Second US Priest From Constantinople Patriarchate Joins ROCOR Amid Ukraine Autocephaly Row

Faizan Hashmi Published January 23, 2019 | 05:39 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2019) Another US priest has left the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople over a disagreement on granting autocephaly to the new church in Ukraine and joined the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), the rector of ROCOR's St. John the Baptist cathedral in Washington, DC Victor Potapov told Sputnik.

"Father Nectarios Trevino, a 65-years old priest, who served 16 years in American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese (ACROD) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, petitioned the metropolitan Hilarion of ROCOR to be received in the church," Potapov said on Tuesday. "The metropolitan gladly received him."

Potapov explained Trevino has been very upset with the non-canonical moves by the Constantinople Patriarchate over the past couple of years and the decision concerning the church in Ukraine was the "last straw."

Trevino, who is not of Russian descent, had briefly served in the St. John the Baptist cathedral. At present, he is forming a new canonical parish in Gainesville, Virginia, and many faithful in his congregation have decided to follow him in ROCOR, Potapov said.

On January 6, Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew handed over a tomos of autocephaly - an independence decree - to the head of the newly-established Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Under the tomos, the new church will have exclusive jurisdiction in Ukraine, but will not be authorized to appoint bishops or establish parishes abroad, thus becoming effectively dependent on the Constantinople Patriarchate.

The Russian Orthodox Church has refused to recognize the results of the council and Constantinople Patriarchate's decision to grant autocephaly to Ukraine's new institution.

Potapov said Trevino became the second US priest who left the Constantinople Patriarchate over disagreements concerning the church situation in Ukraine. Father Mark Tysom from West Virginia joined ROCOR at the end of 2018.

The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese is a part of the Constantinople Patriarchate with about 80 parishes in the United States and Canada. The diocese is under spiritual supervision of Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.