American Orthodox Patriarchate

The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America,
also known as
The American Orthodox Patriarchate.

When I was elected Archbishop President of this Church in Feb. 1997 I had previously turned down the idea of being nominated for this office many times. One day I received the phone call and was asked if I would accept the nomination and I said yes, without thinking or even knowing why until I was told if I had again refused the office would be offered to an individual who was not true Orthodox and who had a criminal record of selling degrees. I had been Corporate Vice-President for about 2 years at that time.

We are the original canonically established Orthodox Church that was headed by Archbishop Aftimios Ofiesh. You may notice that the so called SCOBA groups will claim we are not who we are, that we are not Othodox, not Canonical and their priests attack out bishops of Blessed Memory contrary to the canons. We have all the evidence and documents to prove we are who we say we are. We also declare the Scoba jurisdictions who have prayed with the Greek Church since 1929 are Schismatics since Abp. Alexander of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in 1929 falsely claimed that he, not Abp. Aftimios, was over all Orthodox in North America. This Church was established in 1927 to serve all enlish speaking Orthodox in the New World. We were canonically established by the Russian Synod of Bishops in North America of the Moscow Patriarchate who under the canons was the only Church with authority to Establish and serve the Orthodox in North America since this was the Russian Churches mission territory. Abp. Alexander and Patriarch Basil III had no canonical authority to usurp the authority of this Church.

We are not putting down anyone here. We are attempting to give others an understanding of this Church, our Authority and Orthodoxy. We have had to go after certain groups and individuals who would ike about being us and that we are not who we are. We have also established friendly relations with groups who are active old catholic and orthodox as well as a couple leaders of celtic groups.

When I was elected I discovered many independent groups were claiming to be us. This is one Church, Orthodox, not Old Catholic and in Orthodoxy lines do not go with a member of the clergy when he leaves the Church especially without the required letters according to the canons. Unlike the Catholic and Old Catholics who say "once a priest always a priest" in Orthodoxy a priest receives his authority from his Bishop and the Bishop receives his authority from the Church. Most who claimed they were us claimed this based on the fact that Ignatius Nichol's was in their background as someone who had laid hands on someone else. Having lines does not make anyone that Church. So for years we fought to restore the good name of this Church as being a canonical and canonically established Church. We were originally Orthodox and today we remain Orthodox and as such we must follow the Canons.

Mariam Ofiesh sat on our Corporate Board until 1999. She reposed in 2000. Many believe Abp. Ofiesh left Orthodoxy in some manner when he married in 1933. He did not. He was ahead of his time but the synod stated publicly that this Church never adopted the Canon on married bishops which says in "The Orthodox Church - 455 Questions and Answers" that not all Churches adopted that canon. In recent years an Antiochian Priest was allowed to re-marry and remain a priest. That is the same canon the orthodox try to use to attack Abp. Ofiesh for his marriage. How is it one church can do it but then they claim another church had no right to do it?

Many have probably been told that Archbishop Victor "owns" the Church corporation. That is false. We have a corporate board of trustees (directors). It is true that the Registered Service Mark and the Registered Copyrights are in the name of Archbishop Victor. This was done to protect the Church.

We had a former Roman Catholic priest was was only a priest for about 2 years suddenly claimed to be us and he incorporated as us in Florida. Since the name and logo make up the service mark he was forced to cease using our logo and name.

Now as to why we do not share the altar with everyone and anyone. In true Orthodoxy it is not allowed. It is as simple as that. The Orthodox in Europe will share the altar with each other but I often hear that SCOBA does not.

There are a number of Orthodox who do not recognize other Orthodox, for example many Eastern Orthodox will not recognize Old Calendar Orthodox. There is a group whose presiding Abbot has been disavowed by most other Orthodox for ordaining almost anyone (rumor) and for homosexuality.

Some years ago one independent "bishop" claimed that I did not exist but was someone else claiming to be me. What some people will come up with.

In the independent movement I have met, and occasionally helped, Orthodox and Old Catholics with a variety of problems.

The main problem with the independent movement is that so many want to, and do, make up their own canons and they want to do their own thing. They ordain women, gays, offer communion to those outside their church, protestants and others.

If you are old catholic you should all follow the old catholic canons. If your orthodox you should follow the Rudder and orthodox traditions.

It seems that so many want to be the Chief but few want to be the Indians.

The Orthodox who are not associated with any ethnic or SCOBA jurisdiction need to unite or seek incardination into a canonically established church. We have had personal dealings with some from the independent orthodox movement. We have dealt with more than a few who talk and act orthodox to join and then want to do their own thing and ignore the Canons, the Church and the Synod to do as they please.

In 2003 we became the American Orthodox Patriarchate. If you visit our website at theocacna.org you will find out more about us.

It should be noted that we are recognized by Rome that we can give communion to RC's within our liturgy. ECUSA accepted one of out former priests and did not re-ordain him.

Archbishop Victor
Archbishop-President