For a very breif time in 1991, Elder Ephraim (+2019) was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). Compelled to address his reasons for joining the Synod, Elder Ephraim composed this statement explaining the position of ROCOR and its canonicity. His statement is valuable to all Orthodox Christians in today's struggle against the heresy of Ecumenism and for the unity of the Orthodox Church.0:00 Introduction1:52 Elder Ephraim's StatementThe inclusion of the introduction by the editors of Orthodox Tradition (Old Calendarists from Etna, CA) is neither to promote nor demote them. At minimum, their words provide valuable context and are appropriate in setting up the audience for their english translation of Elder Ephraim's original greek. It's up to the listener to draw their own conclusions about the Old Calenderists and more importantly, the words of Elder Ephraim. 📖 Elder Ephraim on the Russian Orthodox Church Abroadhttp://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ephraim_roca.aspx🎧 PLAYLIST: Elder Ephraim of AZ & St. Joseph the Hesychast - Readingshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYg5pt1Tvc3lnjd41E9pdR-p🎧 The Church, Ecumenism, and the Salvation of the World - Elder Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizonahttps://youtu.be/Srl9lCkmCM4🎧 Pray the Jesus Prayer with Elder Ephraim:https://youtu.be/pmFA4LTADQE?si=ig5DyyyQgX-WEgOA🎧 On Trials and Temptations - Elder Ephraim of Arizonahttps://youtu.be/yX68hapAbjY⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______Elder Ephraim writes:The Apostolic Succession of the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad cannot be impugned, since all of the present Bishops hold canonical Consecrations from the Bishops of the pre-Revolutionary era and their successors.Patriarch Tikhon, foreseeing a bleak future for the Russian Church, issued a decree to the Bishops outside Soviet Russia, granting them the right to organize self-governing synodal bodies. Despite this, the exiled Russian Hierarchs, having lived in an atmosphere of utmost loyalty to the law and obedience under the Tsar, insisted, during their first few years of exile, on maintaining contact with their base (Patriarch Tikhon and his successors) and to seek from there approval for their more momentous decisions at least—though this was difficult under their circumstances at the time (persecutions, banishments, etc.). This communion was abruptly cut off by the capitulation of the locum tenens and later Patriarch [Sergius] (Stragorodsky) in his infamous declaration—something totally unacceptable to the Bishops in exile—, assuring the full submission of the Church to the atheist regime and ordering the faithful to show full obedience to and pray for the Soviet authorities. In my opinion, this rupture in communion was justified by the Canons, which provide for the cessation of all commemoration of the first Hierarch of a local Church in the event that he preaches heretical teachings; for Marxism is not only a political system, but entails a secular worldview, indeed a heresy.
