" This seems to be the salient part of the wikipedia article."
So it would seem and the canons do seem to say what it is claimed they say.
"IF any Clergyman have a matter against another clergyman, he shall not forsake his bishop and run to secular courts; but let him first lay open the matter before his own Bishop, or let the matter be submitted to any person whom each of the parties may, with the Bishop's consent, select. And if any one shall contravene these decrees, let him be subjected to canonical penalties. And if a clergyman have a complaint against his own or any other bishop, let it be decided by the synod of the province. And if a bishop or clergyman should have a difference with the metropolitan of the province, let him have recourse to the Exarch of the Diocese, or to the throne of the Imperial City of Constantinople, and there let it be tried."
and
"Outlying or rural parishes shall in every province remain subject to the bishops who now have jurisdiction over them, particularly if the bishops have peaceably and continuously governed them for the space of thirty years. But if within thirty years there has been, or is, any dispute concerning them, it is lawful for those who hold themselves aggrieved to bring their cause before the synod of the province. And if any one be wronged by his metropolitan, let the matter be decided by the exarch of the diocese or by the throne of Constantinople, as aforesaid. And if any city has been, or shall hereafter be newly erected by imperial authority, let the order of the ecclesiastical parishes follow the political and municipal example."
This ignores the apparent embrace of the UOC-KP though... folks who've said they may commune with Catholics...
Interesting, thanks for the cite. It says "Imperial throne": does that mean the emperor to the exclusion of the patriarch, or is understood they are sort of the same unit here since we're talking about ecclesiastical matters.
I could see someone picking it apart..."no emperor anymore, therefore no appeal!" LOL