The Patriarch's corner lists some of the Patriarch's comments and writings or links to other writings.
A complaint was sent to the Ecumenical Patriarch by U.S. Airmail (documented by a certificate of Mailing) as well as by E-mail. Their refusal to respond or act appears to state they support all the violations of the Sacred and Divine canons by their own clergy and that they only use the canons as a tool to attack others they wish to declare are unorthodox. If your interested in this complaint contact us for the link.
Many bishops believe it is within their individual authority to ordain as they see fit. In Orthodoxy it is a decision to be made by either a committee who reviews the individuals credentials and then forward their recommendations to their synod or metropolitan, or the synod as a whole must approve ordinations. This is according to the Rudder (Canons) as well as Orthodox tradition. Any bishop who claims to be orthodox and ordains at will without the approval of their synod or Metropolitan are acting outside the Orthodox Canons. In some if not all Orthodox Jurisdictions this may also be a local canon.
Patriarch Nikon agrees with the reports that Pope Benedict stated that Political leaders and Jurists must protect life from Conception to Natural Death.
There have been some questions regarding the Patriarch's educational background. He has earned a number of degrees to a doctorate in Sacred Theology. He has also earned a number of secular diploma's and certificates. Patriarch Nikon, prior to being elected Patriarch, was also offered some honorary degrees.
Also FYI. Patriarch Nikon is a true celibate. He has never married and he is not homosexual, a question asked occasionally. He has remained friendly with ladies he dated prior to entering the priesthood.
Reminder - The North American Holy Synod Proclaimed Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh a Martyr in Oct. 2007. His Feast Day is July 24th.
We have turned away from the schismatic Orthodox jurisdictions in "the New World" who have attempted to usurp our Authority and Jurisdicion contrary to the Sacred and Divine Canons.
Patriarch Nikon is seeking benefactor's to assist our growth. We seek to sell or payoff a mortgage on some Church property, then purchase a few acres for a monastic site. We plan to build earth sheltered structures to cut the use of fossil fuels, conserve energy and lower monthly expenses. The site is intended to include a cemetery and a Shrine where the Holy Relics will be displayed in the Chapel. We also hope to install some RV hookups so visitors might be able to park on the grounds.
There is no doubt that;
Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh was a canonical Orthodox bishop.
A schism occured when in 1929 the Greek Archbishop told Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh that he, not Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh, was over all Orthodox in North America. There was no canonical authority for this claim.
By statements made by the early bishops (synod) of this Church, and published on Orthodoxwiki, that we did not adopt the canon related to married bishops.
None of the Orthodox Churches that were around in 1927 are the "same Church" today that they were then. Over the years the synod members have retired and reposed.
Legally and morally this Church is the same Chartered and incorporated Church entity that we were in 1927.
As the American Orthodox Catholic Church (THEOCACNA) we are the only canonically established Orthodox Church in the New World who is in our canonical and rightful jurisdiction.
All claims by SCOBA Orthodox and independents who claim we are not the American Orthodox Catholic Church (THEOCACNA) are lies! Our documents prove we are who we claim to be but some try to deny this so their false information looks true and their claims then appear to be true.
These same SCOBA groups who operate in our Jurisdiction are the Schismatic groups mentioned on the Schism in American Othodoxy pages.
I, Nikon, Patriarch of the American Orthodox Patriarchate, a canonically established Orthodox Church established in 1927 in North America for ALL English Speaking Orthodox in the New World, ask you to read and consider all the information related to the Schism created by the pre-scoba "ethnic" Orthodox in 1927. Consider for yourself if failure by the Orthodox to recognize a sister Church is a schism, or to attack and continue to lie about Orthodox clergy who have been dead over 40 years is "Christian", proper and Orthodox.
Then please consider the canons and what penality they direct to Schismatics. Most do not know or consider their Church or themselves as Schismatics. When a Schism occurs the clergy lose all sacramental authority and lead their congregations away from true Orthodoxy. In the past we sent this information to the Ecumenical Patriarch and others but we have recently sent by airmail a packet including the Decree and findings of the Schism created by the usurper jurisdictions. These packets were mailed to the Ecumenical Patriarch, Russian Patriarch (Moscow) and the Syrian Antiochian Patriarch.
