Married Hierarchs?

Encyclical # 82899

To all Orthodox Clergy,

To whom this may ecclesiastically concern;

In as much as my predecessor, Metropolitan Nicholas, the president and Primate of the Holy Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Exile was a married hierarch and presided for 28 years before his repose, thrice blessed exercised all his ecclesiastical authority without challenge, spot or blemish to his valid episcopate. I received his elevation as Archbishop to become his successor upon his repose. I have done so. His affirmations as to my marital status bore no conflict to the Holy Scriptures. Holy tradition bears witness to Saint Peter's marital status and having a wife and mother-in-law who Christ healed of all spiritual infirmities. His Beatitude Metropolitan Nicholas homily's reveal canon law established by the church concerning the reverence of Icon's, were in error for decades this was corrected by subsequent brave synods who pioneered the re-establishment of truth for the veneration of Icons for the Ecclesia. Metropolitan Nicholas spotless witness as a married hiearch overseeing his autocephalic episcopate decided the canon of unmarried hierarchs to oppose nepotism, was no longer applicable nor, for the good of the church or its "economia". Newly elected Bishop Petros on decision of our Holy Synod provides for the need of his wife and resides in a separate residence as well as my person. This meets both my vow to His Eminence Nicholas to continue a free Autocephalic National Ukrainian Church, as well as legitimate applicable canons to his episcopate. We are not autonomous, we are autocephalic, we are not under the ecclesiastical authority of Moscow or Constantinople. We commemorate the Alexandrine Patiarchate as our former Primate Archbishop Contogeorge, my distant predecessor in our canonical lineage. We commemorate the first of all equals the Ecumenical Patriarch. We need no one's interference, condemnation or intervention based on canonical interpretation as it may or may not affect our autocephalic jurisdiction. We hold to the tenants and Holy Sacraments of the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Orthodox Eclessia in our hearts and teaching. Unmarried hierarchs in recent years have scandalized the Holy Eclessia with immoral homosexual acts. Election by Holy Synod's of hierarchs to their episcopates is appropriate if true celibacy is practiced. However, historic recorded scandals in the last century indicate celibacy was not a true gift from the Holy Spirit to certain ordained and elevated hierarchs and their episcopates. Moreover, the eclessia after 700 years of married bishops, were forced to temporarily initiate and practice the canon of celibacy for the church's economia this eliminated nepotism. (other man made rules became canon containing synodical error have been experienced such as the elimination of iconography in the church.) After several hundred years this was corrected by subsequent Holy Synods and the Holy Spirit.

Metropolitan Nicholas has re-established the hierarchal right of all bishops to receive all of the Holy Seven Sacraments established by Christ and in Holy Tradition. The Holy Greek Catholic Synod of America in the western hemisphere unanimously affirmed this decision. We will not recant our vows to His Beatitude Metropolitan Nicholas nor the Holy Synod in this ecclesiastical matter, which has returned the One Holy Church of Christ to the original Holy Tradition practiced by the Holy Apostles.

In Christ service, with the Spirit of Elijah, with love to all clergy, His Eminence,
+Archbishop HARALAMBOS, Primate,
Holy Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church in Exile
Greek Pan Orthodox Archdiocese

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