Several ROCOR clergy in England defrocked

London, March 2, 2022

Photo: orthodox-europe.org Photo: orthodox-europe.org     

A number of clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe who attempted to transfer to another jurisdiction without a canonical release from their ruling hierarch have been defrocked.

The given clerics, including the well-known Fr. Andrew Phillips, sought to be received into the Moscow Patriarchate’s Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe last fall, and despite protests from ROCOR and attempts to resolve the situation, the Archdiocese publicly announced that it had received the clerics in September. However, following cooperation between the administrations of the Moscow Patriarchate, ROCOR, and the Archdiocese, the head of the latter, Metropolitan John of Dubna announced last month that their reception was rescinded.

For more information on the background of the story, see our article from February 17.

While several priests involved offered their repentance and have been restored to canonical status, several others have persisted and were defrocked on Monday, reports the Synodal Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations.

The statement reads:

The Holy Synod on 28 February 2022 confirmed the determination of the Ecclesiastical Court of 21 October 2021, that the following individuals, formerly clergymen of the Parish of St John of Shanghai in Colchester, England, have been duly defrocked from the ranks of the clergy of the Orthodox Church and returned to the status of laymen: Andrew Phillips, George Petrovsky, Ioan Iana, Timothy Phillips, and Sergius Smantana.

While rumors have circulated online that they had been accepted by the Romanian Patriarchate, the Secretariat reports that Metropolitan Iosif of the Romanian Church has confirmed directly to the ROCOR hierarchs that he declined to receive them after learning that they had not been canonically released from ROCOR.

Further, the Secretariat reports that “the church building on Military Road in Colchester, England, formerly home to the canonical Parish of St John of Shanghai, is at present no longer a canonical Orthodox parish.”

