PETITION AGAINST CONDUCTING THE 7th NAKA scheduled for this coming Saturday, March 23, 2013 His Holiness Ignatius Zakka Iwas I Patriarch of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church After kissing your Holiness’ right hand and beseeching your Holiness’ blessings, we, the undersigned members of the North American Knanaya Community, submit the following to Your Holiness’ kind attention and immediate intervention to avoid a division in our community and parishes. Election of the representatives to the 7th NAKC, conducted by our Regional Metropolitan Mor Silvanos Ayub, was against Your Holiness’ directive to maintain “status quo” and the constitution of NAKC. It is unfortunate to see that Mor Silvanos misused his authority over priests to conduct elections at several churches against democratic principles and not allowing members to participate in the process. Furthermore, almost 45 percent of our community is not represented in the newly elected association. Based on the numerous complaints received, the Diocesan (Chief) Metropolitan (who is also the administrative head of NAKC) investigated the matter and concluded that most parish elections were held in violation of the constitution, his directives and Your Holiness’ directive to maintain “status quo”. Therefore, on March 15, HE issued a kalpana nullifying the elections and ordering fresh elections in accordance with the NAKC constitution. However, Mor Silvanos Ayub instructed the clergy not to read the Chief Metropolitan’s kalpana. Mor Silvanos Ayub has called a meeting of the improperly elected delegates to form the 7th NAKA for Saturday, March 23, 2013. The delegates will decide important matters that affect all members of the NAKC, such as adopting a budget and electing a new board of directors and slate of officers to serve for the next three years. If that meeting is allowed to proceed as planned, it will cause problems in our community and our parishes because the decisions of this illegal body will be questioned, as they do not represent the whole community. As members of the NAKC, we are all pledged to accept and follow the NAKC and MSKS constitutions. Article IX of the NAKC Constitution states that the Chief Metropolitan to administer the NAKC. Archbishop Ayub's actions are contrary to the NAKC Constitution, disrespectful of the Chief Metropolitan’s position as the highest administrative authority of the NAKC and MSKS, contempt and disregard for our rights under the NAKC Constitution to participate in our democratic form of governance. We would also bring to Your Holiness’ attention that Mor Silvanos Ayub has submitted 3 Patriarchal bulls in the Unites States Superior Court in Massachusetts in violation of Your Holiness’ bull No. 273/11. We implore Your Holiness to intervene and order Archbishop Ayub to cancel the meeting of the 7th NAKA scheduled for this coming Saturday, March 23, 2013. We also request Your Holiness to instruct Archbishop Ayub not to interfere with a new election of delegates pursuant to the findings and instructions of the Chief Metropolitan, and not to instruct our Clergy from reading the Chief Metropolitan's Kalpanas in our parishes. Please pray for the Knanaya Community and us. Your Holiness’ spiritual children: