CONFESSION OF FAITH

that was accepted by the Holy Synod

of the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church

The Holy Synod of the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, because of lacking, until
today, of a consistent, common, decisive, correct, by orthodox perspective, attitudes to
different issues and the divisions within our plump Russian Orthodox Church, driven by
pastoralist care and responsibility, must start the examination in an appropriate manner
of these issues.

As the time came, the circumstances are favorable and are eliminated the obstacles to
the beginning of the examination of the relevant issues of the Ecclesiastic Hierarchy, the
Holy and Sacred Synod of Bishops, in the fear of God, with the consciousness and full
understanding of our Episcopal responsibility before God and His holy Church, has been
conceived and examined the discussed issue above in a meeting that has taken place on
27.05/ 09.06.2017, chaired by the First- Hierarch, H.B. Metropolitan of Chisinau and all
of Moldova Adrian, with the participation of all the members of the Holy Synod of
Bishops, namely: Archbishop of Mogilev and Belarus Onoufrios and Archbishop of
Tserkask and Malorusia Nicholas .

With this Confession of the Faith, we as true and canonical pastors, humble Archbishops,
we inform the logical flock of the Church of Christ of our actions and of our unanimous
decision:

The Russian Orthodox Church, the Hierarchy, clergy and lay people believe in the Father,
in the Son and in the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in the Essence and Indivisible. We believe
and pray that the Orthodox Church is one and unique, the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and there is no other Church. We obey to the
Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Canons, the seven Ecumenical Synods, the Local Synods,
as well as in the Canons and the Teachings of the Holy Fathers.

We believe and we stand together with the Holy Apostles, the seven Ecumenical Synods,
as well as Local Synods, with all the Saints that we are faithful to the end of our lives in
the written and in the unwritten Tradition of the One and Unique, Holy, Catholic,
Apostolic, Eastern, Christian Church, and to the fact that it has been described,
maintained, and transferred without any addition or deletion. And there will be no one
ecclesiastical union neither with the schismatics, nor with the heretics, nor with any
supporters of innovations. Nor with those who have been anathematized because
otherwise, we will be eliminated, nor with them who have been subjected to repentance
or anathema, because, so, we will also be exposed to them. As it says and the Apostle
Paul: " As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel
contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1: 9). Moreover, the
Sacred Seventh Ecumenical Synod, obeying the written and the unwritten Tradition,
together with the Holy Apostles, with the six Ecumenical Councils and with all the Saints:
"If anyone breaks the oral or written ecclesiastical Tradition, let him be in anathema.. "

The Russian Orthodox Church agrees with Saint Vincent of Lerin, who says: "In the
Catholic Faith belongs only what everyone has always believed and everywhere it agrees"
with the Sacred Synods, which teach: "According to the Holy Fathers" and "the Fathers
said that we also say", we agree with the Synodiko, which the Holy Church repeats each
year on Sunday of Orthodoxy: "as the prophets saw it, as the apostles taught it, as the
Church received it, as the Holy Fathers established it, such as the world has perceived it,
as the Grace has shone, as the Truth turned out, as the lie was persecuted, as the
Wisdom was founded, as Christ approved it, so we think, so we say, so we preach.
This is the faith of the Apostles, this is the Faith of the Fathers, this is the Faith of the
Orthodox people, this is the Faith that saved the world ... All the innovative things that
occurred against the Church Tradition and the teaching of the blessed memory of the
Holy Fathers let have three times Anathema!"

We will put aside all the heresies and the innovations that existed from the beginning till
to our days that rejected by the Church of Christ.

Many are trying to hide themselves under the guise of the Genuine Orthodox, but having
neither doctrinal nor canonical purity in their beliefs and, sometimes, they denigrate the
very idea of True Orthodoxy. Such people cannot, in any way, be considered as spiritual
successors of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Russia, Greece, Cyprus and of other
Orthodox countries, who, at the time of general apostasy and of the terrible persecution
of the Orthodox faith, they maintained steadfastly and without compromises, in all their
fullness, the Doctrines of the Orthodox Faith, the Sacred Canons and the Ethics of the
Teaching. Sometimes, under her mask of the True Orthodoxy, are hiding schismatics,
self-proclaimed "saints" and heretics. But that does not shade the true essence of this
word.

