Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles
| Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles | |
| Acronym(s) | TOC-ABI, AOM |
| Origin | Florinite |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Current primate | Met. John (Lobue) |
| Headquarters | West Milford, New Jersey, USA |
| Territory | North America, United Kingdom, Philippines |
| Liturgical language(s) | English/local |
| Musical tradition | Gregorian/Byzantine |
| Bishops | 6 |
| Parishes | 54 |
| Monasteries | 1 |
| Official website | www.orthodoxmetropolia.org |
The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles is an Old Calendarist jurisdiction which originally comprised the two archdioceses in America and the British deanery of the Holy Synod of Milan. In February 2011 the Milan Synod granted autonomous status to the jurisdiction. Discussions towards establishing an independent American metropolitanate in communion with the See of Milan began in November 2010. Previously the second ranking archbishop for the United States, Archbishop John of New York, was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan of North and South America for the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles in Milan, Italy.
It refuses and rejects any union with modernist-ecumenist organizations Orthodox church, although it is in communion with some Old Calendarist / True Orthodox groups. The church has six bishops, 36 parishes and missions, and 31 monastic and non-monastic clergy in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, as well as approximately 18 missions and churches in the Philippines.
Contents
History
As noted above, the Metropolia was organized as an Autonomous Orthodox Church in 2011. Some of the North American clergy, such as Metropolitan John, then Archbishop Hilarion (before his repose in 2018), and two older clergy, and a few surviving lay people, had, prior to their reception into the Milan Synod in 1997, been part of an non-canonical group called the "Synod of Orthodox Bishops of the Western Rite", but, perceiving the deficiencies in this, they petition to be received into the Milan Synod in 1997. Upon their reception, the two Bishops and the clergy, were received by correctional ordination (sometimes referred to as 'cherothesia'), in which all the prayers for reader, sub-deacon, deacon, priest, and bishop were read over the two Bishops, and they, in turn, read such prayers over their former clergy of their previous religious structure. The previous structure was thus formally dissolved and disbanded, and the new canonical reality of being part of the True Orthodox Church was achieved.
Gradual expansion transpired over the next 14 years, until Autonomy was achieved in 2011; a schism and apostasy happened around this time as some clergy were convinced to apostatize and joined the Moscow Patriarchate ROCOR, however, the structure as an whole remained loyal to their new Metropolitan, Archbishop John. Two new bishops were elected to act as assistants to the metropolitan, Bishop Fanourios of Lincoln and Bishop Christodoulos of Miami. Bishop Fanourios was consecrated the week of February 27 in Milan and Bishop Christodoulos was consecrated the following year. [Bishop Phanurios, subsequently, in 2016, asked to be laicized].
On 12 July 2011, Metropolitan John of New York and Metropolitan Angelos of Avlona entered into full communion with Metropolitan Raphael of the True Orthodox Church in Russia (TOC-R). This event was celebrated as the "Day of Unity" by all three churches until 2014.
An additional Bishop in Edmonton joined the Synod in 2012, who was received by correctional ordination, after having been previously associated with various independent Ukranian group; Archbishop Joseph was a valued member of the Synod, and reposed of cancer in 2016.
In 2016, a monastery was organized in Scotland, at Botel Abbey. In 2018, large numbers of former Moscow Patriarchate laity were received into the Metropolia in the Philippines, in October of that year; they were either received by Chrismation or Baptism [though, since, Metropolia clergy have emphasized any new converts from the MP should all be Baptized, irrespective of their former rites in the MP]; 9 Priests were ordained, and 1 Deacon, as well as about 20 minor clergy, to help administer the approximately 18 missions and hundreds of laity. In late September / early October of 2019, three new Bishops were consecrated for the Synod, to act as vicar bishops for the Metropolitan; the Synod of Avlona delegated Archbishop Gavrilo of Moravia to act as its representative and aid to Metropolitan John for the consecrations. The new Bishops were Bishop Lazr of Niagra (who will assist Metropolitan John in Canada), Bishop James of Whithorn, Dumfries, and the Marches (who will act as Metropolitan John's vicar in the UK, as well as being Abbot of Botel Abbey in Scotland), and Bishop Enoch of Apshawa (who will assist Metropolitan John for the United States and the Philippines).
Breach with the Milan Synod in Italy
On March 5, 2011, the chancery of the Holy Synod of Milan made public statements that negotiations were taking place to unite the Synod of Milan to the Patriarchate of Moscow and that they rejected communion with anyone who did not agree with their position.[1] While the public response of the metropolia was a refusal to accept the claim as authoritative statement from Milan, the response among the American clergy was divided. The majority of the clergy, siding with the Metropolitan, opted to strengthen the new Metropolia's bonds with their sister churches throughout the world. A minority, however, began dealing with the patriarchate in secret from the Metropolitan, revealing their change in affiliation after it occurred. Upon early discovery, a provisional statement was released for signature for future incoming clergy rejecting ecumenism and modernism. It is debated between parties for and against such union as to whether the open publication of the document halted the schism in the Metropolia or accelerated it.[2]
Position on "World Orthodoxy"
The position of the Metropolia on the question of so-called "World Orthodoxy" like that of most other True Orthodox synods, including its Sister Synods in Greece, Russia, etc, is decidedly negative. It does not regard the putative 'Sacraments' of the "World Orthodox" [i.e. Ecumenical Patriarchate, Moscow Patriarchate, Antiochian Patriarchate, Serbian Patriarchate, Greek New Calendarists, etc, and those in union with them] to be vvalid or grace-filled, and considers them to be null-void just as its considers the rites of Roman Catholics, Protestants, Monophysites, Nestorians, etc, to be invalid, null, and void. They Synod Chancery made an official statement confirming this position in 2018. https://orthodoxmetropolia.org/2018/09/09/synodal-chancery-statement-prior-to-visit-to-greece/?fbclid=IwAR1u03jQqxOp4mr2bs1jsoi1lS2_2QjhBQl9SFJ7P0QZ0YJyng3hiWRigkc
Relations with other jurisdictions
The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles was created by order of the Holy Synod of Milan on February 27, 2011.[3] A complicating factor to the issuance of said Tomos was the issuance of a Tomos giving jurisdiction over South America to Archbishop Chrysostomos of Ecuador, a Bishop of the True Orthodox Church of Metropolitan Anghelos, five months before with Metropolitan Evloghios' signature on it.[4] This has led to jurisdictional overlap between the two Synods, though in practice such overlap has involved only a few clergy or missions.
