UNITED STATES/CANADA
Orthodox Church in America
SYOSSET, NY [OCA]
During their annual fall session in Detroit, MI October 19-23, 2015, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America canonically deposed the retired Archbishop Seraphim from the status and all sacred functions of the episcopacy, removed him from the ranks of the clergy, and returned him to the status of a lay monk.
The letter of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon to the Archdiocese of Canada reads as follows.
PASTORAL LETTER TO ARCHDIOCESE OF CANADA
October 23, 2015
To the Clergy, Monastics and Faithful of the Archdiocese of Canada,
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has concluded its Fall Session, held during the past week in Detroit, Michigan. One of the most difficult tasks of that meeting was the convening of the Synodal Court in Windsor, Ontario, to hear the case of the former Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada, His Eminence, Archbishop Seraphim. After much prayerful and intense deliberation, the Synodal Court determined that Archbishop Seraphim should be deposed from the episcopacy, removed from the ranks of the clergy and returned to the status of a simple monk.
The Holy Synod made this decision with much sorrow, but with the conviction that it was a necessary action both for the salvation of the now Monk Seraphim and for the preservation of the good order and stability of the flock of Christ. At the same time, we offer our prayers for the victims, their families and all those who have been affected by the events surrounding this case.
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