There are only two directions today: the direction of the Genuine Orthodox Christians
and the direction of the different kinds of opportunism. We have to choose which
direction we follow. The Russian Orthodox Church chooses the direction of the Genuine
Orthodoxy.

We accept this Worship, in order to understand, in it, who wants to be a Genuine

Orthodox Christian with us, and who does not agree with us, with these beliefs and will
not stay with us. Who has in our spirit and who does not.

By this worship, we want to renew the communion with our brothers of the Church of the
Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece and Cyprus, who could not have us in
the 7th decade of the 20th century. We agree with His Holiness, Metropolitan Philaret
(Voznesenski), First- Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Diaspora, who
recognized as canonical the Hierarchy of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians
of Greece and Cyprus of the Matthewite Synod and named it as "Simple blessing" the
cherothesia on the representatives of the sister Church of the Genuine Orthodox
Christians of Greece and Cyprus. This one Worship that has promised our brothers to the
Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece and Cyprus, but the promise has
not been met. We want to take away the burden of responsibility for the fraud done in
the Church from the opponents of His Holiness Philaret (Voznesenski) about the Church
of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece and Cyprus.

According to the words of St. Paul the Apostle "So then, brothers and sisters, stand
firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by
letter." (II Thess. 2, 15), in the 91 Canon of St. Basil the Great: "The preserved doctrines
and sermons in the Church, the lessons we have from the teaching of the Bible, and from
the tradition of the Apostles and the Fathers spread to us in mystery, we are conquering
them. Because both have the same power of piety, and in them no one opposes anyone
who has little experience of ecclesiastical institutions. If we attempted the abstractions of
the morals, as if they did not have the strength, let us resign, we would mistake the key
issues in harming the Gospel, we would moreover turn preaching into a name", in the 7th
canon of the seventh Ecumenical Synod, in the 3rd Canon of the Synod of Carthage, in
21st Canon of the Synod of Gangra -the Russian Orthodox Church confesses "the written
and unwritten regulation" of the Orthodox Church, based on the canon of Saint Cyprian
of Carthage, who rejected every baptism or other mystery that was done except the True
Church, in the 46th Canon of the Holy Apostles, which says: "We pretend that the Bishop
or the priest will be established, if he will accept the baptism or the sacrifice of the
heretics. How can there be Christ's agreement with Satan or how to be faithful to the
unfaithful in the same portion?" Ιn the order of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian
Orthodox Church of Diaspora, which took place in 1971 in Montreal, according to which
baptism is the right direction of the return of the non-orthodox in the arms of the
Orthodox Church.

The Russian Orthodox Church confesses the excellence and the Catholicity of the
Orthodox Church, which, moreover, has always been the ambassador of the saints Of the
Ecumenical Orthodoxy (regardless of their time or place of residence), even the fact that,
apart from the Orthodox Church, there is neither Baptism, nor any other Mystery, in the
words of St. Paul the Apostle:"Even if we Apostles or even angels from heaven preach you
Gospel, different from what we have declared from the beginning, let him be cursed"
(Gal. 1, 8, 9), because Saint Paul, without doubt, he himself is still in anathema in case of
deformation of the teaching, in the acts of the Pan-Orthodox Synod 1848, that decisions
were signed by Anthimos, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Jerome, Patriarch of
Alexandria, Methodius, Patriarch of Antioch and Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem: We will
keep our faith, that delivered to us by these people, without any innovation that seems
inspired by the devil. Anyone who accepts the modernity, condemns our Orthodox faith
as incomplete. However, our faith has fullness and perfection and accepts no addition,
nor deduction, nor any odification, therefore, the one who will dare to do, to think or to
advise such a thing already is rejected by the Faith of Christ and voluntarily subjected to
eternal anathema for the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is equal to interpreting
mistakenly the Bible or the decision of the Ecumenical Synods ..."

