To the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church

Greetings from Archbishop Gregory of Denver and Colorado.

I have read the account of what has happened to Metropolitan Valentine, Archbishop Seraphim and also Matushka Anastasia with sorrow.

I have read the publicized account of the meeting on October 1/14 of the Synod, where you list the deliberate events of persecution against Metropolitan Valentine. You described there how the church houses in Suzdal were buglarized, how the intent of the beating of the Metropolitan was to possibly to end his life, how the Moscow Patriarchate is systematically conducting a campaign of slander against the Metropolitan, how the rules of the constitution of the Russian Federation are being violated, how churches cannot be established, how the lay people and the priests are harassed, and finally how the Moscow Patriarchate has assigned certain people to destroy the ROAC.

Bishops of the ROAC: is it possible that you have forgotten what happened here in America a little over one year ago, how Metropolitan Valentine came here and was treating me the same way you are being treated now; - how he persecuted me; how he slandered me; how he falsely accussed me of bribing him with $40,000 at one time, and at another time with $30,000? Did you forget that he tried to destroy my episcopacy by suspending and ‘retiring’ me completely without canonical cause; how he openly threatened to take everything and everybody I have; how he uncanonically came into my diocese and stole my clergy? Have you forgotten that he accused me of forgery; have you forgotten that he accuses me of having a false understanding of baptism, when he himself received a priest from Haiti with about 200 people into the Church without baptism? Did you forget your protocols 48 and 49? And there are many other deplorable things he did to persecute me, and I appealed to you for help, and what was your response? You announced that you are not in communion with me.

Now I ask you before God: Have all the terrible tragedies, from the loss of souls in Haiti, to the loss of the priests in America, to the renewed persecution in Russia, happened to the ROAC because of Metropolitan Valentine’s complete disregard for canonical order and his persecution of faithful under my omophorion? What have you gained by trying to destroy and persecute the innocent? You have lost practically everything in America. This should reveal to you very clearly the divine displeasure of your actions.

I call upon you all before God to make a complete repentance. You must re-examine your actions and those of Metropolitan Valentine, and understand that there is neither any bishop whose authority is above the canons, nor is there any bishop who is immune from correction. You must repent before God of this sin against the unity of the Church.

May God help you.

+Archbishop Gregory
October 29/November 11, 2005