Italian Archpriest Leaves Metr Anghelos’ TOC-PC for Gregory of Colorado

In another surprise move, Archpriest Ambrogio Ciotta, formerly of the Milan Synod, has left the TOC of the Patristic Calendar under Metropolitan Anghelos of Avlonos for the former ROAC Archbishop Gregory of Colorado. The move comes a little over a year after his reception by the TOC-Avlonos Synod, apparently having been decided the second week of June.

For everyone involved or having witnessed last year’s reception of Fr Ambrogio by the TOC-PC, it occurred during the joint celebration of the communion of the Churches of Russia, Greece and America. At the time, Fr Ambrogio applied during a short interregnum period when Metropolitan Evloghios of Milan had formally renounced the True Orthodox Episcopate. At the time, the Greek Synod privately announced their intent to enter into the Italian territory, which was protested by your editor as illegal, and which the Metropolitan for America noted that he was not consulted– as would have been proper procedure as the highest ranking remaining member of the Synod at the time.

Fr Ambrogio, having originally left Metropolitan Evloghios years ago for Colorado, joined ROAC proper before returning to the Milan Synod, only to watch it collapse months later. He indicated no interest in joining Metropolitan Onufrie of Bergamo, the canonically elected successor to Evloghios of Milan. The Greek mission in Italy, pointed out by anyone with a knowledge of the canons as basically illegal under the circumstances, is now left with a single Bishop without a church, having been illegally taken from Metr Onufrie of Bergamo.

Gregory (Abu-Assaly), ROAC’s former Archbishop of Colorado was formally removed by the ROAC Synod in 2004 after attempts to serve him with papers for a canonical trial proved fruitless. He has since operated in relative isolation, claiming jurisdiction over all inhabited populaces outside the Russian Federation proper. Besides unique ecclesiological positions, he holds a similar revisionist position to Holy Transfiguration Monastery and HOCNA, of which he was originally part.