The Russian Orthodox Church rejects every ecclesiastical modernism, that is a complex
of modern sects, which presupposes the variability of Church's dogmas, the moral
teaching of the Church and the Holy Canons. Modernism is closely tied to populism, to
the adapting of the Church to the needs of this world. The Russian Orthodox Church
rejects modernism in the course of the sacraments: the cancellation of fasting and
preparation (or the total cancellation of preparation) for the Holy Sacraments , the
baptism in sweet potable water, the unjustifiable overcoming of repentance's economy in
the confession or total absence in the case of deadly sins or other rituals violations, or
lesser sacrifices of mysteries, etc.

The Russian Orthodox Church rejects any modernist "renewal", "modernization", "review",
"inspection" of the Ecclesiastical Tradition, rejects any attempt to review the Liturgical
texts, the fasts, rejects any divisions of the Holy Canons to "dogmatic", "administrative"
or "disciplinary" rejects each divide to the elements of the Tradition into "basic" or
"secondary", rejects any modifications to the order of the Liturgies, of the iconograpgy,
to chanting, in architecture, in clerical attire, rejects the second marriage of clergy, the
marriage of the bishops, and all others modernist proposals that have already been
submitted or will be submitted in the future. The Russian Orthodox Church not only
denies all these proposals, but neither communicates, nor prays with those who received
them, that preach them. act and help in the dissemination of them.

In accordance with the 10th canon of the Holy Apostles: "Whosoever has communion
(with heretics), even if he praises in a house, he is excommunicated", in the 45th canon
of the holy Apostles "Any clergyman or layman entered into a synagogue of the Jews or
of heretics to pray, let be degraded and despised", in the 65th Canon of the Holy
Apostles: "If man is communing with schismatic even at home, he is excommunicated", in
the 6th Canon of the Laodicean Synod: "Do not allow heretics to enter the house of God
while insisting on the heresy", in the 33rd Canon of the Synod of Laodicea: "You must not
pray with heretics and schismatics" in the 37th canon of the Laodicean Synod:"The
festivals sent by Jews and heretics should not be taken, nor should they be associated
with them", this is based on the liturgical texts, which call: "Our faithful pray for the
catechumens", also in the prayer of the priest, who says that the catechumens still do not
"glory You" with us, so doing to the prayer, the distinction between the catechumens and
the believers: the Russian Orthodox Church has no communication in prayer or mysteries
with the schismatics or heretics, nor with those who pray or communicate with them.

The Russian Orthodox Church rejects Sergianism, new Sergianism, Greek-Sergianism,

which constitute a compromise with this world in name of a supposed ecclesiastical
benefit. Sergianism is a false and hypocritical doctrine of the "salvation of the Church"
with human and political means. Along with this teaching, the idea that the Church does
not save man, but the man saves the Church implies on Christianity. There is a reason
not only for a simple one working with the authorities of the world, but it is imperative
that the Church, by the view of Sergianism, is in a state that is ready to accept any
ideology and to cooperate even with the Devil for the supposedly good of the Church.

The anti-Christian ideology that was accepted by the sergianists as their own and, as a
result, appears the unfortunate "Declaration" of Metropolitan Sergius (Stragordon), in
which the "joys" of the assassins of the Tsar and the Bolsheviks - persecutors of the
Church become "joys" of the Sergianists. Sergianism allows for the violation of the Sacred
Canons for the Atheists regimes. Sergianistic teaching is absolute obedience to the
atheist regime to the point where it is ready to sacrifice the Orthodox Teaching for the
supposed "salvation of the Church".

