April 21, 2007

Christ Is Risen!

Father Stefan,

I am standing by my ecclesiastical decision to rescind your ordination as a Bishop due to the information provided to me by several clergymen.  Are you aware that a Metropolitan of Fort Lauderdale and a Bishop from Ohio currently have issues with you?  The example below indicates to me you were representing yourself only, by indicating you were emanating from the Romanian Orthodox Church in Exile.  Where did this come from?  I did not approve this.  You were in an autocephalous archdiocese but that didn’t mean you were personally autocephalous, nor permission to form your own separate jurisdiction.

This is an example from the Web Magazine, Orthodox Christian Herald a Syro Russian Orthodox Catholic Publication showing your pending application to The Council of Canonical Autocephalous Orthodox Bishops

Those pending:  His Excellency Bishop Stefan (Romanian Orthodox Church in Exile);

I noticed your name in the “sent to” block of an email I received from Bishop Timothy on April 7, 2007.  You didn’t alert me to this.  It appears you were transit from our jurisdiction to theirs and in direct communication with them.

From : Romano <rbsocc@juno.com>
Sent :    Saturday, April 7, 2007 10:03 PM
To :      frnesmith@aol.com, archangelmichael@msn.com, archbishopjovan@yahoo.com, aoccvocations@yahoo.com, ortho.priest@earthlink.net, scosas@yahoo.com, samoc@optonline.net, vladykatimotheos@msn.com

continued

I have withdrawn my ecclesiastical covering and omophorion from your person.  We pray the Lord helps you to see all issues regarding your clergyman status be resolved in repentance.

Issues:
1.         A review was conducted under our jurisdiction, as a spiritual court which supports my decision.
2.         A personal communication – by telephone – with both a Metropolitan of Ft. Lauderdale and a Bishop of Ohio opposed your elevation to Bishop, on grounds of non-canonical and unauthorization of church and private personal properties.
3.         Written evidential witness of Metropolitan Stephen and Bishop Timothy of violated canon, regarding proper release from jurisdictions.
4.         Violations of non-compliance to our Metropolia, after our numerous written requests.
5.         Scandalized Orthodox Church, as a bishop, with violations of law, proven guilty, and now recorded as a felon under probation.
6.         Impropriety of church property (St. Anthony Chapel), non-compliances on building permits, church finances, violation of IRS Rule 501 (c) (3) Federal laws.
7.         U.S. Code Statutes Law holds the jurisdictional Archdiocese sometimes liable for conduct of its clergymen members.  Your hold-harmless affidavit states you will not implicate nor bring harm to our Metropolia.  You are in violation of that document.

If you want to pursue a spiritual court in these matters I suggest you contact Metropolitan Stephen and Bishop Timothy since you are still in their jurisdiction and covering.

In Christ’s service,

Metropolitan Archbishop + Haralambos,
Primate of the Holy Ukrainian Orthodox National Autocephalic
Church in Exile, Blessings of Kiev
Greek Pan Orthodox Independent Pro Tem Patriarchate of the New Jerusalem Labydonos
Grand Prior and Chevalier of the Order of Holy Sepulchre (O.S.S.)
Orthodox Priory in America
 

Bishop + Petros, Chancellor of the Metropolia

cc: Metropolitan Stephen
      Bishop Timothy
      Mary Ann Khouri (Alex and Kathy)