Please read the articles and decrees posted on our website. The Schism link (below) goes to the information important to your Spiritual well-being.
Taken from the writings of Abp. Victor
Today there is only one way we believe the Schism can canonically be ended. The Ecumenical Patriarch and each jurisdiction that is or has been in the U.S. since Feb. 2, 1927 must acknowledge and accept this Church as the only true American Orthodox Catholic Church and accept us as of our original date of Charter. They must provide written letters of Apology to us and to the family of Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh of Blessed Memory.
Due to the Schismatic acts of the Greek, Russian and other Orthodox jurisdicions to invade our canonically established territory (jurisdiction) we denounce them as usurpers who are void of any Christian Charity as shown by their attack on Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh of Blessed Memory during his life and all these years since his repose in 1966. As Schismatics these groups have lost any and all sacramental authority due to ther violations of the Sacred and Divne Canons (the Rudder).
To all Orthodox clergy who do not wish to be part of the ongoing Schism caused by their Church.
We offer a home to good clergy who are surprised or shocked to discover what their Church did since 1927 and the unchristian ongoing attack on this Church and Clergy for over 80 years.
If you do not believe us please read the Orthodoxwiki pages American Orthodox Catholic Church and Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh. The writings of the Orthodox clergy who edit these pages confirm much of what we state. Our pages fill in the rest.
Then review the canons.
Since we are canonically established as the American Church, did not cause the Schism, continue today as the American Orthodox Catholic Church, our short name, and follow Holy Scripture, the Orthodox Canons and Tradition we are Orthodox and we are the American Orthodox Catholic Church.
We recommend all avoid any communion with these groups as the canons do state that those who pray with the excommunicated are excommunicated and those who pray with the deposed are deposed. Schismatics thus in violation of the canons have placed their churches and members in such a position.
The ethnic orthodox, referring to the Greek, Russian, Syrian and other such old world church jurisdictions, in the new world (i.e. America) caused a Schism in American Orthodoxy by refusing to acknowledge or be in communion with the newly established (1927) American Church.
The claim by the Ecumenical Patriarch that he was the one to establish an American Church and the claim by his Archbishop that he (Alexander) had authority over all Orthodox in North America were false claims with no canonical basis. Recently such a claim was made about the Ecumenical Patriarch being over all Orthodox worldwide and even the late Russian Patriarch, Alexi, spoke up and denied that claim. But no one spoke up in defense of this Church at any time.
We were established to serve (all) the English speaking Orthodox in the new World. Today that means most Orthodox in America. All such jurisdictions who denied this sister Church and who block us from our rightful ministry, who defame this Church and long dead clergy and who attempt to rewrite history to make their Churches look innocent and our clergy of blessed memory to appear unorthodox are schismatics and unchristian perjurers! Their predecessors violated the canons since 1927 and they continue to do so today.
Here are the true and documented facts about this Church. If you read nothing else on this site we ask that you read this statement.
We are the original Church as established on Feb. 2, 1927 and incorporated on Feb. 1, 1928. The original clergy died many years ago so we are not, of course, the original clergy.
We are canonical but not in communion with SCOBA or the Ecumenical Patriarch. Anyone who claims you must be in communion with either is misleading you.
We offer only the approved Liturgies used in North America in English. These include the Western Rite Sts. Tikhon and Gregory Masses and the Byzantine Eastern Liturgies.
We are recognized by the Roman Catholic Church and have a letter that we may offer communion to Catholics within our liturgy. Clergy have shared the altar with Roman Catholic and SCOBA Ukrainian clergy. One of our former priests was accepted without re-ordination into the Episcopal Church USA and heads a small Arkansas parish.
Any Orthodox Church and clergy operating and residing within our canonically granted and chartered jurisdiction, being America, are in violation of the canons of Orthodoxy and we do not recognize them as being canonical, no matter who they claim to be in communion with.