The Russian Orthodox Church rejects ecumenism in the broadest sense of the term: we
reject all the forms of ecumenism that exists, new and old, which still appeared in
previous centuries, we are examining the pre-revolutionary practice of excessive
economy with regard to refers to heretics as the precursor phase of modern
ecumenism. The Russian Orthodox Church rejects the modern forms of ecumenism:
"Theory of Branches" and the theory that says "the truth was not kept by any branch" and,
therefore, it needs to become a new one "Ecumenical Synod", and the theory for
recognition" of the Abrahamic religions of the Bible", the recognition of the Catholics as
"Church-Sister" (partial grace of the heretical communities) and the "theory of fragments"
(recognition of the schismatic and heretic communities that have made a schism or
heresy in the body of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Diaspora, as "in Grace-
Churches", and the idea of "reuniting the fragments of the Russian Orthodox Church
Diaspora"), the ideology and the practice of the World Council Churches, "the old-
calendarist ecumenism" (recognition of the schismatics and of the heretical communities
that have made schism or heresy in the Genuine Orthodox Church, as "Churches in
grace" etc.) or some other forms of ecumenism.
The Russian Orthodox Church considers the new calendar not as a mere change of the
calendar, but as a true heresy, condemned and in anathema. We believe that the so-
called "autocephalous churches of the world orthodoxy" which have accepted the new
calendar and all those who communicate with them (like the Patriarchate of Moscow) and
have accepted this innovation, have accepted the heretical ideology and became
schismatics.

The Russian Orthodox Church rejects the opinion of metropolitan Chrysostom, former of
Florina, that the supporters of the new calendar were made "only by virtue schismatics".

The Russian Orthodox Church, recognizing the three Anathemas that were proclaimed
from the Pan-Orthodox Synods in 1583, 1587, 1593 by the Patriarchs Jeremiah of
Constantinople, Silvestrus and Meletius of Alexandria, Joachim of Antioch and
Sophronius of Jerusalem against the Gregorian calendar, according to the "Declaration" of
his Holiness Metropolitan Filaretos (Voznesenski), the First- Hierarch of the Russian
Orthodox Church of the Diaspora on April 14/27, 1972, which states that "these
accusations were never canceled by next Synods. These are valid afterwards and
obligatory for all Orthodox Christians".

The introduction of the new calendar has only caused schisms in the Churches that have
it accepted, according to the "Declaration" of his Holiness Metropolitan Filaretos
(Voznesenski), First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Diaspora since September
10/29 1971 that "the Gregorian calendar is a violation of the Orthodox Tradition"
bearing in mind the fact of the commencement of the communication in 1971 with the
Greek Church of the True Orthodox Christians (Matthew's Synod), the Holy Synod
preaches the complete rejection of the new calendar.

1) The introduction of the new calendar into ecclesiastical use has caused schism of
theological and dogmatic character.
2) Every Church that accepts the new calendar becomes completely schismatic.
3) The mysteries of each schismatic Church are considered void according to the first
Canon of St. Basil the Great and the canons of the Synod in Carthage.
4) With the followers of the new calendar, which are schismatic, is not allowed no
spiritual and ecclesiastical communication and it is not justified, according to 33rd
Canon of the Laodicean Synod.
5) The Russian Orthodox Church has no spiritual and regular communication with
Churches which, even if they use the old calendar, communicate with Churches following
the new calendar because, as Saint John Chrysostom says, "Everybody who
communicates with schismatics is schismatic".
6) The simple believers who return from the schism of the new calendar, we accept them
through this Orthodox Confession, which preaches the lie of the new calendar, and we
seal them with the Holy Myrrh, of Orthodox origin, if they are baptized with correct
observance of the baptism in the New Calendar Church (first rule of St. Basil and the
Synod of Carthage).
7) The clergy who confessed the new calendar are thus accepted so, first, they give a
written Confession with which they accept the present Orthodox Confession of the
Orthodox Faith which rejects the new calendar and its ecclesiastical principle and we are
reading the confirmatory prayers according to the seventh canon of the Second
Ecumenical Synod.
8) There is no sacred Mystery and no ecclesiastical ceremony over those who follow the
new calendar.
9) We do not allow any of the followers of the new calendar participates in our Mysteries,
as, for example, in the case of the Baptism, we do not accept a follower of the new
calendar to become a godfather of an Orthodox child (according to the 46th Apostolic
canon).
10) Our faithful are forbidden to attend ecclesiastical liturgies by followers of the new
calendar, according to 33rd Canon of the Laodicean Synod.

