Editing African Orthodox Church (section)

== Relationship to the Syriac Orthodox Church ==
A notice from the [[Syriac Orthodox Church|Syriac Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East]] concerning schismatic bodies and ''{{lang|la|[[episcopi vagantes]]}}'', dated December 10, 1938, states that "after direct expulsion from official Christian communities" some schismatic bodies exist, including "all the sects claiming succession through [[René Vilatte|Vilatte]]", that claim "without truth to derive their origin and apostolic succession from some ancient Apostolic Church of the East" and
{{quote|[...] some of these schismatic bodies have with effrontery published statements which are untrue as to an alleged relation "in succession and ordination" to our Holy Apostolic Church and her forefathers, We find it necessary to announce to all whom it may concern that we deny any and every relation whatsoever with these schismatic bodies and repudiate them and their claims absolutely. Furthermore, our Church forbids any and every relationship, and above all, intercommunion with all and any of these schismatic sects and warns the public that their statements and pretensions [...] are altogether without truth.<ref name="Brandreth1987">{{cite book|location=Northumberland, Great Britain|publisher=Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge|last=Brandreth|first=Henry R. T.|title=Episcopi vagantes and the Anglican Church|date=n.d.|orig-year=1947|url=http://anglicanhistory.org/england/hrtbrandreth/vagantes1947.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|page=70}}}}
The notice named the {{abbr|AOC|African Orthodox Church}} specifically as an example of such schismatic bodies.<ref name="Brandreth1987" />{{rp|page=70}}

In a letter dated to 1987, however, [[Athanasius Paulose II]] of the [[Evangelistic Association of the East]], stated the following:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kersey |first=John |date=2014-06-01 |title=Letters from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |url=https://san-luigi.org/2014/06/01/letters-from-the-malankara-orthodox-syrian-church/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=The Abbey-Principality of San Luigi |language=en}}</ref>

{{Quote|text=I have your kind letter of 02-06-1987. Regarding your doubt about the consecration of Mar Joseph Rene Vilatte of U.S.A., I referred six books and confirm that what you have said about Mar Julius is correct. Mar Joseph Rene Vilatte of U.S.A. was consecrated at Colombe of Ceylone in 1892 by Mar Paulose Athanasius, Mar Julius, and Mar Geevarghese Gregoriose as authorized by H.H. The Patriarch of Antioch. Mar Julius was a duly consecrated Bishop. This is the position of our Syrian Orthodox Church.}}