Browsing: Governance & Unity News

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Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople At the invitation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the First-Hierarchs of all the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches will gather from March 6-9, 2014, for a Sacred Synaxis at the Phanar in order to deliberate on matters pertaining to the entire Orthodox Church throughout the world and procedural issues for the convocation of the Holy and Great Council, whose preparation is coming to an end. Prior to this, from March 4-5, 2014, a Preparatory Committee for the Synaxis was also held at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, chaired by His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon, in order to…

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Source: Jerusalem Patriarchate On Monday, the 21st of January/3rd of February 2014, the “Patriarchal decision on the agreement and restoration of the ecclesiastical communion” between the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate of Romania was completed and sealed. The decision had been interrupted because of the construction, on behalf of the Patriarchate of Romania, of a Church in Jericho without the approval of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The aforementioned agreement was prepared during the year 2013 over meetings between delegations of the two Patriarchates in Jerusalem, upon the peacemaking mediation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. For the completion of the said agreement, His Beatitude Theophilos,…

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Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America  On Tuesday, January 28, the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America convened. Along with the members of the Executive Committee, the first hierarchs of all jurisdictions were invited to participate. In a spirit of mutual respect and fraternal love in Christ, the bishops reconfirmed their commitment to the Assembly process. They noted with concern the temporary withdrawal from the Assembly of the hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Antioch, and expressed their brotherly commitment to their full restoration to the Assembly at the…

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Source: Orthodox Church in America ANCHORAGE, AK [OCA] – Faithful from parishes and villages across Alaska and the dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America began arriving early at the spacious Saint Innocent Cathedral here on the morning of Friday, February 21, 2014 for the celebration of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, during which Bishop-Elect David [Mahaffey] was consecrated to the episcopacy as Bishop of Sitka and Alaska. Over forty priests and deacons joined His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin; His Grace, Bishop Michael; His Grace, Bishop Irineu; and His Grace, Bishop Irénée in welcoming His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon at the cathedral entrance. …

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Source: The Salt Lake Tribune The conflict between the parish council and clergy at the Salt Lake Valley’s two Greek Orthodox churches has reached that faith’s highest authority: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The patriarch, who lives in Turkey, instructed Archbishop Demetrios, who oversees the American Greek church, “to solve the problem immediately,” according to a recent article in The National Herald, a weekly Greek-American publication in New York. At issue in the four-year-long battle is the plan to divide the valley’s parish into two, a move that was pushed by the Denver-based Metropolitan Isaiah and two priests — the Rev. Michael Kouremetis…

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On Sunday February 9, 2014, a group of Southeast Florida Orthodox Christian laity and clergy  met in the Singer Island home of Demetra Galazoudis who hosted the event. George Matsoukas and Marlene Devo Buettner organized the gathering.  Protodeacon Peter Danilchick, who is a member of the Secretariat of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America and serves as Senior Consultant to the Assembly Coordinator for Committees and as Facilitator/ Liaison for the Committees for Canonical Regional Planning, Financial Affairs, and Theological Education was the featured presenter. Deacon Peter cited scripture, telling us that it is God’s will…

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Source: The National Herald By George D. Karcazes Special to The National Herald The letter that Archbishop Kyril, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the “Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia” recently sent to Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, as Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America is disappointing. But, it probably should have been expected. In his letter, Kyril echoes the sentiments of Bishop Danili of the “Bulgarian Diocese in the USA and Canada” which were also in a letter apparently presented to Archbishop Demetrios and his “Committee for…

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Source:  Orthodox Church in America Originally posted on January 24, 2014. SYOSSET, NY [OCA] – The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has received information regarding Archbishop Seraphim (Storheim), who is on suspension from his position as Archbishop of Canada. In court proceedings that took place earlier today—Friday, January 24, 2014—in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Archbishop Seraphim was found guilty of one count of sexual assault. He also was acquitted of one count of sexual assault. Sentencing will take place later this year. He remains free on bail. Separately and apart from the court proceedings, Archbishop Seraphim remains suspended,…

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Source: The National Herald BY THEODORE KALMOUKOS NEW YORK – The crisis that started a year and a half ago at the Holy Trinity Archdiocesan Cathedral in New York continues to deepen due to the strong contentiousness between the Cathedral’s Presiding Priest Anastasios Gounaris and the Parish Council, as it was manifested yet again during the council’s meeting on January 23. Gounaris dismissed Steve Hantzarides from his position as Administrative Director at the Cathedral, without the knowledge, approval, or even the notification of the Parish Council. The Council members became extremely upset, despite the fact that they also wanted Hantzarides…

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Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America Archbishop Demetrios of America, Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, has issued the following statement in response to the temporary withdrawal of the Hierarchs of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America from their participation in the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. The Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch, in October 2013, decided to temporarily withdraw from all Assemblies of Canonical Orthodox Bishops around the world because of a jurisdictional issue in the Middle East. The statement…

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