The Russian Orthodox Church recognizes the Churches of the Genuine Orthodox
Christians of Greece and Cyprus, under the omophorion of Metropolitan of Thebes and
Levadia Chrysostom as canonical, with grace, legitimate Churches, who have Apostolic
continuity and intact Orthodox faith.

There is only one Greek Orthodox Church and only one Cypriot Orthodox Church,
according to the Sacred Canons and within their canonical limits, while the others are
jurisdictions and each of them has its own peculiarities of retreat from the Church of
Christ. The Russian Orthodox Church recognizes the Churches of the Genuine Orthodox
Christians of Greece and Cyprus and, if the Church will regulate the issue of the return of
the schismatics and the heretics under the omophorion of the Orthodox Bishops, then
the Russian Orthodox Church will receive with respect this decision. Each local Church
must solve independently the issue of the communities that have been dismembered by
Them, according to them Sacred Ecclesiastical Canons.
While the Russian Orthodox Church of Abroad decided the Anathema for the Masonry, in
our Church there was a reaction to this catholical decision by the enemies of the Church,
who, like wolves in garments sheep, were trying, successively and deliberately, to destroy
the sheep of Christ: It was continued, in one another form, the interaction with the
Masons structures. This was true not only in the case of lay people, but also in the case
of clergy and even the hierarchs. This fact makes us to recall throughout the
ecclesiastical people that: The Russian Orthodox Church does not have no contact or
relationship with a secret society, regardless of its name or its visible members, or with
societies which, directly or indirectly, depend on such a society, nor on the secret or like
societies, teachings, philosophy and goals of which are in contrary to the teaching of the
Holy Gospel and all of the Ecclesiastical Tradition.

They who are under anathema for Masonry, as well as to others ecclesiastical anathemas,
whether they are loyal or whatever ecclesiastical community, are removed, by
themselves, from the grace of God.

The Russian Orthodox Church, being in agreement and coinciding with the Circular Letter
from the Church of the Orthodox Christians of Greece (of Matthew's Synod) from
November 25, 1949, states that the madness of masons is the carrier and the messenger
of all the bad, that bludgeons and bothers the simple people of God. Indeed, Masonry is
a secret religion that is completely different and is alien to the Christian faith. This is
because masonry denies the Christian faith and attacks them sneakily and secretly
against its original and basic Teachings.

The Masons deny the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Triadicity of God, the divine
inspiration of the Bible, thus trying to destroy the edifice of Christianity, aiming, on its
ruins, to build their own religion, which they call the religion future, which has set itself
the task of replacing all existing religions. It is precisely for this reason, the Masonry has
its own places of worship, has its own ritualists and a particular ritual, based on it, in a
secret environment, reminiscent of idolatry, are various Masson ceremonies: dedication
of temples, baptisms, marriages, memorials of their followers. In addition, Masonry
considers as dishonest the Christians who are not initiated into masonry. Only from this
becomes clearly that between of Christianity and Masonry there can be no compromise,
as there can be no compromise between the light and the darkness, between Christ and
Velar. It is impossible to be a Christian and, at the same time, a Mason, as the followers
of masonry inspire sneaky.
For the above reason, since the Unique, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Eastern Church of
Christ, whose Teachings, the Sacred Canons and the Sacred Traditions, we keep them
carefully as the littlest shepherds, (the Church) abolished, condemned and recondemned
every Christian who had moved away from her orders and, especially, removed those
who, each time, challenged the heresy, and their followers, whether they were hierarchs
or governors, rulers, officers or ordinary people, clergy or lay people, we, considering the
Masonic heresy hostile to Christianity, we are obliged through our duty following the
power that delivered by the Holy Ecumenical Synods, to hand over the atheist masonry to
Satan, saying with stole and omophorion: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven,
should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be
accursed!" [Gal. 1, 8].

