'Canonical' means: that a Church follows the Teachings of Jesus Christ and the Doctrinal statements of the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Orthodox Church; that a Church is in Communion only with Churches which have remained faithful to those Teachings (i.e. are really Orthodox and not just in name); and the Bishops of the Church have a valid succession of laying on of hands back to the Apostles (Orthodox Apostolic Succession). This is the definition of canonical which came down to us through St. Irenaeus of Lyons, and was, until this century, the standard definition for all Orthodox churches. We are canonical under this definition of the Undivided Church.  Our Succession is traceable through the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, Gregory IV.  Our fidelity to the Faith is easily demonstrated.   

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons wrote in the Second Century that only the combination of fidelity to the Christian Faith and the succession of Grace in the Apostolic succession of Bishops is sufficient for a church to be a member of the Body of Christ. That is the view of the Undivided Church. The Church is a community of common belief and Grace. Neither unity of administration nor mutual recognition can bestow Grace where it is not present, nor make false beliefs true. The Celtic Orthodox Christian Church was and is a member of the Undivided Church. We will not compromise in matters of Faith. That resolve and the historical pedigree of our Bishops authenticates our membership in Christ's true Church.

However, modern revisionists use "canonical" to mean that a Church is "recognized and in Communion with the Patriarch of Constantinople." Doctrine or the actual adherence to the Canons and Orthodox Tradition is not mentioned anywhere. This use of the word canonical makes one fallible man the arbiter of God's Grace and also denies the Church's understanding that all Bishops are equal.  That is not canonical under the definition of the Undivided Church.  In fact, it is the heresy of the montanists.

We are autocephalous (self-governing) as we were when we spread Christianity throughout Europe, Africa, parts of Asia and planted the first churches in the Americas before the year of our Lord 800.  

On the Historical Canonicity of the Celtic Churches

We have always followed all of the Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church. The Lorrha Stowe Missal of the Céli Dé used a Latin translation of the Greek text of the Creed written by the First and Second Ecumenical Councils.

They used the title "Birth Giver of God" (Latin: Deigenitrix Greek: Theotokos), for the Virgin Mary. That title was proclaimed for her by the Third Ecumenical Council. That term is still not used today by the Nestorians who were denounced by the Third Ecumenical Council.

In the last paragraph of the shorter Rule of St. Maelrúain there is a reference to canon 24 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council: "Any one therefore, who violates the Church of God, that is, who buys or sells her out of greed and envy, will be selling the resting-place of his soul in Heaven, if [otherwise] he might reach it. For this is the worst bargain a man makes in the world, to sell his seat in the Church of Heaven, and to sell his soul to the Devil, and to sell his body in order to earn much hire from the churches, so that he eats the wage of his flesh before he dies. For this cause, he has nothing of his own, either body or soul or land, but all belongs to the Devil. For he who constantly violates God's church, it is God whom he violates and resists, even the man who abides not in His Commandments in the bosom of the Church of God...."

The Proper Preface for Penitents from the Stowe Missal clearly accepts the reality and fulness of the humanity Christ took to Himself. Therefore the Céli Dé adhered to the doctrinal statements of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils: "It is truly Worthy, through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Whose Power is to intercede, Whose Mercy is to entreat, Whose Faith is all-encompassing. Who else is there, who is able to ponder the marvels of all Thy power, or to hear with human ears, or to attain with human mind, or to discover by human estimation how much Thou hast prepared for Thine elect?..." This clearly rejects the ideas of the monophysites and monothelites who deny the fulness of the humanity of Christ The ecclesiastical structure and art of the Céli Dé testifies that they agreed with the Seventh Ecumenical Council.

That is just a brief list of examples limited to the documents of the Céli Dé. The other Celtic churches likewise proclaimed their agreement with the first Seven Ecumenical Councils through their writings, art and history.