For context see the Metropolitan Joseph: The Scandal section in the Archives 2020-22 linked at the top of this page.

The Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch

Shame on you, Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East. Shame on you, Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch. You have brought disgrace to the Church of Christ and compounded the current scandal a hundredfold. The faithful trusted you. You have let them down. Anaxios! Anaxios! Anaxios!

The Patriarchate posted the following two Decisions to its Facebook page at approximately noon local time today. The PDFs follow below. The adulterous, family-destroying sexual predator Joseph Al-Zehlaoui’s “request” for “retirement” has been accepted and treated no differently from that of the much beloved Bishop Basil (Essey), who has never caused any scandal or brought any shame to the Archdiocese, the Patriarchate, or the Church. As of this writing (8:30 a.m. Englewood time), these announcements have not been posted to the website of the Antiochian Archdiocese despite their having been issued yesterday.

Decision Number ex. 14-1/2022, Date: 17 October 2022

As the Holy Antiochian Synod has officially received the Retirement Letter of His Eminence JOSEPH (Zehlaoui), Metropolitan of the Antiochian Archdiocese of New York and All North America, submitted by him on September 17, 2022; and as the Synod has taken note of the developments occurring in the Archdiocese during the period prior to the announcement of the resignation, and has been informed of the procedures following His Eminence’s decision to retire, in terms of appointing a Temporary Committee to conduct the process of transition of administration and for the management of the Archdiocese during the period between the date of retirement and the date of the convening of the Holy Synod; and after discussion and deliberation,

The Holy Synod of Antioch has decided to:

First: Consider the retirement submitted by His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH (Zehlaoui) effective from the date of its submission on September 17, 2022, and thank him for the years he spent serving the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America;

Second: Consider the Metropolitan See of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America vacant from the date of the issuance of this resolution, with all the effects of this vacancy as provided in the Antiochian rules and regulations;

Third: Consider the retired Metropolitan JOSEPH (Zehlaoui), Former Metropolitan of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America, and no longer a member of the Holy Synod of Antioch;

Fourth: Request from Metropolitan JOSEPH (Zehlaoui), in accordance with the practiced ecclesiastical procedures upon a bishop’s retirement, absolutely not to perform or participate in any clerical ordination, and to determine, in coordination with the Patriarchal Vicar upon his appointment, and with the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese upon his election, the parish church in which he will permanently celebrate the Divine Liturgy; and to request from him absolutely not to perform any liturgical, sacramental, or sanctification service, within the Archdiocese of North America, and in any other Archdiocese, except by obtaining the necessary permission from the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese, in accordance with the known ecclesiastical procedures; provided that he mentions in the divine services the name of the Patriarch of Antioch followed by the name of the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese. Also, it generally applies to the retired arch-pastor whatever applies to arch-pastors in terms of their travel or service in another church and in terms of foreign relations;

Fifth: Offer prayers for the good health and long life of Metropolitan JOSEPH (Zehlaoui), asking God to embrace him in His grace and mercy.

✠

Decision Number Ex 14-2/2022, Date: 17 October 2022

As His Grace, Bishop BASIL (Essey), addressed a letter on May 18, 2021 to His Beatitude and to Their Eminences the members of the Holy Synod, requesting their blessing and consent for him to retire at the end of 2021, for health reasons; and as His Beatitude had asked His Grace to continue his episcopal ministry serving the Archdiocese of North America, until the convening of the Holy Synod of Antioch in order to take the appropriate decision regarding his retirement; and having examined his request,

The Holy Antiochian Synod has decided to:

First: Consider the retirement request of His Grace Bishop BASIL (Essey) effective from the date of the issuance of this present decision, and to thank him for his Church ministry serving the Antiochian See and the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America;

Second: Request from Bishop Basil, in accordance with the practiced ecclesiastical procedures upon a bishop’s retirement, absolutely not to perform or participate in any clerical ordination, and to determine, in coordination with the Patriarchal Vicar upon his appointment, and with the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese upon his election, the parish church in which he will permanently celebrate the Divine Liturgy; and to request from him absolutely not to perform any liturgical, sacramental, or sanctification service, within the Archdiocese of North America, and in any other Archdiocese, except by obtaining the necessary permission from the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese, in accordance with the known ecclesiastical procedures; provided that he mentions in the divine services the name of the Patriarch of Antioch followed by the name of the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese. Also, it generally applies to the retired arch-pastor whatever applies to arch-pastors in terms of their travel or service in another church and in terms of foreign relations;

Third: Offer prayers for the good health and long life of Bishop BASIL (Essey), asking God to embrace him in His grace and mercy.

One of our sources offers the following insight into the fecklessness and hypocrisy of the Holy Synod:

The reason for non-deposal is because most of the Metropolitans in the old country have a woman. It’s not like here. Only, they are discreet: the women are not married, and they don’t gain financially (although no one has money there). A jury of MJ’s peers cannot depose him of the exact thing they are doing. That’s why there will never be a deposal. The “Investigation” was never a “thing.” Why? Because who’s going to pay for it? The Board, who’s under MJ’s thumb. They’ll come up with the answers he wants and that’s that. I know everyone here wanted a true Investigation but there was never going to be one….

Metropolitan Philip was always generous with them and sent them money, that’s why he was so supported there. MJ never did that, so he has no friends among any of the Metropolitans. But they still couldn’t depose him.

Note that Al-Zehlaoui, no different from Bishop Basil, will continue to serve the Divine Liturgy in his episcopal rank at an assigned parish. What parish will have him? What parish will subject their women to his predatory advances? What parish will have anyone in attendance at a Liturgy presided by him, or so much as attended by him? Finally, what layperson will continue to give financial support to the parish, the Archdiocese, and the Patriarchate after the complete sham that has been foisted on them by all levels of the Church of Antioch?

What a slap in the face to Al-Zehlaoui’s victims and to all victims of clergy sexual abuse and spiritual trauma, women, children, and men whose clarion call for justice, for safety, has been trampled in the mud?

Finally, what a slap in the face to Bishop Basil.

It is time for the clergy and laity of the Antiochian Archdiocese to act, first, with their wallets, and second, with a flood of protests.

Orthodoxy in Dialogue stands at the ready to publish messages of protest to the Patriarch and Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch.

We urge Orthodox scholars to weigh in theologically on this scandal and how it has been handled, either on the pages of Orthodoxy in Dialogue or Public Orthodoxy. We ignore the elephant in the room at the Church’s peril.

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