New York, April 26, 2024
Former Igumen Tikhon Gayfudinov with Abp. Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese. Photo: slavonic.org
At its session on March 5, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia dealt with the issue of a number of clerics who departed from ROCOR and joined the Slavic Vicariate of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America without a canonical release.
In particular, the Synod considered the cases of Abbot Tikhon (Gayfudinov), Archpriest Andrei Pastukh, Archpriest Edward Chervinsky, and Protodeacon Vladimir Oliynyk, “who wrought disturbance in the church life of several diocesan parishes.”
Having discussed the resolution and the circumstances of their cases comprehensively, including actions undertaken by all four that have been a cause of temptation for both clergy and flock, to the point of departing beneath the omophorion of a separate jurisdiction without a release from their ruling bishop, it is with sorrow that the Synod of Bishops adopts the following resolution, provided here in brief:
To ratify the resolution of the Spiritual Court of the Eastern American Diocese regarding the laicization of the former Abbot Tikhon (Gayfudinov), Archpriest Andrei Pastukh, Archpriest Edward Chervinsky, and Protodeacon Vladimir Oliynyk.
OrthoChristian reported last April on former Igumen Tikhon (Gayfudinov), who not only personally switched jurisdictions, but took the Holy Protection Skete in Buena Vista Township, New Jersey, with him.
A lawsuit is currently underway concerning the monastery property.
The head of the Slavic Vicariate, former Archimandrite Alexander (Belya), is also suing the ROCOR Synod of Bishops, the Eastern American Diocese, and a number of other ROCOR clerics after he failed to secure his election as Bishop of Miami in the summer of 2019.
The Vicariate was then created in 2020 as a haven for Belya, who was defrocked by ROCOR after he abandoned the jurisdiction without a canonical release. GOARCH has tried to make Belya a bishop, but the hierarchs of other jurisdictions have loudly protested.
His father, former Archpriest Alexander Belya, also left ROCOR and was later defrocked together with several clerics who followed him.
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