Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia
Hong Kong, August 6, 2015
Encyclical
of His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios
of Hong Kong and South East Asia
to the Reverend Priests and Deacons,
the Monks and Nuns,
the members of the Orthodox Communities
of the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia
Dear Brethren in Christ
I have been informed that a certain person whose name is Felipe Balingit has been ordained as a presbyter by the Bishop of Canberra George (ROCOR-Australia).
Felipe Balingit has been excommunicated in 2013 (see here). His “ordination” by the Bishop of Canberra is thought as an assault and as an insult to the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia.
As your sole Canonical Bishop and spiritual Father I wish to make known to all faithful members of the Church that the above-mentioned Felipe Balingit is not recognised by the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia as a canonical Orthodox clergyman. Any priestly action that he performs is not recognised as valid.
He was ordained by a ROCOR Bishop in Australia and was sent in Philippines without the Hierarchical permission of the local canonical Orthodox Bishop. This action violates the Sacred Canons. I remind to all that there is no any Pan-Orthodox decision and agreement about “parallel Orthodox jurisdictions in South East Asia”. So, according to the Sacred Canons and the tradition of the Orthodox Church, the sole canonical Orthodox Bishop of Philippines is Metropolitan Nektarios of Hong Kong and South East Asia.
My beloved Brethren,
Beware of all those who come to Philippines or to other places which are under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia and try to do missionary work without the Hierarchical blessing of the Canonical Orthodox Metropolitan. Beware of those who come to you and preach and celebrate the Divine Liturgy without to have my written permission and blessing. Beware of those “who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but within are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15) Their purpose is to divide the Church and the Orthodox faithful as their motives are the destructive passion of the controlling spirit and the “virus” of ethnophyletism.
May the Lord Jesus Christ save you from the injuries of the adversary and keep you as a good seed for all kinds of virtues and keep you all in true faith with good works and obedience to your Canonical Bishop and to your Spiritual Mother, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The Metropolitan
+Metropolitan Nektarios
of Hong Kong and South East Asia