All of them who deals with the diabolical and illegal work of masonry, like (for example)
Anthony of Geneva and all the others who follow her harm of the mind and the
misconceptions of the masons, let them be miserable and cursed by the Father, the Son
and the Holy Spirit and let them be unforgivable after death. Let them be shaken and
trembling as were Cain on the earth. Let the earth be absorbed to absorb them, like
Dathan and Avars. Let the anger of God fall on their heads and have it the same fate as
the traitor Judah. Let the angel of God persecute them with a flaming sword and not to
see prosperity until the end of their lives. May the jobs and the their pains are unrealistic
and become dust like in the summer alley [cf. Daniel 2, 35]. And all who will continue in
this evil will have the same fate. But everyone who will return from this sect and will
reject the damned harm of the mind, they will be blessed and will be forgiven by the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, from the Unique, Infinite and Indivisible Trinity, from
the One in the essence God, and of us, His servants.

We, as unique, at present, represented by the All-Russian Orthodox Church, we repent

for the fact that our fathers and our former Bishops at the time of the Revolution,
recognized the Temporary Masonic Government, not understanding the true nature,
which is why they repented and were sorry afterwards. They showed their repentance and
their faith to the Romanov House in the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of the
Diaspora in Sremski Karlovci.

At the whole history of its existence, the Russian Orthodox Church Diaspora was not
designated as Catholic, such as the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians. Some
Hierarchs were identified as Genuine Orthodox Christians, others, on the contrary,
showed their ambition to join with the "World orthodoxy". Where are these people -now
they all know- in the Patriarchate of Moscow and other churches of "world orthodoxy".
Since the old years, there is the concept of the True Orthodoxy. The Righteous Vincenc of
Lerin, who slept before 450 AD, in his own "Memoirs of Peregrino on the antiquity and
the catholicity of the catholic faith against the obscure innovations of all heretics " used
this concept: "Our task is to explain and to approval through many examples, so that all
true Orthodox Christians could know that their obligation is, following the church, to
accept her masters and not, following the teachers, to abandon the faith of the church...
The true and genuine Orthodox is the one who loves the truth of God, the Church, the
body of Christ ..."

The Holy Russian New Martyrs and Confessors, who did not accept the atheist power and
the Sergianism, were called themselves Genuine Orthodox. Genuine Orthodox call
themselves the opponents of the innovation of the new calendar in Greece and in
Cyprus. Genuine Orthodox Christians are, first of all, an ecclesiastical action, that really
react to the innovations that are imported both in Russia and in Greece. The Church of
the True Orthodox Christians, both in Russia and in Greece and in Cyprus, are the Church
of Christ.

The Russian Orthodox Church chose the direction and follows the path of the Genuine
Orthodox Christians. We reject, we deny "the world orthodoxy", we do not regard it as
the Church of Christ. From now on, we accept absolutely and completely, in all volume,
the ideology of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Russia, Greece and
Cyprus and, therefore, we create our attitude towards "global orthodoxy" as such.

For the Ordination that was committed by only one Bishop, Saint Matthew of Vresthena,
the Russian The Orthodox Church says:

Whereas:
1. The ordination of Saint Gregory in the rank of the Bishop of New Caesarea was
unilaterally performed by the blessed Phaidimos, Bishop of the city of Amassis in
Cappadocia,
2.* The Great Spiritual Father Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople was unilaterally
ordained by Archbishop of Syracuse Gregory Asvestas,
3. The Holy Martyr Iliodor, Bishop of Persia, unilaterally ordained Bishop's degree to the
holy martyr Deisano,
4. St. Amphilochios was ordained as the Bishop of Iconia even further unusually: with the
holy grace, guided to the next church by an Angel. When Amphilochios met seven
Bishops who wanted him to be ordained, after he told them his secret ordination, they
decide not to reordain him,
5. Saint John Chrysostom unilaterally ordained Bishop Averchio,
6. Savvas, the First Archbishop of Serbia, unilaterally ordained Bishops and the Serbian
Church are based on unilateral ordinations.

