Is The Milan Synod Canonical?

Recently a member of the OrthodoXCircle Group “Orthopaganda” asked, “Is the Milan Synod is canonical”?

My response was:

What do you mean by “canonical”? Does it follow a type of political papism that demands it to be in communion with & recognized by Constantinople or another major modernist compromising Patriarchate? If this is the case, then the answer is no!

This is such a popular yet false notion that has likely crept into mainline Orthodoxy by its adulterous contacts with the anti-Church, anti-Christ spirit of the Ecumenist.
Or are you asking if she was established within a canonical way, was all her bishops conscreated according to canons, do they hold fast to the Orthodox Faith of the Apostles & the Church Fathers, is there obedience to the holy canons overall (including maintaining the Julian Calendar & not compromising herself by involvement with non-Orthodox at the episcopal level) and concilarity within the Holy Synod? If this is your question, then the answer is YES!

From time to time our Holy Synod engages in dialogue with Patriarchates whose ecclesialogy and adherence to the Holy Traditions and the Orthodox Faith itself is both moderate and traditional. There are not too many out there and so we wait for changes in leadership praying for more faithful and traditional adherence to both Faith & Order. About 10 years ago we almost entered into communion with one ancient Patriarchate until her arms were politically “twisted” by another, though very ecumenist, Pariarchate. The reason for this political arm twisting? She did not want to offend the Church of Rome (with whom She’s been courting for many years) since our Synod has a very visible presence in Italy with both rites but especially Western Rite. As long as we are percieved as being on the fringe, notwithstanding how canonical we may be, the modernists do not worry about our True Witness.

Papa Symeon

Addendum

They following was taken from the website of our Parrocchia dei Santi Nicola e Ambrogio (Parish of Ss. Nicholas and Ambrose), Milan, Italy.

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A Proper Clarification

The apostolic succession of our Metropolia derives from the Russian Orthodox Church in Exile through two consecrations that bishops of that Church (Archbishop Serafim of Chicago and Bishop Theophil) performed to assure the Greek Orthodox Church of the Old Calendar, founder of our Metropolia, the necessary apostolic succession.

Who puts into doubt our apostolic succession goes against the official acts of the below mentioned sister Orthodox Churches that have recognized the sacraments of our Church. These are Churches which have accepted deacons, priests and bishops who had been consecrated in our Metropolia and accepted in their ecclesiastical dignity without any kind of re-ordination.

In Germany, the Exarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, now Bishop of Sabac, accepted Deacon Basil Manfred Danfeld, a resident of Berlin, ordained on the 28th of November 1989 by Metropolitan Evloghios of Milan. Upon the express request of Bishop Lavrentije of the Serbian Church, our Primate Metropolitan Evloghios signed the official letter of canonical release on the 5th of March 1991.

In France, in 1989 two clerics, ordained by Metropolitan Gabriel of Lisbon, were accepted by the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow without re-ordination, just as in the case of Deacon Basil Danfeld. Their names are: Archpriest Gerard de la Garde and Deacon Joseph Fouilleul. The bishop who accepted them was the Exarch Viadimir, now Metropolitan of Kiev of the Autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church (of the Patriarchate of Moscow).

Two priests, once again in France, ordained by Metropolitan Gabriel of Lisbon, were incardinated without re-ordination in the Exarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church by the Exarch, Archbishop Adrian. After his retirement the two priests were presented to the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of France, Jeremiah, who accepted the two priests as members of his clergy. Neither of them were ever re-ordained. Their names are Father Nicolas Lacaille and Father Théodore Niess.

In 1989 Metropolitan Gabriel, together with his two bishops Tiago and Teodoro, requested incardination in the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Poland. They were accepted in their episcopal dignity without re-consecration, as can be proven by the document from the Polish Church and from the personal letter of Metropolitan Gabriel, which specify this fact.

These were written to put an end to the rumors which were circulating according to which the Portuguese bishops had supposedly submitted to re-ordination, which was nothing but pure invention.

In May 2002 two former members of our Holy Metropolitan Synod, bishops Lazar and Varlaam of Canada, were incardinated into the “Orthodox Church in America”.

Therefore, there are six official, canonical sister Orthodox Churches which have accepted deacons, priests and bishops of our Metropolia. These Churches have de facto recognized the validity and authenticity of the sacraments of the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Western Europe and the Americas. These facts are concrete and verifiable.

Related Articles:

Canonicity, Milan Synod & the TOC of Greece

The Milan Synod’s Ecclesiology

The False Notion of Jurisidictional Union

Concerning the Orthodox Prayers for the Union of All and the Prayer in St. John 17

Orthodox Ecclesiology in Outline