When a Jurisdiction goes into heresy and schism

[vanOldenphatt]

I don't think it's fair to say that ROCOR was in schism. They were in communion with some of the canonical Churches but not all. I think this would be the deciding factor in your hypothetical. If your jurisdiction wasn't in communion with anyone but themselves, I think you would be best to take a good, hard look at why. Laity can leave a parish and go elsewhere easily (assuming there are other parishes nearby), priests would need to be accepted into another jurisdiction by official channels. Normally this would require a release from your own bishop. A bishop's error would have to be persistent and grievous for another bishop to receive a priest who leaves without proper releases.

It’s also not fair to call ROCOR’s historical departure from Moscow a schism as it was by the express direction of the Patriarch of Moscow, St. Tikhon. ROCOR left because Moscow was run by the Bolsheviks who later killed St. Tikhon.

Schismatics are by definition self-willed and jealous of the prerogatives they arrogate to themselves, typified by pretentious titles and shunning of criticism. The Belya brothers are a perfect example of the type.