St Raphael and the Episcopalians

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WHEN I ENTERED THE Church in 2002, I took St Raphael of Brooklyn as my patron. The word “coincidence” like “luck” is something that Pagans use, but not Christians. But as an Episcopalian at the time, I stumbled upon or was led to find a letter that St Raphael had written regarding Episcopalians in 1912. By way of background, among all the Protestants in American, the newly consecrated Orthodox Bishop of Brooklyn had found Episcopalians to have the most beautiful rites, music, etc. And, looking at their prayers he found nothing offensive to the Orthodox faith. And, in speaking to the clergymen he had met, he felt they knew something of the Fathers. They also were not terribly fond of the Roman Church. And so it was that Raphael, mindful of his own faithful who were spread all over the continent with no parochial ministries or support, suggested that if they could not find any other communities they might take refuge with the Episcopalians. Not a sacramental refuge, mind you, but rather jut a sense of praying with brothers and sisters in Christ. It was a very short matter of time before Episcopal clergymen were suggesting this was a sacramental union and that – even though the Catholic Church said that Anglican Orders were invalid – the Orthodox felt differently.

This was somewhat true, but also somewhat of an untruth: no sacramental union had been arranged. Inviting stranded Orthodox families to become Episcopalians was, at best, a misunderstanding and, at worst, sheep stealing. So, Raphael repealed his initial directives with a letter. A very strongly worded letter that was at once a rebuke to ECUSA and a clear call for his faithful to stay at home if there was no other Orthodox Church, to read the offices and prayers available without a priest (called “reader’s services“). This ancient tradition of doing something in the absence of the priest, of keeping the Sabbath holy even if it’s not a Eucharistic Liturgy, is a vital part of Byzantine spirituality, even today.