Explosive New Audio Further Implicates ROCOR Leadership in Williams Family Abuse Coverup & Victim Intimidation. A Forensic Analysis.
Audio of Matushka Elizabeth Williams' teleconference with Fathers Mark Mancuso & Alexandre Antchoutine highlights ROCOR's shocking, intimidation tactics against abuse victims.
With the next court hearing for self-confessed, child abuser Fr Matthew Williams coming up next week on 29th January, a previously unheard recording has emerged this week, that sheds new light on the extent of ROCOR’s attempted coverup of the horrific case. The recording from March 2025, is of a teleconference between Matthew Williams’ wife, Elizabeth Williams, and two senior Eastern American (EA) Diocese clerics, Fr Alexandre Antchoutine and Fr Mark Mancuso. Both priests are high-ranking members of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) Eastern American Diocesan Council. Fr Alexandre Antchoutine is the Dean of New York City & Long Island while Fr Mark Mancuso is ROCOR’s Liaison for Media and Dean of the Carolinas & Tennessee.
We remind our readers, and those unfamiliar with the case, that Fr Matthew Williams is a suspended priest of the EA Diocese who was charged with numerous counts of sexually abusing his own children over an extended period of time. His wife Elizabeth Williams first reported the allegations to ROCOR senior cleric Fr Serge Kotar, Bishop Luke Murianka and subsequently to the primate of ROCOR, Metropolitan Nicholas Olhovsky in September 2024.
Along with Fr Serge and Bishop Luke, Metropolitan Nicholas is a mandatory reporter of any type of abuse in his Church however he failed to make any reports to authorities immediately or ensure adequate support for the victims. On the contrary, in a completely insensitive and callous manner, Metropolitan Nicholas:
In a classic case of gaslighting, Advised Elizabeth to effectively reunite with her abusive husband and “build a strong family that shares love to Christ, and His Church, and to each other”. Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a victim is given a signal that everything is well when really it is not.
The message from Metropolitan Nicholas to Elizabeth Williams. His advice to her was insensitive, highly inappropriate and gave the impression that Fr Matthew Williams crimes were just a minor misdemeanour. Subsequently, when she begged for correction of lies made about her not reporting the allegations earlier, he angrily and dismissively told her that she “shouldn’t be telling the Church what to do or how to inform the flock!”
Further punished the victims, Elizabeth and her daughters, by banning them from attending their own church, St. Tikhon’s Blountville in Tennessee. This is classic “victim shunning”, a tactic practiced by many churches against abuse victims to isolate and stonewall them. So committed was Metropolitan Nicholas to this cruel act, he even put it to them in a formal papal-style “Directive” with an EA Diocese letterhead. (See below)
All these actions only further traumatized the family and signalled that if they were expecting his compassion and support, that this would not be forthcoming.
Another one of those that experienced spiritual abuse from Fr Matthew Williams is St Tikhon’s parishioner Joan Furman. She was also banned from St Tikhon’s in 2025 after raising her concerns about his predatory behaviour.
Incidentally, Joan was also interviewed by the same two clerics, Fr Alexandre Antchoutine and Fr Mark Mancuso and their behaviour in talking to her was very similar to the disingenuous and unsupportive way they spoke to Elizabeth Williams.
And also here:
3 Months of Inaction & Delay
September 2024
Matushka Elizabeth Williams reports the abuse allegations to Fr Serge Kotar who then immediately passes on the information to Metropolitan Nicholas.
Metropolitan Nicholas does NOT report to authorities as required
Fr Matthew Williams admits to allegations via text message
October 2024
Further incidents occur with Fr Matthew Williams including taking firearms from the family home and taking one of the children away from the home without the mother’s consent. These are serious domestic violence issues.
Matushka Elizabeth again reports Fr Matthew’s abusive behaviour to Fr Serge Kotar including by letter.
With a month passing Metropolitan Nicholas still does not report to authorities
November 2024
Metropolitan Nicholas finally responds to Elizabeth. His message acknowledges a severe problem and the absence of any excuse, but in a terrible case of gaslighting, he suggests peace, patience, and reconciliation as the path forward (see text message above).
Still no report to police
December 2024
December 1: Bishop Luke (Murianka) reaches out to Elizabeth at the Metropolitan’s direction.
December 5: Video call with Bishop Luke who promises swift action
December 9: Elizabeth sends update to Bishop Luke about parish situation
December 10: Fr. Matthew is finally suspended. The only mention of this is a single line on the EA Diocese website. Since this time, Metropolitan Nicholas has never made any public acknowledgement of the case or offered any public expression of sorrow to Matushka Elizabeth and he daughters.
Fr Mark Mancuso lies in his statement to St Tikhon’s parish, and the neighbouring Christ The Saviour Greek Orthodox Church that Fr Matthew Matthew Williams was “removed within 24 hours of allegations being made”. In fact Elizabeth had made the allegations 3 months earlier and Fr Mancuso and Metropolitan Nicholas sat on their hands for 3 months before taking any action to suspend Matthew Williams.
