Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has received into the Archdiocese a “bishop” that was defrocked by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). Archimandrite Alexander Belya was defrocked by the ROCOR synod for various unethical actions. On that basis, the Archbishop had no right to receive him into the Greek Archdiocese or to consecrate him a bishop.
The other Orthodox Churches in America are threatening to withdraw from the Episcopal Assembly unless the Archbishop reverses himself. The Episcopal Assembly constitutes the gathering of all Orthodox bishops in North America. ROCOR withdrew in 2018 when the Ecumenical Patriarchate instigated the Ukrainian crisis.
The Archbishop has committed a variety of missteps such as marching with Black Lives Matter (a Marxist organization), attending the pro life gathering in Washington and contradicting himself by making both pro life and pro choice statements. Last fall, he attended a ceremony at the Turkish consulate in New York which was attended by Turkish officials and the Turkish appointee who presides over the occupied territories in Cyprus. That visit is particularly scandalous considering Turkish threats to seize the Greek islands. He is however most notorious for his extreme views regarding the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate which do not align with Orthodox ecclesiology.
The Archbishop must reverse this latest mistake. He should also resign as Archbishop as he clearly is not familiar with America and is not determined to learn how to govern the Church in America.