"Enter, learn and be saved through the Life-Giving Cross" 

            We herewith announce with great sadness that the SCOBA Orthodox Churches in North America are Schismatics and that the Orthodox Church of Greece (Athens) and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) knowingly and intentionally prayed with the excommunicated contrary to Canon 10 (X) of the 85 Apostolic Canons.  

            The ethnic Orthodox Church and clergy appear to use the Canons selectively to favor themselves. In this case they were notified of the excommunication of a member of the Orthodox Church in America and a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.  A letter was sent to the Ecumenical Patriarch requesting he contact the heads of both jurisdictions to direct them to observe these decrees, made by the full Synod against two laymen who were accused, one of whom publicly acknowledged his use of Church property without permission, and neither has repented. The Canons direct that people guilty of theft shall be excommunicated (see c.3 of the 12 canons, i.e. "For every thief and greedy person and unjust person is excommunicated and estranged from the Church of God").  The Canons also forbid giving communion to a thief (c. 61 of the 92 Canons).  

            After being notified of the full Synod's issuance of the said decrees by E-mail, facsimile, and U.S. Mail, the Church of Greece ignored the decree because they state "the Church that issued the decrees is not in communion [with them]". Their logic is defective here. The Church that issued the decrees is a canonically established Orthodox Church that was chartered in 1927 by the Russian Synod in North America with valid Holy Orders from the Church of the East (Malabar). All Canonical Orthodox requirements were met regarding the issuance of the said decrees.  The decrees were based on the simple directive of the Sacred and Divine Canons claimed by these ethnic clergy as the laws of the Orthodox Church. The individuals attacked a canonically established Church, called it a cult, defamed the Metropolitan, knowingly used Church property without permission, and continued to do so after being advised the said property was legal property of the Church. The Church and clergy were held up to ridicule by these thieves.  The Church contacted her attorney who brought in a specialist  to handle the legal aspects of this matter.  The North American Holy Synod handled the ecclesiastical aspects. The jurisdiction of this Church was included in the said decrees and is in fact a valid historical claim. 
     

            It is hereby proclaimed that by their actions contrary to the Sacred and Divine Canons (Pedalion) the Greek Orthodox Church (Athens) and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA)  knowingly and intentionally placed themselves outside and above the Sacred Canons and made themselves schismatic and heretical groups as interpreted in the said Canons. as the Canons require. The actions of the Greek Orthodox Church  and the OCA violated the Sacred and Divine Canons, and that action supported the attack on this Church. The Canons are clear, "If anyone pray in company with one who has been excommunicated, he shall be excommunicated himself" (Canon 10 (X) of the 85 Apostolic Canons).  

            The Orthodox disregard the Sacred Canons which they use injudiciously and only selectively in their favor and therefore excommunicate themselves by their own acts through the Canons.