prescribed by the 8th canon of the First Ecumenical Council, so that they, in turn, would perform the same act upon their fellow bishops in Greece in the same manner. Now, having succumbed to suspicion, giving credence to malicious rumors, and apparently striving more to find disagreement than to rejoice in unity on the main issue, namely, the condemnation of modernism and, as a consequence, the introduction of the New Calendar, they fail to mention the act of our love which confirmed their canonical existence, and instead focus their attention on finding a reason for division with us. The position of the Synod of Bishops has never changed. It was the same before their acceptance into communion and after. Therefore, if they consider the Synod of Bishops to be un-Orthodox, then logically the very act of their cheirothesia loses its validity. Committing them in this matter to the judgment of God and not wishing to deepen the division through disputes, the Synod of Bishops takes note of Archbishop Andreas’ communication and forwards it for a report to the Council of Bishops.

-Pravoslavnaya zhizn' [Orthodox Life], No. 1-6, 1976.