January 2025
Metropolitan Nicholas callously bans the Williams family from their own church
ROCOR’s Abuse Response Tactics: Gaslighting, Evasion, Manipulation, and Intimidation of the Victims
By March of 2025, concerned about a lack of support, communication and any actual urgency by ROCOR’s leadership to progress the case against her husband, Elizabeth Williams reached out to two of the most senior priests in her diocese, Fr Mark Mancuso and Fr Alexandre Antchoutine for answers. The clerics agreed to a teleconference. Instead of giving Elizabeth any genuine reassurance or support, the two priests put on a truly disingenuous performance that was evasive, manipulative and gaslighting of the highest order.
Towards the latter part of the conversation, Fr Alexandre’s tone even becomes intimidating as he becomes exasperated with Elizabeth’s insistence on important details and attempts to deflect questions back on her. If there were still any doubts about the horrendous way ROCOR treats victims of sexual abuse, including children, then this recording will end those doubts forever.
Keep in mind, these men are part of Metropolitan Nicholas’ trusted inner circle. In another context they could perhaps be described as his enforcers - the men that Nicholas sends out when there are people that are thinking the wrong things and need to be spoken to, to set them straight. The fathers would have had a detailed briefing with the Metropolitan prior to their conversation with Elizabeth Williams and their tone and demeanour are well & truly representative of the will of the Metropolitan Nicholas himself.
Here now is the complete recording of the shocking teleconference between Elizabeth, and the two priests that were meant to be supporting her. A commentary is provided on the most salient and concerning quotes from the dialogue. A full transcript is also included further down in the article for those interested in delving into the exact words of the conversation.
The Audio of the Teleconference Between Elizabeth Williams and Fathers Mark Mancuso and Alexandre Antchoutine, March 2025
The Williams Family
This conversation has many elements that are deeply concerning and disturbing from the point of view of how an organization like the Church, supports and protects victims of clerical abuse. Keep in mind that Elizabeth and her family at that point in time, in March 2025, are in the midst of a horrific trauma. They had only recently been able to summon the courage to report the abuse. This in itself is amazing, and something they should be applauded for, because often, victims of sexual abuse take years to come forward, and sometimes are never able to report it at all. Such is the stigma and sense of shame of this crime, that many people suffer in silence and experience years of mental health problems like chronic depression, self-harm and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
To make matters worse for the Williams family, the abuse was perpetrated by their husband and father, the one person who they should trust absolutely and who should love and respect them unconditionally. As a result of his act, the family is shattered forever, a tragedy that is well and truly a worst case scenario for all concerned.
To add even more horror to the scenario, this man, Matthew Williams, is an Archpriest of the Orthodox Church. His whole life was meant to be dedicated to being a moral leader and inspiration to others to follow our Lord Jesus Christ. In his crimes, Matthew Williams has betrayed not only his family, but also his own priesthood and Church. Some may be aware that he comes from a family that has an extended connection to ROCOR. His father, the late Fr Gregory Williams was a priest with ROCOR and his uncle Fr Chad Williams remains a priest with the Church. Years ago, the family lived in a commune known as the “Agape Community” and which has already been the subject of concerning accounts involving neglect of children and a highly sexualized environment.
For more information, see our past story featuring an interview with Matthew Williams ex sister-in-law Michelle Stewart:
Commentary on the Teleconference
What follows are direct quotes from the conversation with questions and commentary. The analysis here is highly detailed and analytical for those interested in a forensic deep-dive into the primary sources of the coverup case. Forgive us in advance for the cynical, biting sarcasm of the comments but if this is the best that Metropolitan Nicholas’ mob of henchmen can do, then there should be no mercy in roasting them for their bullying of Matushka Elizabeth Williams. These men have failed completely in their responsibilities as priests and human beings to a family that has been battered and abused by one of their own. And this is an Inquisition after all.
Keep in mind also that in civilian life, Fr Mark Mancuso is a librarian and Fr Alexandre Antchoutine is builder. Neither have any qualifications in supporting abuse victims or conducting abuse investigations. Zero. None. Nil. Why then are they being entrusted with this job?
For each quote there is a timestamp for when it occurs in the conversation. The quotes are presented in chronological order:
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:05:17] So you and your family can go to the Mission. The only thing is that we we would want you and your, your family to just sort of, kind of pray kind of low profile, because that's still a lot of moving pieces going on. You don't want to put you sort of in any crosshairs. So why don't you just go and pray, kind of keep a low profile for now? And so that means, you know, for now, not reading or singing in the choir.
The Mission refers to an alternate church that it was deemed permissible to send Elizabeth and her children to after they were banned by Metropolitan Nicholas from attending their own St Tikhon’s parish. Already the victims are shamed and shunned, a classic abuse coverup tactic, by being told to “keep a low profile”. Presumably ROCOR was terrified that these terrible people would speak to others and bring shame on the ROCOR leadership and community.
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:06:05] Yeah. I mean, there's just a lot of moving pieces going on right now and for kind of keep y'all out of sort of harm's way to put it, you know, gently. We just think for now, this is the, the best thing for for everybody.
Mancuso and Antchoutine keep repeating this meaningless term “moving pieces”. What exactly are they? And the excuse of wanting to keep the family out of harm’s way? What harm is this? The harm to ROCOR and the Metropolitan? This is insane gaslighting and manipulation to pass off the disgusting actions of ROCOR as being to “protect the family”. You know, sort of like the Covid forced vaccinations were all for our “protection”.
