Source: The National Herald
A commemorative photo of the Joint committee of the Charter of the Archdiocese with Patriarch Bartholomew. (Photo Ecumenical Patriarchate/Nikos Papachristou)
BOSTON – Nothing serious or substantial was achieved for the second time during the joint meeting of the committees on the Charter of the Archdiocese, which was convened at the Phanar on Tuesday, March 8, 2023. Initially, it was announced that the meeting was going to be held in Chalcedon, and the excuse used for the change of the location was that it was due to the work of the Holy Synod. We note here that the Synod’s first day was Monday, March 7, convened at the Phanar, and its second and final day was March 8 at the historic monastery of Zoodochos Pigi in Baloukli.
We reveal that Patriarch Bartholomew, before the synodic sessions ordered one of the clergy employees of the Patriarchal Court to collect the cell phones of all the members of the Synod in his attempt to stop leaks to The National Herald, which just minutes after the meeting of the Synod in December 2022 was over had revealed in detail all that was said and done during its sessions. That was the reason that Bartholomew didn’t convene the Synod for the month of February.
Regarding the Charter of the Archdiocese, we reveal that there was a tense verbal exchange between the chairman of the Charter committee Metropolitan Emmanuel Geron of Chalcedon, and Archbishop Elpidophoros, who accused him of distorting the words and the deeds of the Committee on the charter.
Due to the climate that has been created, Patriarch Bartholomew invited the Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese of America to the Phanar to discuss the issue of the charter directly with him. The hierarchs from America are expected to be at the Phanar the week prior to Holy Week, specifically, arriving on Wednesday, April 5.
It is emphasized here that Elpidophoros acts on his own regarding the proposals of the changes of the Charter without any consultation with the Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese nor with the Archdiocesan Council. He has called a meeting of the Eparchial Synod for Tuesday, March 14, at the Archdiocese in New York.
The Patriarchate issued the following announcement:
“Communiqué regarding the Charter of the Sacred Archdiocese of America
On March 8, 2023, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Elder-Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, the synodically established Mixed Commission for the purpose of revising the current Charter of the Sacred Archdiocese of America and submitting an official proposal to the Holy and Sacred Synod for final approval met at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, due to the work of the Holy and Sacred Synod.
During this second session of the Commission, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America thoroughly presented the direction, the general outline, and the individual provisions of his proposal for the revision of the Charter. He will also present the above proposal to the members of the Eparchial Synod of the Sacred Archdiocese of America during its next meeting, after which the Archbishop will continue his meetings with the clergy and faithful throughout this God-saved Eparchy of the venerable Ecumenical Throne for their official and transparent information concerning the amendments proposed by him.
Before the end of the session, the Commission authorized the Archbishop of America that the invitation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to come to the Phanar for collaboration on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, may be conveyed to the members of the Eparchial Synod. It was also decided that the work of the Commission will continue there on Friday, May 26, 2023.”
