When we attempted to post an article about THEOCACNA, THE HOLY EASTERN ORTHODOX CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA, on orthodox wiki we received a welcome email from one of the priests who "control" that site and he had deleted our page stating we were not part of traditional orthodoxy.
This individual, as we understand it, a priest of the Antiochian Church who it would appear has a conflict of interest in this matter since his Church is a schismatic group within our canonical jurisdiction. Their Patriarch and Metropolitan Philip appear to have violated the Sacred and Divine canons in allowing a priest to marry after ordination which the canons direct shall cause that bishop to be deposed.
a. He wrote a thesis on this Church for his degree. His claims are proven false so he should be embarrassed to say the least.
b. The webpages posted on Orthodoxwiki about our Church contain much speculation that when you take it all and list it proves they have no documentation but are publishing assumptions to make their Church look so upstanding while attacking THEOCACNA (THE HOLY EASTERN ORTHODOX CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA) and Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh of blessed memory. We content their bogus claims are an effort to claim they are the American Church - they are not, they are out of the (Greek Orthodox) Syrian Church and they did not receive our Charter for the "New World" or North America.
Examples of their unsupported and undocumented claims, that conflict, printed on orthodoxwiki:
Abp. Ofiesh deposed himself when he married.
*Denied by THEOCACNA Archives and Mariam Ofiesh.
Abp. Ofiesh retired when he married. *Denied by THEOCACNA Archives, Mariam Ofiesh and also stated both ways on orthodox wiki.
Abp. Ofiesh was suspended by Bp. Sophronius (about Sept. 1933).
*FALSE - One bishop cannot act canonically against another bishop and in this case his superior.
Abp. Ofiesh was responsible for the many Episcopi Vagants claiming lines to this Church - THEOCACNA (THE HOLY EASTERN ORTHODOX CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA).
*Most of the claimed lines trace back to Ignatius...After he left THEOCACNA in 1933.
*A few claimed lines trace to Sophronius where they claim Sophronius was assisted by Noli, consecrated Contegeorge when in fact Noli did. The document is on Noli's letterhead and signed first by Noli.
Mariam Ofiesh wrote in the Biography of Abp. Aftimios that he fully intended to continue as a married bishop (also stated on wiki). Archbishop Ofiesh DID NOT lay hands on anyone after he married in 1933 but he did continue as head of this Church until his death in 1966.
That Bp. Joseph (Zuk) and Bp. Ignatius (Nichols) an Auxiliary bishop held a "synod" to elect the new head of the Church believing Abp. Aftimios had retired.
*Bp. Joseph denied this (so stated on wiki).
*Its also published on wiki that they, +Joseph & +Ignatius, stated the canon on married bishops was a European and Asiatic canon that had no bearing on the American Church. This shows that this Cjurch never adopted this Administrative canon.
That Bp. Ignatius left the Church (without the required letters) in June 1933 and married. (also on wiki)
*In 1934
That Bp. Sophronius excommunicated Bp. Ignatius (about) October 1933.
*Maybe a good idea but contrary to the canons since one bishop cannot excommunicate another.
That Bp. Sophronius is buried next to St Raphael in Antiochian Village.
*Is this some reward for claiming he violated the canons to support their bogus claims? It was published that Sophronius congratulated the couple when they returned home so why later violate the canons and claim to suspend your Archbishop?
One important statement they (Owiki) publish is that the Greek Archbishop (Alexander) of the new diocese of North and South America told Aftimios, in 1929, that he (Alexander) and not Aftimios was over all Orthodox in America.
* No canonical basis for this claim!
* Usurping the Authority of THEOCACNA
* This claim is the basis of the Schism in American Orthodoxy
To show how unchristian the ethnic Orthodox are and how afraid of Abp. Ofiesh and his church they continue to be they refer to his church as no longer existing and his church today as an independent group claiming the corporate rights to the names "The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America" (THEOCACNA and "American Orthodox Catholic Church" (AOCC).
It is assumed that Metropolitan Philip supports all these conflicting claims. He was contacted about this and appears to have ignored the request that was sent to him. But then again how "Orthodox" is Philip who is seen more often without a beard. He does not seem to set a good example for his clergy in a few areas.
Claim: The American Church was not recognized after Abp. Ofiesh married!
Much of the above that they publish when all compiled together conflicts and clearly shows these claims are hearsay.
Simple!
Fear!!
They do not allow THEOCACNA to publish their history to refute the false information by those with a conflict of interest - Antiochians and others. It is believed that Philip wants to claim to be the American Church since his Church is, or has been, more recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarch over the years. The OCA has its own problems over recognition.
A Syrian Bishop, Germanius, came to this country supposedly without the Patriarchs permission to fundraise. While here he accept clergy contrary to the canons, tried to take parishes and property also. Consider who benefited in the long run by his acts!
The OCA was Chartered in 1970, 43 years after we were canonically Chartered.,/I.
Their people have been writing books for years and their inaccurate claims appear to be an attempt to change history.
Bishop Alexander of the Greek Archdiocese in North America created the Schism and it is believed that this happened with the blessing and support of Patriarch Basil III. This would not have occured without his support.
The other orthodox jurisdictions in North America followed suit and turned their back on THEOCACNA. Thus they were party to the Schism.
The Russian Church, our mother Church, also abandoned this Church.
The Russian Church chartered the OCA in 1970 to act within our canonical jurisdiction.
By praying with Schismatics the OCA, along with all the other jurisdictions who turned their backs on this Church, suffer the canonical punishments for Schism.
They have been in Schism with American Orthodoxy since 1929. Their behavior, claims and public treatment of long dead canonical orthodox clergy suport this claim. Since a bishop is supposed to know the canons their "bishops" should have prevented these acts but by their silence they appear to support these actions.