(* NOTE: It is historically reported that there were three consecrated Bishops and not only
the Bishop of Syracuse. The Bishops Basil of Gortyna and Evlambios of Apameia)

Having in front of these reliable examples from the history of the Holy Church, the Synod
of the Holy Church decides:
1. We believe that the ordinations that were unilaterally performed by only Matthew, the
Bishop of Bresthena, have canonical and graceful power.
2. We believe that the cherothesies that have taken place over the representatives of the
Church of the True Orthodox Christians of Greece and Cyprus of the Synod of Matthew
by Metropolitans Epifanios and Kallistos were only acts of recognition and blessing and,
by no means, was "reordination", "Filling of a defective mystery," "some addition to the
Apostolic succession", because the mystery that was accomplished and the absolute
Apostolic succession already were there for them from the hands of Archbishop Matthew.
3. We recognize that the very act of performing these ordinations existed act in a spirit of
compromise, under the pressure of "ecclesiastical liberals" and their accomplices
schismatics, and we sincerely repent before God.
4. We recognize that the Canon of Presumption through ordination has to do with the
schismatic ones and not with the process of recognizing the Orthodox Bishops. So we
consider that, regard to the Churches of the True Orthodox Orthodox Christians of
Greece and Cyprus, the use of this Canon was not authorized but incorrect. We declare
the order to use this Canon for the Churches of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of
Greece and of Cyprus, we regard it as not exist and we repent because, through them,
our predecessors behaved to Orthodox Christians just like this only schismatics deserve
it.

Regarding to the ordination of (Florinate) Bishop Akakios, we decided the following: the
ordination of bishop Akakios was committed with serious violation of the ecclesiastical
canonical ceremony and the relevant Saints Apostles' Canons: Canon 35 of the Holy
Apostles: "The Bishops should not dare to ordain a Bishop out of the limits of their
jurisdiction, in the cities and countries that belong to them, and if he be inspected why
he has done so, in spite of the opinion of the bishops of those cities and countries, to b
cleansed himself and the man who was ordained."
The 37th Canon of the Apostles: "Twice a year, a Synod of Bishops will be held to
examine the dogmas of wisdom, and to dissolve any ecclesiastical oppositions...", Canon
10 of the Saints Apostles: "Man who prays with a schismatic, even at home, is
excommunicated" Canon 45 of the Holy Apostles: "Bishop or priest, or deacon, who prays
together with heretics to be excommunicated. If he even allowed them to act as a
clergyman, they would be forfeited.", the Fourth Сanon of the First Ecumenical Synod:
"The Bishop must be installed by all Bishops in the province..." The Sixth Сanon of the
First Ecumenical Synod: "If one becomes a bishop without the Metropolitan's opinion, the
great Synod has appointed him not to be a bishop..." Canon 19 of the Sacred Local Synod
of Antioch: "The bishop should not be ordained without the Synod and the presence of
the Metropolitan of the area".

The ordination was done on the canonical territory of another local Church, without the
relevant decision of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece and
Cyprus, against the decision of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of the
Diaspora and without the catholic decision of the Russian Orthodox Church of the
Diaspora, with the participation of one bishop, follower of the new calendar. This bishop
of the new calendar denied the fact of his participation in this ordination. The Synod of
the Russian Orthodox Church of the Diaspora recognized this ordination retrospectively,
against the will of the First- Hierarch, his Holiness Filaret (Voznesenski).