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:06:48] Well, obviously we have the ecclesial case of Father Matthew. And that's in process. But then we also are just wondering what's going to happen with the, the civil authorities with that and so, and that and those things are running parallel, but they can be connected. In other words, if Father Matthew is charged and or convicted, then he's automatically that has an impact on the spiritual court. And obviously if he's convicted, he's going to be automatically defrocked. But but so we're just kind of waiting to see how how all the pieces fall.
One again we have these mysterious “pieces” needing to fall into place. Are these pieces perhaps drops of sweat at the Chancellery about the unfolding, slow-motion, trainwreck public relations disaster for ROCOR?
Elizabeth Williams: [00:08:19] So when did you all report it?
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:08:24] I don’t have a strict note of it.
So let me get this right Fr Mancuso, this reporting of child sexual abuse was so important, you didn’t even make a note of it? Is this the level of care for regulatory compliance and record keeping that ROCOR practices when it come to child abuse?
Elizabeth Williams: [00:09:00] Through the website there or, or did you call the police, of Sullivan County?
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:09:07] I know we called.. there was a line to call.
Note to future victims. Reporting child abuse by a ROCOR priest is so serious, your investigating archpriests won’t even get off their entitled asses to go and report it at a police station IN PERSON. It will be done online, probably between shopping on eBay and emailing ROCOR Studies to still omit mention of Matthew Williams crimes in their articles.
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:10:42] we had talked about some references for therapy or therapists or counsellors. Yes. And we can talk and we can talk about that. And maybe Father Alexandre can take over there. But ostensibly we have we have not only we have at least one priest, but we have other a few others that have they're licensed counsellors and things like that. I think there's a little bit of complication in the sense that can't actively engage because of crossing state lines
Ok. So a woman whose family was abused by a priest, who is being spoken to by two other priests (who are not really on her side), is being advised by said priests that she may even get counselling from yet another priest? Are these guys serious? You’re throwing this woman under the bus and you want her to see yet ANOTHER priest for counselling? Astonishing.
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:12:02] Trust me, there will be full cooperation, right? Church is not trying to hide anything or anything else, but it will. It takes time. And as father Mark said, and if sometimes, if if the so-called silence, it doesn’t mean we don’t know something or we’re not doing anything about it or, you know, or whatnot. Absolutely not.
Yes Fr Alexandre. We trust you. The Church is not trying to hide anything. Sure. And Epstein suicided. And 9/11 was not an inside job. Far be it for us to suggest that maybe this again is the famous ROCOR policy of silence being brought into play.
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:13:27] But you need to understand that everything you know, there's a certain procedures in take time. And we do have a lot more information, a lot more information that we can't share with you.
Ahh the great defence of confidentiality. The old “we have a lot more information that we can’t share with you”. Why? Why not in fact can you not share it? Who are you protecting Fr Alexandre? And have you given ALL of this information to the police? Because if you haven’t then ROCOR is conspiring to hinder a police investigation by concealment of evidence. Perhaps law enforcement should get a subpoena / search warrant to raid the ROCOR chancellery at 75 East 93rd Street New York see what’s being hidden in all those hard drives and clerical laptops and email accounts?
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:14:41] But precisely the spiritual court is determining the ecclesial fitness as to whether Father Matthew can continue in his ministry or not, and that that's not necessarily connected.
Sorry is his continuation as a priest still undecided? What more does the spiritual court have to determine? Matthew Williams confessed. The witness testimonies are sound. Why does ROCOR not defrock him right now? What are you waiting for Fr Mark and Metropolitan Nicholas? What more reasons do you need?
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:16:33] If they contact us, they haven't yet. If they contact us then we will you know, we're just waiting to be contacted from them, and then we will, you know, fully cooperate and give them everything that they need.
One of the things that really stands out in this conversation, is Mancuso and Antchounine’s hand washing that would do Pontius Pilate very proud. “You see here we are Elizabeth Williams. We’ve done our bit. We made the report. And now…. we’re just waiting for them to call us.” Hands washed!
What a disgusting deflection and dereliction of priestly, and regulatory abuse reporting duty. These priests should be PROACTIVELY parking themselves at the county police station desk and be voluntarily bringing in every last shred of evidence ROCOR has on Williams. And by their own admission there is MUCH MORE evidence they can disclose! This should also include anything on the historical allegation of Matthew Williams’ rape of his god-daughter many years ago. Evidence of this is also in existence. But you see - they are waiting…
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:16:48] But so far there was no contact from, from from anyone. Right. Even even the, even the that the authorities when they were contacted said, do you want to be notified of movements or, you know, whatever is going on?
