Seeking Input On Milan Synod

[spiridon]

Kollyvas, why are you interested in Impressions of Roac,Rocie,and Milan ?
I just noticed you were asking about these groups, there info can be found on there individual Group websites, including the synod in Resistance ,that you didnt ask about..............

[Kollyvas]

i like to appreciate the opinions of others...
r

[1937 Miraculous Cross]

Dear Kollyvas,

the American branch of the Milan Synod has an interesting history. I don't know how much you know, but I'll relate a bit here, as I used to attend their church here in Austin many years ago. Bp. Hilarion of austin and Bp. John in New Jersey used to be Old Catholics. They derived their orders from a unique lineage starting with a former Anglican married priest in England (I forgot his name). This priest was accepted by the Antiochian Patriarchate in the early 1900's as a fellow bishop (Iguess the Antiochians didn't know the entire situation).

This bishop consecrated another Old Catholic whose name I also forgot who came to America. This "bishop" ordained many new bishops, often co-consecrating with Monophysites and Malabar clergy. However, one of these '3rd tier" bishops was a married clergyman who was affiliated with the Moscow Pat. This was the beginning of the "Western Orthodox" label they used to use. Eventually, Bp. Hilarion of Austin and Bp. John were ordained as Western Rite Orthodox/Old Catholics. They were kind of sitting somewhere in between. (BTW, it was as Old Catholics that they took in and cared for OCA Bp. Theodur who used to live in Juarez, Mexico. I was told he was senile. He was the holy elder that Christ of the Hills in Blanco promoted so much).

I keep in touch with the two monks, Frs Aidan and Anthony. In general, they are all very likeable men, as well as their bishop. I had to part company with them many years prior to their Milan synod merger because they were not Orthodox, even though their mind set was in some ways more Orthodox than the New Calendarists I know here in austin.)

Their reception into Orthdoxy has always been somewhat irregular in my personal opinion. They wanted to hang on to their Western Rite -- which btw, is a beautiful service in the Old Sarum Rite -- rather than just become laymen for awhile, learn the True Faith and then perhaps get ordained. None of them were baptized properly according to the Orthodox prescription, but by effusion as Old Catholics, and then I presume just had cheirtonia by Met. Evloghie.

Fr. Aidan who is now longer there from what i hear, was always more conservative, while Fr. anthony told me that they accepted the Roman Catholics as part of the chruch. (this was in his pre-Milan days...I don't know if that changed.)

In general, they truely love our Lord, but I wished had gone a different route into Orthodoxy.

in Christ,
Nectarios manzanero
Austin, TX

[spiridon]

Vladyka Theodore Irtel wasnt OCA, he was brought To alaska by MP to get rid of A/M Gerasim Schmaltz of Blessed memory who was taken care of St.Hermans Relics and Church......Somthing strange happened and St.Herman didnt allow the persecution of Fr.Gerasim and Bishop Theodore left to Juarez...Both of these Men Fr.Gerasim and bishop Irtel remained in Exile till there Deaths in america..........It was ex-Milan synod arch-Bishop Lazar P. and Bishop Varlaam of Canada who were both accepted into the OCA, and as we speak they are in OCA(But Retired)..............some say Vladyka Theodore, who took a different name when given the Great Schema, was senile, but there is no proof...I think what ever happened to him on Spruce Island made him repent and he became a FOOL for CHRIST..he lived on the Streets of Juarez Mexico and was a Bishop in nobody`s jurisdiction, and lived amongst the poor serving liturgy and making processions with all the homelss kids during feasts,till the rumors from the catholic priests made it to someone connected to the milan synod monastery in Austin Tx., that amongst the poor live a crazy russian Bishop ,and was known by Catholics "EL PADRE BLANCO"
The white Priest.............................Memory Eternal Vladyka Theodore

[1937 Miraculous Cross]

Dear Niphon,

you wrote:

some say Vladyka Theodore, who took a different name when given the Great Schema, was senile, but there is no proof...I think what ever happened to him on Spruce Island made him repent and he became a FOOL for CHRIST..he lived on the Streets of Juarez Mexico and was a Bishop in nobody`s jurisdiction, and lived amongst the poor serving liturgy and making processions with all the homelss kids during feasts,till the rumors from the catholic priests made it to someone connected to the milan synod monastery in Austin Tx., that amongst the poor live a crazy russian Bishop ,and was known by Catholics "EL PADRE BLANCO"

For whatever it is worth. I never met Bp. Theodore, but I was told by an Orthodox priest who once visited him in Juarez, the Bp. Theodore had in addition to icons on his wall, symbols of other religions including the Star of David. There may have been more to the man than what is told.

Anyway, based on that information, I never felt he was the holy Elder that Blanco and the Old Catholics said he was. If he was a holy Elder, why did he go to an Old Catholic jurisdiction? They were not in the Milan Synod at the time.

Nectarios

[spiridon]

many Elders have been attacked with lies ,even from within the church..and well he was from MP and this star couldve been the infamous Star of Moscow..who knows,what we do know is that he was in Exile and after being almost 80 years old no one came to help this old povershed and ailing Russian Bishop, who wanted to go back home ,but knew he couldnt because of the state of communism within the church..
he simply took shelter my dear friend with someone who atleast had human dignity to see that this old man was a real FOOL FOR CHRIST, he never became old trad/cath..he served divine Liturgy as was his duty while on earth as a Bishop in EXILE, he passed on what he knew and is why this place made a decision not to go ROCOR,OCA,ANtiochian,etc...
Elder THEODORE knew some great people connected to the last ZSAR and his Family including many other saints and elder of russia....I think for a long time people prayed in america for a FOOL FOR CHRIST, and one was granted to them and they totally screwed up and let him almost starve to death and make up lies about him......may his memory be eternal ....

[spiridon]

Schema-Bishop Theodore IRTEL --
Priest Monk Sergius Irtel had a devout veneration to Blessed Pasha of Sarov and Diveyevo, we all know his job in america was to get rid of A/M Gerasim Schmaltz of blessed memory and establish a new Valaam monastery at the place of St.Hermans relics on Spruce Island, but that changed by the Blessed St.Hermans love for A/M Gerasim of blessed memory...he often talked about his memorys of the 1920s and 1930s of defending the Old Calendar in Valaam monastery, he contacted TB and moved to Juarez Mexico he died Nov 8/21 1996 at a very old age ,having taken the name of his Valaam elder Heiro-Schema monk Theodore(+1939) in new york....memory Eternal