On April 4, 2011, the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia formally recognized that, for the present, communion with the Holy Synod of Milan had been broken by the latter and reaffirmed its communion with the other True Orthodox churches in communion with the American Metropolia.
On August 24, 2012 (New Style), Metropolitan John recognized the rights of Archbishop Onufrie of Bergamo, a Bishop of the Milan Synod who had separated from the Milan Synod with four parishes in Italy and Spain, as the legitimate head of the Synod in Italy[5] and he was given the rank and title granted to Metropolitan Evloghios of Milan. Due to internal issues within the existing communion, however, formal recognition was never realized. In October 2013, Metropolitan Onufrie issued a Tomos to Metropolitan Nicholas (Iuhos) of Cincinnati (formerly of the ROCOR-V) to self-govern;[6] this recognition was never recognized as valid by the Metropolia and estranged the two Synods. However, the lack of communion with Met. Onufrie continues to this day because of unresolved issues.
In March 2014, due to negotiations with a splinter group of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church, Metropolitan Raphael of Moscow issued letters defending the condemned heresy of Imyaslavie,[7] to which the Bishops of the Metropolia, in the person of Metropolitan John, issued a series of denunciations, with a final determination to be held at the Synod meeting in 2014. The Synod of Metropolitan Anghelos refused to condemn Imyaslavie as a heresy, referring to it only as a "theologumenon".
On December 18, 2014 (NS) The Synod formally anathematized Imyaslavie,[8] and considered communion between the Metropolia and the Synod of Metropolitan Raphael de facto broken, and by extension, the Synod of Metropolitan Anghelos, until such time as terminology defending Imyaslavie was formally rejected.
On June 16, 2018 the Synod published a Statement on Communion with Sister Synods, citing its re-affirmation of full communion with Greece and Russia and announcing establishment of The International Union of Genuine Orthodox Churches [9], along with the Synod Chancery statement that led to a resolution of the Imyaslavie controversy.
Expansion in Canada
With the reception of Bishop Joseph (Royer) of Edmonton by the Synod, a number of parishes which had become disaffected with the Ukrainian Orthodox Consistory's pastoral care applied to join and were accepted into the Archdiocese in 2013, leading the consistory to threaten legal action against the parishes (but not direct engagement against the Bishop) to take their buildings away. While some parishes were able to appeal to their right to the parish buildings in civil court, others have been threatened with legal action by the consistory, and are forming missions independently of their historic temples.[10]
The Synod named the bishop to the rank of Archbishop of Edmonton and Canada in 2014,[11] with an enthronement scheduled during the biennial meeting of the Synod of Bishops in 2014. Abp. Joseph reposed on December 6/19, 2016.
Western rites
The Metropolia has been most well-known for seeking to translate and publish for official usage the liturgical rites and customs of the Orthodox Western Fathers and Saints, and has opposed any attempts to attack or condemns canonical Pre-Schism Orthodox Western Usages.
Current structure
- Metropolitan John, Archbishop of New York and First-Hierarch of the Holy Synod
- Archbishop Vissarion of Munich
- Bishop Christodoulos of Miami and Santiago
- Bishop Lazr of Niagra
- Bishop James of Whithorn, Dumfries, and the Marches [UK]
- Bishop Enoch of Apshawa
Former or Reposed bishops
- Archbishop Joseph of Edmonton and Canada (+2016)
- Archbishop Hilarion of Texas
- Transfer. Bishop Seraphim of Manhattan and Long Island[12]
- Bishop Fanourios of Lincoln
Footnotes
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20111005003236/http://ihtis.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/informazioni-riguardando-notizzie-della-nostra-metropolia/
- ↑ http://morespaciousthantheheavens.blogspot.com/2012/05/sinking-ship-of-milan-synod.html
- ↑ https://www.scribd.com/doc/50316494/original-tomos0001
- ↑ http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SrG-6w3hn1M/TeRx1_7ka0I/AAAAAAAAAFw/V6r2S1MMeRI/s1600/Elevaci%25C3%25B3nMetropolitaweb.JPG
- ↑ http://orthodoxmetropolia.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tomos10.pdf
- ↑ http://www.tocamerica.org/assets/Tomos-of-Autonomy-2013.jpg
- ↑ http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=107824
- ↑ http://orthodoxmetropolia.org/synodal-anathema-name-worship-imiaslavie-heresy/
- ↑ http://orthodoxmetropolia.org/2018/06/16/statement-on-communion-with-sister-synods/
- ↑ http://orthodoxarchdiocese.ca/parishes/
- ↑ http://orthodoxarchdiocese.ca/diocese-of-edmonton/
- ↑ In July of 2014, Bp Seraphim asked to transfer to the jurisdiction of the True Orthodox Church of the Patristic Calendar under Metropolitan Anghelos of Avlonos. The request was informally granted.