The authorities Fr Antchoutine is referring to the police. The question here is are ROCOR keeping track of where Fr Matthew Williams is now? He’s their problem and a soon to be convicted sex offender. Word has it he has made unsupervised trips to Jordanville and other places. Do the good people at HTS Jordanville like Bishop Luke know where he is at anytime of day? Has he performed any sacraments like baptism’s for example while under suspension? There’s lots of kids about! And Matt needs a lot of supervision to keep his pants up…
The Spiritual Court
Elizabeth Williams: [00:18:23] Okay, okay. Okay. So I guess my first question would be What is the status with the church’s investigation? The spiritual court. Because I’ve heard nothing. I last I heard it was supposed to start after Theophany in in January. And I’ve heard nothing. Father Joseph seems to think it hasn’t started. From what I’m hearing from you, that’s maybe not true.
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:18:53] They. They have the preliminary information. And we have other information that we’re waiting to give to them when they request it. But they are also waiting to see if there’s any movement with the civil authorities that we said earlier.
This question concerns the so called “Spiritual” or Ecclesiastical Court of ROCOR EA Diocese. A Ecclesiastical Court usually consists of a bishop and some priests whose job it is to investigate other priests misconduct and met out punishments all the way to defrocking. In the context of the broader church community and justice in abuse cases, the Ecclesiastical Courts are virtually useless. There is zero transparency and they never release any information about their proceedings. Worst of all, there is no independence and its a well known fact that the number one priority of priests is to protect other priests. For all intents and purposes, Ecclesiastical Courts, and especially that of the EA Diocese is only there for window dressing.
ROCOR Not Following Its Own Guideline - Point 7 of ROCOR Guidelines on Issues of Sexual Misconduct
Point 7. of the Guidelines states: The Investigation Coordinator shall, upon receiving the signed complaint from the President of the Synod of Bishops, meet with the respondent to discuss the allegations. If the findings of the Investigation Coordinator demonstrate the need for a Spiritual Court to review the matter, the respondent is required to prepare and submit a written signed response to the Spiritual Court which should include witnesses who would support his denial; names of individuals who 6 would have knowledge of the matter; a statement of facts relating to the allegation; and any other relevant information. The respondent may seek the assistance of others in the preparation of his response. If the respondent admits the allegations, a signed admission is to be prepared. The investigation is then considered ended and a report is made by the Spiritual Court to the Bishop.
For the full copy of the ROCOR Guidelines on Issues of Sexual Misconduct policy see here:
Elizabeth Williams: [00:20:15] I see. Okay, so here’s a I have a question. So I’ve read over the guidelines in the section about reporting of complaints and number 7 states that if the respondent admits the allegation, admits to the allegation, then he signs an admission in the investigation is ended. So my question for you is, did you ask Father Matthew if the allegations made against him by his daughters at the cross? Did you ask him if those were in fact true? And did he admit to these allegations?
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:21:00] What you need to understand that this is between us and Father Matthew. Right. Just like our conversation between you and us, it’s between us. What Father Matthew told us is going to spiritual court.
This is Fr Alexandre being evasive. He full well knows that Matthew Williams ADMITTED his guilt. In this case Matushka Elizabeth is right that according to point 7 of ROCOR Guidelines on Issues of Sexual Misconduct, the case should have been closed by the Ecclesiastical Court with a finding of “guilty” and Matthew Williams defrocked. Instead, just as he does on so many other occasions, Fr Alexandre pleads the “we can’t tell you” nonsense. ROCOR does NOT follow its own guidelines.
Further on in this exchange, Matushka Elizabeth keeps challenging Fr Alexandre about this. She says:
Elizabeth Williams: [00:21:43] But according. According to this, it says that the investigation would have ended at that time if he admitted to it.
To this Fr Alexandre replies:
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:21:50] It's not. It's not just black and white like it says in the book, you know, there are a lot of other complicated pieces and moving pieces, you know, and whatnot. Right. It doesn't really matter. Right.
Effectively what Fr Alexandre is saying here is that the ROCOR GUIDLEINES AND POLICIES DO NOT MATTER. ITS NOT JUST BLACK & WHITE LIKE IT SAYS IN THE BOOK. In other words we do NOT need to follow our own guidelines, “the book”, if we don’t want to. They are negotiable and we’ll just make it up as we go along. This is a senior ROCOR cleric saying this. What more proof can there be for ROCOR’s senior leadership corruption and disdain for the rule of law?
Furthermore, Point 7 of the Sexual Misconduct Guidelines state that “A SIGNED ADMISSION IS TO BE PREPARED”.
Questions:
Was Matthew Williams required to sign a written admission as required by the guidelines?
If so - THEN WILL THIS SIGNED ADMISSION BE HANDED OVER TO POLICE AS CRITICAL EVIDENCE? OR IS THIS EVIDENCE BEING WITHHELD BY ROCOR?
STOP PRESS:
Is ROCOR using the sacrament of Confession as a means of getting out of handing over evidence to police?
A serious concern has been raised by a reader with Pokrov Truth, that in this case, ROCOR may use the Sacrament of Confession as a method of legal sophistry and concealment to protect Fr Matthew Williams. If the interview between Fathers Mancuso & Antchoutine and Matthew Williams was done, as has been described in front of a “gospel & cross”, can they therefore attempt top pass this off as a church confession in which they are bound to NOT reveal any details of to the police?
If this is indeed the case, then it would be a satanic level of deviousness that blasphemes the Holy Sacraments and is unbecoming of any priest or bishop. ROCOR needs to come clean about what it has, and has not handed over to police as evidence. This question is far too serious to overlook.
