N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 51-a: Application for incorporation

§ 51-a. Application for incorporation. An unincorporated congregation

of the Holy Orthodox Church in America, or a congregation acknowledging

the historic apostolic eastern confession and order in this state, may

apply to the ecclesiastical administrator of American Patriarchal Synod,

Holy Orthodox Church for permission and sanction to incorporate such

church. When such permission aforesaid has been obtained in writing over

the signature and seal of such patriarch, such church may become an

incorporated church by executing, acknowledging and filing a certificate

of incorporation as hereinafter provided.

Any religious order, biblical, seminary for the preparation of

candidates for the ministry, leading to ordination and the granting of

credentials of ecclesiastical degrees of orders in sacred theology, or

religious society established for evangelical efforts or the relief of

the poor and needy, which is intended to be an auxiliary organization of

the Holy Orthodox Church of the American Patriarchate, where a chapel

for the conduct of worship is provided, shall be deemed a congregation

to all intents and purposes, and may be incorporated in the manner

prescribed in this article as a congregation of the American Patriarchal

Orthodox Church.