An historic Encyclical has been issued by the Church of Greece (GOC), which, once and for all, clarifies the teaching, and belief,  of the Holy Synod of the GOC concerning the Cheirothias of 1971 by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR).

The Encyclical clarifies not only the GOC understanding of the cheirothesias, but also comments on the heretical "Trinitarian Innovation concerning the communion among the divine Persons as being the 'first, uncreated Church....'," and rightly condemns it.

The Encyclical is very detailed. It is a document of great value in that it lays to rest the slander, on the part of the Kirikos schism, that the Holy Synod of the GOC believed that she received her Apostolic Succession from the Russian Church - and thereby repudiated the Apostolic Succession handed down from the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the State Church of Greece (through blessed Matthew) before the new calendar innovation. The Holy Synod also reaffirms the  adequacy of the  lone-bishop consecrations by the Blessed Archbishop Matthew, in 1948.

This Encyclical outlines the official, unanimous Synodal declaration concerning the above matters, and stands despite any individual, or group, belief or understanding of the events of 1971.

Please click on the following link to read the English translation of the Greek language Encyclical. The Greek Encyclical is also presented.  The Encyclical