More Evasiveness. Did ROCOR report what Fr Matthew confessed in front of cross and gospel?
Elizabeth Williams: [00:23:40] When? After after you took our statements in December, you told me that you were going to be going to meet with him. I assume that’s when you. He also testified with the cross in the gospel. I’m just wondering if if you the those results are if they’re shown to be criminal. Evidence of criminal sexual misconduct. Do you report those to the police?
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:24:17] We reported what we you know what you told us and your daughters told police. If police want more information as stated, they have all our info, they could contact us, they could call us for an interview or whatever it is. We reported the crime, right? Because that’s how we took your statement. We took your daughter’s statement and we call the police to report a crime.
Here again, Fr Alexandre is being evasive. He doesn’t answer the question if they reported ALL that Fr Matthew told. The likely answer is NO, they did not. It certainly then has the appearance of actually HINDERING a police investigation by withholding crucial information. See the above suggestion that perhaps in their interactions with police, the investigating clergy may have passed off Fr Matthew’s admissions as “confession”. Furthermore, once again we also have the pathetic washing of hands, of “We gave them our report and THEY now have to CONTACT US”.
Further on Antchoutine also says:
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:25:05] So but we did our part as far as reporting the crime.
Matthew Williams Slander Against His Own Wife To Defend Himself
Elizabeth Williams: [00:25:24] This this is part of the problem that that has been a very big. Source of chaos and hysteria in the church. Is that I initially learned about the sexual misconduct against my daughters in September. At that time, my husband, when I asked him about it, he admitted it to me privately, not in writing, and went to Jordanville, and he told me that he was going to Jordanville to seek guidance from Bishop Luke on what to do going forward. It's come to my attention that what he actually did on that visit was go and report to Bishop Luke or whomever that I was having an adulterous relationship. Sorry to laugh, but that's what I was told recently informed that my husband told me he was going to report his sexual misconduct, but in fact, he went and accused me, made made allegations against me. Being an adulterous relationship was which is absolutely false on every front. Not not a grain of truth to it. So I was recently informed of this, that my husband, in his paranoia and so forth, thought that this was what was happening and didn't. And I don't know that he did, in fact, report to Bishop Luke or Father Serge. I don't know that anything about what he was. What my daughters had accused him of. So what I have learned is that when Father Serge came down here, he. Even though my husband told me he was coming down here to discuss the abuse against my girls, he was apparently coming because he thought I was having an adulterous relationship.
So Matthew Williams, far from being repentant after being caught out, was so desperate and deranged, he actually made up a slanderous lies about his wife having an affair and told this to other priests and Bishop Luke. If this is true, then it just further tarnishes his reputation .
ROCOR Failures to Report to Police and Fr Mark Mancuso’s Lies About Being “Informed”. Also more evidence of ROCOR NOT following its own guidelines.
Elizabeth Williams: [00:29:02] Okay. Anyway, I just wanted to wanted to discount that. And in case you had heard about it, to let you know that that’s absolutely false to to the root anyway. So when regardless of whether what Father Matthew reported when he went up there, the point is, is that Father Serge Kotar came down to Tennessee in September and served in Lebanon with my family privately, without my husband and extended family, with my extended family, sons in law and so forth. And at that time, he asked if any of us wanted to speak to him privately. And that was when I spoke with him and told him in detail about the sexual abuse that my daughters had had told me about, had informed me of. So that brings me to the question of. Under the guidelines in the church, number 16 reports and complaints, any evidence of criminal sexual misconduct except under the seal of confession shall be immediately referred to the appropriate law enforcement. My question is why did neither Father Serge Kotar in September or Metropolitan Nicholas on October 30th? When I sent him an email in detail describing the abuse and the adulterous relationships? Nor Bishop Luke in December when I when I reported it to him, why did none of them follow the guidelines, the bylaws of the church, and report it to the law enforcement? This was a sexual abuse against minor children. Not only was it not reported to my knowledge, but. When Father Mark was brought on to the scene. Father Mark, when you were brought onto the scene in December, you. Is my understanding that you officially, your official statement to our parish was that the church had only learned about it 24 hours before I reported the abuse, starting in September, and there was no record.
The main points Elizabeth makes here are:
She did tell Fr Serge Kotar everything and he subsequently reported it to Metropolitan Nicholas soon after and he disregarded the ROCOR Sexual Misconduct point 16 that says 16. Any evidence of criminal sexual misconduct, except that no clergyman shall be permitted to breach the seal of confession in accordance with the Holy Canons, shall be immediately referred to the appropriate law-enforcement authority.
That Metropolitan Nicholas FAILED to report immediately to police as required. Effectively this is direct and wilful COVERUP.
That Fr Mark Mancuso lied in his statement to the St Tikhon’s parish and to the neighbouring Christ The Saviour Greek Orthodox Church that Fr Matthew Matthew Williams was “removed within 24 hours of allegations being made”. As all the evidence shows, it took ROCOR more than 3 MONTHS to act before they removed Matthew Williams. By this, Fr Mark Mancuso is a liar and an obfuscator of the truth, an active participant in the coverup conspiracy.