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3/2/2022

See also
Reception of ROCOR clergy into Paris Archdiocese without a release is rescinded Reception of ROCOR clergy into Paris Archdiocese without a release is rescinded Reception of ROCOR clergy into Paris Archdiocese without a release is rescinded Reception of ROCOR clergy into Paris Archdiocese without a release is rescinded
A number of clerics sought to be received into the Paris Archdiocese last fall, and despite protests from ROCOR and attempts to resolve the situation, the Archdiocese declared that it had received the clerics in September. However, with Met. John’s new decree, all agree that the relevant clerics, including the well-known Fr. Andrew Phillips, remain under the canonical authority of ROCOR. ROCOR Synod discusses situation with the Paris Archdiocese ROCOR Synod discusses situation with the Paris Archdiocese ROCOR Synod discusses situation with the Paris Archdiocese ROCOR Synod discusses situation with the Paris Archdiocese
During its session on December 8-9, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia discussed, among other things, long-standing tensions in relations with His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna, head of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe. Moscow hierarchs comment on the situation between ROCOR and the Paris Archdiocese Moscow hierarchs comment on the situation between ROCOR and the Paris Archdiocese Moscow hierarchs comment on the situation between ROCOR and the Paris Archdiocese Moscow hierarchs comment on the situation between ROCOR and the Paris Archdiocese
The Patriarchal Exarch also recalled that there were such difficulties when ROCOR first reunited with the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007, but that those difficulties had been ironed out over time.
Comments
Luke4/10/2023 9:10 pm
GOD bless the ROCOR hierarchs for acting to maintain spiritual discipline in this. If they are not authoritative to lead, guided by the Holy Spirit, then they aren't really bishops. But we believe they are, and that Christ's Church comes before any clergyman. This doesn't address whether any involved are factually right or wrong. One can have 'facts' and still act wrong. The LORD will make that judgment at the appropriate time. Nevertheless, without ecclesiastical discipline there can be no spiritual trust for the faithful. Let GOD be true and every man a liar.
Philippe 3/4/2022 10:34 pm
A reliable source and parishioner of the church told me all the clergy and parish were accepted into the Romanian Church ‘a little while ago now’, I’m confused as it doesn’t reflect what Bishop Irenei wrote. Having taken a screenshot at the time, I note their parish website has been saying they are part of the Romanian Church for at least the last 10 days and their facebook for at least 1 week. If I recall correctly this isn’t the first time Bishop Irenei’s statements are contradicted by reality, last time he claimed to have contacted the MP Archdiocese who denied the parish had been accepted by them when in fact they were. If that’s the case then it’s the same as the Alexandria P. defrocking the 2 Russian Priests in Africa and worth nothing, as one church cannot defrock the clergy of another. The saga continues! Either way, I’m glad they remain canonical and open, I had feared they went to the C.P. and Orthodox churches are desperately needed in the UK.
Reader Seraphim3/4/2022 3:58 pm
The website for St John's Orthodox Church in Colchester is saying there will be a Liturgy next Sunday. Will Mr. Phillips (as he now is) purport to serve the Liturgy without being a canonical priest? If so, lay people should boycott this abuse of the Holy Service.
Dionysius Redington3/4/2022 5:23 am
The Colchester parish webpage https://www.saintjohnsorthodoxchurch.com/ [visited 2022 March 3] states that it is a 'Part of the Romanian Orthodox Church ... a multilingual parish whose services follow the Russian tradition and which cares for grassroots Orthodox of all nationalities in Eastern England'. The clergy page states: 'We depend on the canonical authority of the Romanian Orthodox Church, under His Holiness Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, and led by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joseph. Rector: Archpriest Andrew Phillips. Second priest: Priest Ioan Iana.' There is no sign of the Romanian ethnic emphasis implied by Cristian's post, nor any indication of not being canonical. On the other hand, they do not seem to be on the Metropolia's list of UK parishes http://www.mitropolia.eu/ro/site/173/ ---------I hope very much that they *are* canonical, because Fr. (?) Andrew, despite holding many extreme views with which I disagree, has in my opinion probably done more for the Church than any other living Englishman (excepting only Metro. Kallistos, now unhappily on the wrong side of the schism). Bp. Irenei's akribeia in this situation, if that's his motivation, is hard to understand. Dionysius Redington
Basil3/4/2022 4:55 am
Money doesn't matter - it was founded by ROCOR because it was established with the blessing of a ROCOR bishop. The Synod probably financially contributes little to nothing for most of its new parishes, but they're all still founded by ROCOR.
Joseph Lipper3/3/2022 11:05 pm
It sounds like Father Andrew Philips will now need to appeal his defrocking to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and that's probably exactly what he will do.
Philippe 3/3/2022 9:37 pm
Basil - To be clear, Rocor has never founded or contributed a single cent/penny towards the parish in Colchester, it was entirely built by Fr Andrew, his family and its parishioners. He then repeated the same process with the parish in Norwich and the one near Cambridge. From my sources, in fact it’s much the opposite, Rocor wanted more money from them, they paid their dues like everyone else but when more was wanted it was refused as they never ‘founded’ or contributed anything, then B. Irenei accused Fr Andrew of stealing from his own Church, an outrageous accusation! Yes, unfortunately this issue has a lot to do with money! It is clear the parish wanted out of Rocor, it was refused countless times, Rocor acting like a cult refusing anyone to leave them.
Basil3/3/2022 7:21 pm
Cristian, please explain how the Romanian Patriarchate is the mother church of the Colchester parish, considering that the main priest and a deacon are English, a second priest is Russian (leaving a Romanian priest and deacon) and the simple fact that the parish was founded by ROCOR and has always been a part of ROCOR. What you're suggesting is that if a church's ethnic demographics sway in one particular direction, then the entire parish should simply transfer to that particular patriarchate. Complete madness. If this were to be the case, the Romanians should simply annex half the parishes in the Western hemisphere.
Cristian3/3/2022 2:58 pm
It is a non-canonical act of the Russian bishop Irenei, an inexperienced bishop, who pronounces punishments on the priests of another Patriarchate (can. 34 ap; can. 35 ap.). So the penalty is null and void. The attitude of the Russian bishop Irenei, who disregarded the Colchester parish of the majority Orthodox Romanians, is unfortunate. The priests of Colchester are very good priests, loved by the faithful, and their kindness outweighs the wickedness of the bishop of Moscow. The bishop did not understand that the Romanians and their priests wanted to go to the Mother Church, to the RomaIt is a non-canonical act of the Russian bishop Irene, an inexperienced bishop, who pronounces punishments on the priests of another Patriarchate (can. 34 ap .; can. 35 ap.). So the penalty is null and void. The attitude of the Russian bishop Irene, who disregarded the Colchester parish of the majority Orthodox Romanians, is unfortunate. the Colchester priests are very good priests, loved by the faithful, and their kindness outweighs the wickedness of the bishop of Moscow. The bishop of Irenaeus did not understand that the Romanians and their priests wanted to go to the Mother Church, to the Romanian Patriarchate (can. 34 ap.). Is that to be condemned?
Constantine3/3/2022 5:46 am
All the more reason we need to end this jurisdictional madness.
Stephanos3/2/2022 6:31 pm
Why did the clergy seek to leave ROCOR in the first place?? What was their complaint?
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