A Statement Concerning Father Andrei Maklakov,
also known as “Bishop Andrei”

Father Andrei Maklakov, also known as “Bishop Andrei”, was lately “consecrated” by the ROAC Synod in Suzdal. This uncanonical act necessitates a few words of warning to any and all who may contemplate joining this schismatic group.

Father Andrei was very deceitful in reporting his history to those in authority when joining the ROAC, when he joined Dormition Skete. He was married in the Church to Susanna Maklakov in 1980 and this marriage produced for them two daughters. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1982. In 1999 the marriage broke apart due to his conduct which was unbecoming a clergyman. His former wife, who lives in New York, sued for divorce on the grounds of cruel and inhumane treatment. Her divorce went uncontested by Father Andrei and he was forbidden any custody of the children and no visitation was granted to him without the supervision of a therapist being present. He had to pay child support until the children became adults, which he never did. After the divorce papers were served, Father Andrei fled the country to Switzerland for fear of prosecution. He reentered the country in January of 2000. After that, he went to live with his mother in Indiana. When he came to our monastery in 2003, he came with the disposition of a true penitent, or so we believed. But as time went on, God revealed that the man concealed information that could have even prevented him from serving.

Father Andrei’s dishonesty may explain why, when tempted by Metropolitan Valentine who promised to make him a bishop, he had absolutely no spiritual discernment to resist the desire for power. He broke all his solemn monastic vows to God. His past reprehensible behavior was not confessed to his spiritual father, but this information eventually became known. Despite this, Metropolitan Valentine has now “consecrated” him a bishop, placing him on an uncanonical foundation. His future work will only harm those who follow him, for Saint Paul says in his Epistle to Timothy that a bishop must “be blameless...of good behavior,...one who manageth his own house well, having his children in subjection with all reverence (now if one know not to manage his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of Christ. [I Timothy 3: 4-5] Again, Saint Paul says, “But if one provide not for one’s own, and most of all for those of one’s own house, such a one hath denied the Faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” [I Timothy 5:8]

According to the Canons of the Church, when someone in the position of Father Andrei disobeys his bishop, and moreover his spiritual father, the Church requires his immediate repentance. If this does not happen, the deposition of the unworthy cleric is required. Therefore, Father Andrei was duly deposed by Archbishop Gregory on December 15/28, 2004.

It should also be known that the ROAC, which is governed from Russia, is under the totalitarian authority of one bishop, Metropolitan Valentine. ROAC in Russia is not functioning as a canonical Synod. All the addresses and telephone numbers of their bishops are withheld, not only from the lay people, but even other bishops. Metropolitan Valentine exercises absolute authority over all his bishops, therefore, “Bishop Andrei”, was made a vicar bishop of the town of Pavlovskoe in Russia and lives away from his diocese, in another country half way around the world, America. This is yet another example of how Metr. Valentine displays his megalomania.