The Damage of Mancuso’s Lies to Williams Family
Fr Mark Mancuso: [00:31:30] Um, and I said that what I was referring to is when it would. That’s when it was reported. That’s when the public law happened and it was reported. That’s what I was talking about. I wasn’t talking about anything further back than that. That’s all I was referring to.
Elizabeth Williams: [00:31:46] But do you realize by state that statement? Mass hysteria ensued in the parish where people claimed that my family and I had never reported it and had no intention of reporting it, and we were. Father, father, please let me finish. And that we were opened up. My family was left vulnerable to hideous slander. And I address this in a letter which I sent to. Metropolitan. Nicholas. Copy to Vladyka Luke. Father Serge and you, father. Mark. Um, later in December, begging you to please clarify these matters. Because it was hurting not only my family, but everybody in the parish. And it has caused just domino effect of. Just as you see, as we all see, this could have been corrected. This was not true. And by not correcting it, it has allowed just hideous rumors and just horrible things to happen, which, you know, has been incredibly, um, just incredibly damaging to my children and to my whole family. And So. Um, that’s that’s been a very, very painful, very, very painful, um, source of. Of. I don’t even know how to describe. I mean, it’s irreparable emotional, spiritual damage to my children and to parishioners who not only had lost their priests, but now they thought that we had no intention of reporting it at all. So my question is, is why is this is this not the protocol? Um, I, I’m going to bring up another point. Um, Joseph Smith, one of the former parishioners of Saint Tikhon’s, um, a good friend of mine shared a conversation, um, that he had with you, father Mark. Um, right after my family was banned from the church. And in which you quoted, you were quoted saying. Until the accusation is made before the cross in the gospel, it doesn’t count as an allegation. So. How? How can that not?
Mancuso’s pathetic attempts to wiggle out of his lies are pointless. Elizabeth Williams accurately describes how his denial of the allegations being made her earlier, opened her up to “My family was left vulnerable to hideous slander. “ This is how ROCOR protects victims.
Antchoutine Questions Elizabeth About Not Initially Reporting to Police.
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:35:27] Matushka I’m going to ask you a question again, if that. If you learn of the criminal act whatnot. You spoke to Father Serge. You shared your story, right? You shared your story with Father Serge, right? And then. But I don’t know. Again, we weren’t there. I don’t know what was said between you and Father Sergey at this one on one conversation. Mhm. Right. It doesn’t mean that we didn’t talk to Father Serge ourselves. However, it was your direct conversation. My, my question is to you. Why didn’t you report to authorities yourself at that time? Not church authorities. Legal authorities.
Elizabeth Williams: [00:36:05] Sure. Well, that’s that’s a good question. And that’s a question that is, um, has to do with my family personally and my daughter, my daughter’s grief and my daughter’s and myself processing it and getting to the point where we could. And it’s really irrelevant, father, because I’m not I mean, I understand now, I did not know at the time about the law, about Tennessee being a mandatory reporting state, but it’s my understanding that clergymen are mandatory reporters. And according to the church bylaws, you all are mandatory reporters. And it said, as I read right there, that you were required when there was evidence of criminal sexual misconduct. And it wasn’t just Father Serge, I can send you the entirety of the email that I sent to Metropolitan Nicholas in which I stated how my daughters were sexually abused. Why did he not follow the bylaws? Why did an investigation not start then? Why was there not an investigator sent down after I reported it to Father Serge or Metropolitan Nicolas.
This shows Antchoutine’s complete lack of understanding of how difficult it is for victims to report sexual abuse. What Elizabeth is saying is that in reporting it to Metropolitan Nicholas, she expected HIM TO REPORT IT as he is required to do. But he threw her under the bus by refusing to report, forcing her to do it herself.
At this point, the tone of the conversation starts to take a darker turn with Fr Alexandre starting to become irritated and demanding answers from Elizabeth. If you listen to it closely, there is a tone of intimidation.
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:37:06] I’m going to answer because there was a reason for that. Reason was not disclosed right now, but there was absolutely reason why nothing in September was going on. Right. And I’m not going to answer metropolitan behalf right now, but I could tell you one thing that was very legitimate reason. It’s not what you want to hear and what not what I’m trying to understand, what I’m trying to understand right now. And I’m going to ask you this directly. Where are we going with this whole conversation? If you want certain answers, you know, just we have a proper conversation to figure out where we’re moving along or whatnot, or we’re having a conversation because right now you can resist. Your question is, to us, is beginning to sound sound like it’s some kind of, uh, a deposition or or, I don’t know, for the better, you know, what’s the word to use here? Where are you going with all of this?
At this point Fr Alexandre starts to turn the heat up on Elizabeth as to why she’s asking all these questions. You can tell he is becoming anxious and he quickly reveals some of the real fears that he and ROCOR leadership have, which of course is LITIGATION. His use of the word “deposition” gives this away. It tells you what is most concerning to Metropolitan Nicholas at this point already and its NOT the welfare of the victims. It’s the fear of being sued - something for which Matushka Elizabeth now has full rights to do.
