HTRAOC Holy Trinity under ROMA Romanian Metropolia in Americas

The Status of the Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church under
The Jurisdiction of Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas

The Holy Trinity Romania American Orthodox Church in Los Angeles, California, is now officially under the Jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas, or "Mitropolia Ortodoxa Romana a celor doua Americi" based in Chicago, Illinois (United States of America) as of the Feast Day of the Entry in The Temple of the Mother of the Lord, November 21, 2022.

From its founding and the incorporation with the California Secretary of State in 1940, for over 35 years, the Holy Trinity parish functioned as an independent institution, from the administrative point of view, having only the canonical and spiritual Blessings of the Romanian Orthodox Bishops +Polycarp Morusca, and +Valerian D. Trifa, respectively.

The Articles of Incorporation, Amendment #A156400 of 25 Jun.1975, The Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church (Sfanta Treime)", Article Seven (7) b, page #2, states the following: "As long as it does not conflict with California law as it applies to this corporation, upon the dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, its assets remaining after payment of all debts and liabilities of this corporation shall be conveyed to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (The Episcopate)..."

After the December 18-22, 1989’ events in Romania, a group of 12 priests from ROEA, including the pastor your church, initiated a movement of reunification of the 2 Romanian Dioceses in America, as it were during the time of Bishop Polycarp, and the establishment of a Romanian Metropolia in America, similar to the OCA.

The movement of the “Romanian Reunification” in America was not only discouraged by the ROEA Chancery, but the priests who initiated such movement were threatened to be defrocked if they continue such action.

The 1993-1994 ROEA’s Congresses "worked hard" to modify ROEA Statutes, which under Archbishop +Valerian were in place for 33 years. By adapting the new Bylaws, the Chancery made any such actions much harder to lead the path to the reunification of the 2 Romanian Dioceses in America.

So, after adopting the new ROEA Statutes, the Chancery imposed written texts to all ROEA parishes and missions requiring them to insert as an amendment into their articles of incorporation, explicitly stating that: "this corporation submits itself to the administrative and canonical jurisdiction and supervision of the ROEA..." Such resolution was inserted as an amendment in the articles of incorporation of all ROEA parishes and missions, including our own church HTROC, on December 9, 1989.

After 30 years of existence under the jurisdiction ROEA Episcopate, during many years of prayer and meditation, and a long and sound analysis of recent years events, and strenuous relationship between the Holy Trinity Church and ROEA Episcopate, Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church decided, on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at a Special Parish Assembly to "Amend and Restate its Articles of Incorporation" and draw its own Bylaws.
With a presence of 62 members in good standing, thus all paid members (January 1-October 30, 2022), ALL PRESENT on the day of the meeting, supported by 14 signed lists of over 250 parishioners, during the 2 meeting sessions, about 2.5 hours of reports and debates, the community voted, in unanimity, with no oppositions or abstentions, to approve the recommendations of the Parish Council, of which we mention the following:

• To add the word "American" to the name of the Church, thus: "Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church" (HTRAOC), effective October 25, 2022;
• To disassociate HTRAOC from ROEA, effective October 25 , 2022;
• To approve the decision of the Parish Council to petition The Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas to receive The Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church under its jurisdiction, effective October 25, 2022;
• To approve the recommendation of the Parish Council to offer Father Constantin Alecse, forcefully retired by ROEA a work contract, for unlimited period of time. Father Alecse explained to the Assembly that he already petitioned in writing to His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae to be accepted under His Omophorion, in the jurisdiction of Metropolia, effective October 25, 2022;

On the Day of The Entry into the Temple of the Mother of God celebration, November 21 , 2022, the Metropolia Chancery issued 2 decrees of official acceptance, of both: Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church, and Father Constantine Alecse, under Omophorion of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, in the jurisdiction the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas.

The Metropolia maintains a unity of Apostolic faith, and dogmatic, canonical and liturgical discipline, with the Romanian Patriarchate in accord with the Patriarchal Decree No. 10219, dated 1 November 1930, of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church (hereinafter “Holy Synod”), the decision of the Permanent Synod 5 of 12 July 1950, and of the decision of the Plenary Session of the Holy Synod No. 14.079 of 12 December 1974.

The Metropolia is governed by the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the Holy Canons, these Statutes, and other rules and regulations that may be adopted by it in accordance with the Statutes. The Holy Synod is the highest authority in matters of the Faith and Canonical discipline, in accord with the provisions of the Holy Canons and the canonical norms of all the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.

Metropolia is a “founding member” of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), and its successor, The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, as well as the companion Assemblies of Canada and South America (The Canadian Conference of Orthodox Bishops and the Latin American Orthodox Episcopal Conference). These are the only recognized forums for inter-Orthodox relations in the Americas. The Metropolitan, and the other Bishops, represent the Metropolia on the appropriate Assembly.

As the sole organ of canonical and spiritual continuity with the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Metropolia has the exclusive right to recognize ecclesiastical institutions of Orthodox Christians of Romanian origin within its jurisdiction, and to use the expression “Romanian Orthodox” as an identifying title. The Metropolia calls upon all Romanian Orthodox Christians, clergy and laity, to seek and to uphold canonical, spiritual, and administrative unity in the Americas, consonant with the Tradition of the Orthodox Church.

You can find more details on the website of the Metropolia, under the Statutes of The Romania Orthodox Metropolitane Of The Two Americas - https://mitropolia.us/pdf/statut-mi-ro.pdf

Pay attention to the official documents which we have received from the Metropolia:

The letter dated: November 21, 2022, addressed to the President, the Secretary and the Parish Council, communicating the decision of the Metropolitan Council to accept HTRAOC under the Jurisdiction of ROMA – www.biserica.org/ro/txt/roma/htraoc-jurisdictional-acceptance.pdf

The letter dated: November 21, 2022, addressed to Father Constantin Alecse, the parish priest of the HTRAOC, by which he is informed of the decision of the Metropolitan Council that he was accepted by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, into the Jurisdiction of ROMA -www.biserica.org/ro/txt/roma/frca-canonical-acceptance.pdf

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae offered the Metropolitan Holy Antimension to the Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church on the Feastday of the Entry into the Temple of the Theotokos, November 21, 2022. - www.biserica.org/ro/pictures/foto-diverse/roma-antimension-large.jpg. For Many Years, O Master!

Note - Many thanks to Antoaneta Rastian for videotaping and Amber Rastian for the video transfer and editing.