Matthewites

[1937 Miraculous Cross]

Dear Joshua,

I know the ROCOR(v) and ROAC history fairly well as it was all occuring simultaneously with my final departure from the original ROCOR. We had to study the history of all the Old Calendar groups. As I said in an earlier post, from the point of view of some groups, each TOC jurisdiction, be it Russian, or Greek, or Romanian is uncanonical or incorrect on some issue or ecclesiastical matter. There will never be unanimous agreement on each issue.

Yes, Vitaly's ROCOr defrocked Met. Valentine. Who is correct on this. I personally side with Met. Valentine, yet there are ROCOR-ites who believe the deposing was just and canonical. the same story with the multiple Florinite factions, and now the same with the Matthewite factions: the Gregorians who split in 1995, and now Bp. Kirykos who left the Matthewites.

it is a mess all over unfortunately.

Nectarios

[Priest Siluan]

Vladyka Valentine and other bishops from Russia (he was not alone) broke up communion with ROCOR, denouncing irregularities. These irregularities are the same ones that ROCOR-V denounced later on. We also have canonical objections against ROCOR-V, but Certainly for our approach we should leave aside some small details.

As I said previously the only beneficiaries in disputes and divisions of the Traditional Churches are our detractors, which are the same ones that take as flag Ecumenism and they recognize the Grace of sergianist

[Priest Siluan]

Overall, it is my hope that the Florinites and Matthewites can patch it up and come together, especially since all Florinites accept the 1935 Declaration. It will take a lot of humility and forgiveness on both sides, but preferrably without distortions of the Truth.

I think a similar situation exists with the current ROCOR(V) and ROAC. As an "old Calendar ecumenist", I would like to see all of these groups come together and make a unified Church.

in Christ,
nectarios

Amen. Who cannot want unit in the true Faith of all true orthodox Christian?

[Priest Siluan]

Unfortunately the administrative ability to facilitate such a unification is almost non-existent in the ROCOR(V) and there are some serious charges against the ROAC that haven't really been satisfactorily answered. Metropolitan Valentine was defrocked by the ROCOR prior to his departure and that rankles with ROCOR(V), not to mention the matter of Fr. Gregory Lurye. Of course, I am an ignoramus and can't speak with any authority about these things. I certainly sympathize with the idea of a community of old-calendar churches.

Dear Joshua:

Now we have one problem less between ROCOR-V and ROAC, the matter of Fr Gregory Lurye has been solved.

With love in Christ

Fr Siluan