Also, in this quote, Fr Alexandre gives away a very CRUCIAL bit of information when he says: “but there was absolutely reason why nothing in September was going on. Right. And I’m not going to answer metropolitan behalf right now, but I could tell you one thing that was very legitimate reason.”
What is this legitimate reason Fr Alexandre Antchoutine? Enquiring minds want to know, what this reason is. If you are a man of any integrity then you will reveal this reason.
Fr Alexandre’s Intimidation Tactic
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:38:01] Because I tell you from my side, which I told you that before, there was a lot, a lot of reason. If you're planning to go to court against the church with that, then all this visa is going to come out that nothing was hidden. Nothing was. I've just told you this before, but not everything could be disclosed to you. And then if you're upset with me, then. Or something else, uh, I could tell you one thing. That. No way. No how? Vladika Mitropolit was trying to hide something. Try, uh, try to dishonour you or your family. Or not to help or not, it doesn't work this way. But there were legitimate reasons. Legitimate reasons that it was, you know, uh, when you said this, uh, email to him in October. Right. You know, uh, and I saw this email, but then things developed Fr Serge. Again, we cannot answer for Father Serge, uh, because it was also, you know, certain things that we all know of, you know, what happened and there's other certain protocols. But again, no way, no how. Somebody was trying to, um, sweep something under the rug and whatnot. Right. So it's happened happened. So my question is to where are we going with this? Because again, if you're questioning us for certain things that you want to make a legal case out of this because of church and whatnot, then just say, so, guys, I'm going to sue the church.
Who is Father Alexander to bring up some speculation about legal proceedings in this conversation at all? Is he there to support Elizabeth or to bully her with baseless assertions? Matushka Elizabeth has not said a thing about litigation but you can tell that this is at the FOREFRONT of Antchoutine’s mind already. His whole tone becomes intimidating and aggressive. The subtext is already evident that Elizabeth should beware of even thinking about suing the church, because The Church is already suspecting and fearful of this and really she should not think about it. And these men are meant to be supportive of her? No - their real purpose is to silence Elizabeth and prevent litigation. They, and their boss Nicholas Olhovsky, care nothing for the victims.
Matthew Williams Clerical Fate Basically Decided
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine [00:39:59] Most likely Father Matthew is never going to return as a priest anywhere.
Well gee Fr Alexandre, we certainly hope he won’t be returning as a priest or any form for that matter.
As they have stated themselves, Fr Antchoutine and Mancuso know FAR more than they give away about the horrific details of Matthew Williams crimes. This statement says that the EA Diocese already has the evidence to defrock him. So why do they not defrock him today? Why are they waiting for a civil trial that will only confirm what we already know?
Mancuso’s Delay in Supporting Elizabeth
Elizabeth Williams: [00:43:53] Okay, I'm trying to understand why this is the pastoral support that you assured me of when it's been two months. Father. Mark, let me please, let me finish. It's been two months since you banned us from the church. And you're just now getting around to giving me a phone call to tell me why.
Fr Mark Mancuso failed to call Elizabeth in 2 months to even tell her why she was banished from her own church. Let that sink in.
Antchoutine Tries Again to Justify The Williams Family Banishment
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:44:21] this is your time to step back, to stop worrying about everything else. Go somewhere else. Take your family, step back. Don’t do anything here. Take care of your family and whatnot. This is for the protection of your family. Because even to this day, just please let me finish up. Even to this day, many, many, many people do not believe what Father Matthew did. We do. We have no question about it. But people don’t. And we were trying. We were trying to help you and your family. And they told you this in a nice way at that point, you know, just go take the family, leave the church here because they would be exposed to the bad things. That was always intention. Now, if you don’t like what’s written in the Ukaz, okay, it’s it’s you know, that was all censorship. Nobody banned you. But for the protection and for the rumours and for a lot of other stuff, this was done. Again, if you don’t have to accept it, obviously you’re not accepting it, but it was done with love and care.
This is absolutely disgusting, bullying behaviour from Fr Antchoutine. He is effectively telling Elizabeth to “get stuffed”. He is further enforcing Metropolitan Nicholas’ banning and driving Elizabeth away and trying to justify it as being for her protection. If ROCOR has all the details, why don’t they set straight all the misguided parishioners at St Tikhon’s that can’t accept reality that their priest was a sexual abuser? Why is it Elizabeth that is being targeted and being stood over by Antchoutine and Mancuso? Why are they not setting the record straight at St Tikhon’s about what a pervert and predator Matthew Williams has turned out to be?
The Final Word From Elizabeth Sums it Up
Elizabeth Williams: [00:45:45] But I was never explained. No, but but but you never told me why. If you had just if father Mark or one of you had just. You know, I asked repeatedly for clarity on this, and my family did as well, and we got no clarity on it. So this this is what this is my concern. And this is why 57 members of Saint Tikhon’s are at Christ the Savior. That’s the Greek church down the road. When you kick victims out of a parish for reporting abuse, it sets the sort of precedence to the church where people are afraid to speak out when they’ve been abused. It sends the message that it’s not safe for victims to report misconduct. If they see that those who speak up are shunned, ostracized and denied the sacraments in support of their parish. This is the message you’re banning has given to the faithful, and that’s why so many people have left. And it’s hurt.