On the basis of all the above, our Holy Synod has decided: the ordination made by Bishop
Serafeim of Chicago to be seen in contrary to the Holy Canons of the Holy Orthodox
Church. The order for the recognition by the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of
the Diaspora, of the ordination of the so-called "hierarchy of Florinates" to be considered
uncanonical and no longer to be mentioned, as if not has been. The so-called "hierarchy
of the Florinates", which appeared with such improperly, to be considered uncanonical
and no one to be in communion with them. All of the foregoing is a simple and clear
conclusion: The Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece and Cyprus existed and still there
is. The Apostolic succession exists in the portion that was headed by the Blessed
Archbishop Matthew. The ordinations by one Bishop of the followers of Matthew was
justified by the historical situation that existed at the time, as canonical. In the years of
His Holiness Philaret (Voznesenski), the Russian Orthodox Church of the Diaspora
recognized the Apostolic succession of the Matthew's hierarchy and made, for the
ecclesiastical peace and by hope for the return of the Florinates' faction to the Church of
Christ, not with ordination, but with a simple blessing. That was also said by His Holiness
Late saint Philaret (Voznesenski).
The Russian Orthodox Church made ceremonies of acceptation for the Patriarchate of
Moscow and the churches of the "world orthodoxy", according to the Canons of the
Orthodox Church (First Canon of St. Basil's the Great and the Canons relating to him) and
the practice of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians in Russia: for Metropolitan
Joseph Petrograd, for Bishop Demetrios Gdofsky and others, according to, also with the
practice of the Church of the True Orthodox Christians of Greece and Cyprus. And then
everyone who comes from their schismatic groups, from the Patriarchate of Moscow,
from the churches of "World Orthodoxy", by other schismatic groups (Cyprianites,
Florinates and those who come from their groups, in the case that those who accept that
they have the proper form of the Sacred Mystery Baptism) to receive them in
ecclesiastical society only through the mystery of the Holy Chrism.

If they are clerics of the Patriarchate of Moscow, before the Holy Chrism and the
ordination, to be examined their good intentions, the right faith and to be under
guidance at least one year. If they are worthy, then yes to take the Chrismation and the
Ordination to the same order as he was in the Patriarchate of Moscow. But if they are
unworthy, then they will be accepted by the Mystery of the Holy Chrism as only
laymen. Such practice is the most acceptable because, among the Christians of the
catacombs, is considered the clerics of the Patriarchate of Moscow, as individuals
completely morally corrupt, they cannot accept the same order of clergy in any case. This
measure is not (deceptive) discrimination and does not harm the rights of the former
clerics of the Patriarchate of Moscow who are coming to the Church, because the
salvation in Christ is given regardless of the order of the clergy and his position in the
Church Hierarchy. On the other hand, the Church is forced to be protected from the spirit
that prevails among the clergy of the "red church".

If the clergy of these jurisdictions want to accept the same order, then, after a year of
examination of their good intentions afterwards their confession, they will be accepted
through the sacred Chrism and Cherothesia. But if those who accept communion, do not
have the right form of the Holy Baptism, then they could only be accepted in the first
degree of the priesthood, that is, through the Sacrament of the Holy Baptism. The right
form of the celebration of the Mystery of the Holy Baptism is considered only Baptism
that carried out with three full dips, according to the tradition of the Orthodox
Church. The so-called "wetting" or "sprinkling" during the Baptism does not it considered
as right mystery in no case.

The clerics who do not have the correct form of Baptism will accept the first degree. If
any of them will show the will and will be considered as worthy for the rank of the
Priesthood, he could obtain the relative order to the benefit of the Church, according to
the Ecclesiastical Canons.

Everyone who took part in the ecclesiastical communion signed this Confession which is
their Assurance.

Every bishop, the clergy and the laity of the Russian Orthodox Church sign the present
Confession of Faith, which is their Assurance.

+ Metropolitan of Chisinau and all of Moldova Adrian, First- Hierarch

+ Archbishop of Mogkilev and Belarus Onoufrius

+ Archbishop of Tserkask and Malorus Nicholaos