The Diocesan Spiritual Court

The Diocesan Spiritual Court is the court of first instance. Clergy and laymen are subject to the Diocesan Spiritual Court:

A) in matters concerning the declaration of invalid and illegal marriages;

B) in cases calling for the attestation as to the validity of marriages and legitimacy of birth;

C) for various misdeeds and crimes which subject the guilty parties to penance by the Church, to the curtailment of church rights, or excommunication from the Church.

For official correspondence:

Eastern American Diocese
Attn: Spiritual Court
140 E Ridgewood Avenue
Ste 415, S Tower
Paramus, NJ 07652
eadscourt@gmail.com

Archpriest George Zelenin
Chairman of the Spiritual Court

Archpriest Elias Gorsky
Rector of Holy Virgin Protection Church - Nyack, NY

Archpriest Serge Ledkovsky
Secretary of the Spiritual Court

Priest Andrew Podymow
Cleric of Holy Virgin Protection Church - Nyack, NY

Reasons for Dissolution of Marriage 

The Holy Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of 1917-18 recognized as being legitimate the following reasons for dissolution of a marriage sanctified by the Church: 

- apostasy from Orthodoxy
- adultery and unnatural vices
- incapacity for marital cohabitation
- affliction by leprosy or syphilis
- unknown absence
- jail sentence with deprivation of rights
- infringement upon the life and health of spouse and children
- incest or prostitution of spouse
- entering into a new marriage
- serious, incurable mental illness
- intentional desertion

Guidelines for Church Divorce Petitioners

The Diocesan Court of the Diocese of Eastern America & New York hears petitions for a Church–sanctioned divorce based upon the authority of the Holy Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of 1917-18. Any petition must include the following documents:

1) Certificate of Church Marriage;
2) Civil divorce papers;
3) Current address of both concerned parties;
4) Statement of reasons for dissolution of civil marriage;
5) Confirmation of statement by an Orthodox priest;
6) Payment by check in the amount of $500 made payable to: "Eastern American Diocese."

Petitions must be sent to:

Eastern American Diocese 
140 E Ridgewood Avenue
Ste 415, S Tower
Paramus, NJ 07652