This statement by Elizabeth summarizes the pain and suffering that is experienced by victims of clerical abuse as well as the shameful shunning that goes on. She also makes the point that is most tragic of all, that even after what’s happened, “it’s not safe for victims to report misconduct”. This is ROCOR today, a church where not only will you be shunned if you report abuse, men in black will be sent to intimidate you even further.
Elizabeth Williams: [00:49:37] Okay. Well, I forgive me. I just felt like I should share the grief. You know that that my family has gone through because of this and because of simply the unwillingness of you to explain the situation to us and to give us some sort of, some sort of, um, understanding explanation of why. I mean, this is a penance to be to not be allowed to go to our church. And clearly, I mean, you can say it’s not a ban, but, you know, let’s face it, if we had showed up at the church, we would have been in trouble because we were told not to. And we have respected that and honored that. But generally, I think when a penance is given, there’s an explanation given as to why it’s being given. And that’s what was lacking. And I’m not I’m just trying to explain to you that this hurt. This has hurt my family. I’m asking for your prayers. I’m asking that in the future that you’ll learn from these things and not treat victims this way and that. The church. I’m asking that you will stand up and make sure that this doesn’t happen in the church, that victims and people. It’s. You asked why it took us months, why we didn’t report it to the authorities, why I didn’t want my husband to be sent to prison, my children’s father in September, why it took me a couple of months to muster up the courage to and my daughters to, to actually go through, because this is very painful. And if other victims are afraid to go forward because they know that, oh, I remember Matushka Elizabeth and when her daughters were abused and the way the church just tried to silence them and kicked them out, that’s how it appears. That’s how it looks from the outside. And that’s not that’s not.
Elizabeth again speaks of the hardship experienced by sexual abuse victims to report.
Fr Alexandre Antchoutine: [00:55:13] But moving now, moving forward, let's just, you know, hopefully, uh, tone everything down, you know, uh, and then again, move forward for the benefit, for spiritual benefit of all.
Once again, Antchoutine gives a subtle warning to Elizabeth to stay quiet. This is what ROCOR and Metropolitan Nicholas wants. No discussion. No information. No accountability for its priests and bishops when abuse happens.
In summary, it can be seen from this audio recording, that ROCOR goes out of its way to silence victims of abuse and protect its priests and bishops before anything else. This mirrors the patterns seen in clerical sexual abuse cases in other Christian Churches, the Roman Catholic Church in particular. Most disturbing is the active shunning of victims and even intimidation. We have been fortunate in the Williams case to have an abundance of first hand, primary evidence that shows the rotten state of the ROCOR leadership. In particular, the evidence of Metropolitan Nicholas Olhovsky’s incompetence, and even more staggeringly, his disdain for actively dealing with the sexual abuse crisis in ROCOR is overwhelming.
The time has come for all good people in ROCOR to demand a change from their leadership in regard to its response to sexual abuse prevention and safeguarding. The culture of coverup must end. Too many children and adults have suffered.
In 2025 it was announced that a ROCOR Bishop’s Council will take place in 2026. The Synod formed a pre-council commission comprising Bishop Theodosius, Bishop Job, Archpriest Seraphim Gan, and Archpriest Andrey Berezovsky. The Council will take place from April 29-May 5, 2026, at the Convent of of St Elizabeth Feodorovna in Buchendorf, Germany. This will be an excellent opportunity for ROCOR, if it so chooses, to take a serious look at its culture when it comes to safeguarding and dealing with abuse. It will also be a good time for the bishops to consider if indeed, Metropolitan Nicholas is fit and competent to do the job he has been entrusted with, or if he is better off being retired to a monastery in the Arctic circle. For many in ROCOR now, nothing less than Metropolitan Nicholas’ resignation will suffice, so there is lots to consider. In the meantime we will await the Matthew Williams trial next week and hope for justice to finally be done, and for healing to truly begin for everyone concerned.
And just remember, if you are thinking wrong about all this abuse coverup stuff, don’t speak up too much or you might get a visit from some men from Don Olhovskione in New York who will make you think right, one way or the other. It’d be funny if at all wasn’t so sad.
For more details on ROCOR’s abuse coverup in this case, see our article here:
The Full Transcript of the Elizabeth Williams Audio
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The Inquisition Cometh
I truly want to believe that these men are acting out of total ignorance of the effects of sexual abuse, but unfortunately from my own personal experience I know it is malicious. Their whole intent with every conversation, and directive served one purpose and one purpose only, to protect their own asses from liability. Each of them including our Good and Holy Metropolitan punished the abused for speaking out. I am astounded that there is not one single cleric within ROCOR that has the intestinal fortitude to say publicly, "this is wrong" not one single Bishop will ever do that because of the obvious back lash they will receive from the Hierarchy. This smacks of a cult and those who stay silent and do not speak out against this behavior are no different than Mathew himself. Shame on each and every one of you men.
"Even to this day, many, many, many people do not believe what Father Matthew did. We do. We have no question about it."
The feigned helplessness is laughable. They *want* the backlash against victims to happen. After all, if people start reporting clergy and getting away with it...