Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Suprasl: Enhancing the Awareness of Unity – July 2025 Newsletter
    • Video: A Vision for Orthodox Christianity’s Future in North America
    • Another Attempt to Break the Silence: Why Orthodox Christians in America Must Stand with the Persecuted in Russia
    • Assembly of Bishops Newsletter – Q1 2025
    • Opinion: The Theological School’s Experiments
    • New Icon of All Saints of North America to Debut at 21st All-American Council
    • IOTA Future Leaders Program
    • Reimagining Orthodox Campus Ministry
    Orthodox Christian Laity
    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
    • Home
    • OCL
      • About OCL
      • Leadership
      • OCL News
      • OCL Publications
      • Focused Study and Research Topics
      • OCL Archives at DePaul University
    • Orthodox News & Links
      • Orthodox News Stories
      • Headlines & News Archives
      • Governance & Unity
        • Governance Top Stories
        • Governance & Unity Essays
        • Grassroots Unity in Action
      • OCL Forums
      • Orthodox Christian Laity News
      • Web Links
    • Audio & Video
      • Audio Index
      • Video Index
    • Contact
    • Make a Donation
    Orthodox Christian Laity
    You are at:Home»Orthodox News»Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) Board, meeting in Houston, Texas, February 5, 2016, calls on the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church to Unite the Church in America

    Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) Board, meeting in Houston, Texas, February 5, 2016, calls on the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church to Unite the Church in America

    0
    By Webmaster on February 8, 2016 Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Telegram WhatsApp Copy Link
    The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church will take place at the Orthodox Academy of Crete in Kolympari of Chania.
    The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church will take place at the Orthodox Academy of Crete in Kolympari of Chania.

    Source: Orthodox Christian Laity

    2016 is a historic year for Orthodox Christianity throughout the world.  After over 1,200 years since the Seventh Ecumenical Council was held in Nicea (now part of Turkey) in 787, the Orthodox Church has scheduled the Holy and Great Council.  The meeting, which has been in the planning stages for more than fifty years, will be held from June 16-27, 2016 in Crete at the Orthodox Academy of Crete.

    This event will provide the opportunity for the hierarchs and representatives of all of the autocephalous churches to approve the establishment of a unified Orthodox Church in the United States of America.  The administrative unification of the Church under a single Synod of Bishops is not only an event whose time has come, but it is an event which must not be delayed.

    The hierarchs who will meet in Crete know that the existence of twelve separate, overlapping and often competing Orthodox jurisdictions in the same territory violates Orthodox canons and ecclesiology. These same hierarchs, meeting in Chambesy, Switzerland in 2009, signed protocols establishing Assemblies of Bishops across the globe to bring canonical order – order that is in its very essence unifying – to the churches in the New World.

    The UnAssembly logoited States Assembly of Bishops has been meeting for the past six years, and much progress has been made to comply with the mandate given to them; but the time of the Holy and Great Council has now arrived, and it is the responsibility of the hierarchs at this Council to act.

    Patriarch Bartholomew addressed the American Assembly of Bishops in Dallas in 2014. In his video address that unmistakably urged unity, he called upon the American Bishops to:

    “… move beyond words to actions.  We know much better than what we actually do. We are called to put our theory and theology into practice.  We are called to move beyond what is ‘mine’ and what is ‘yours’ to what is ‘ours’.  From now on, this is how we should conceive and conduct all of our ministries and resources, all of our departments and initiatives. Otherwise, we do not practice what we preach.  It is really up to us to accept the challenge or refuse the call.”

    This message is now directed to the hierarchs who will be meeting in Crete in June of this year. They alone, meeting in Council as one body, have the responsibility to bring the Orthodox Church in the United States into canonical order.  This Holy and Great Council should recognize the Assembly of Bishops of the United States as the Canonical Synod of the territory of the United States of America which should meet to elect its Presiding Hierarch, taking its place as an Autocephalous Church.

    Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) calls upon all Orthodox Christians in the United States of America and throughout the world to fervently pray for the success of this historic Holy and Great Council.

    __________________________________

    Read the formal statement, THE AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IS HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC – IT MUST NOW BE ONE at: https://ocl.org/the-american-orthodox-church-is-holy-catholic-and-apostolic-it-must-now-be-one/.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp Copy Link
    Previous ArticleGEORGIAN ARCHBISHOP SAYS, INVESTIGATIONS PROVE THAT THE RELICS OF ST. MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR ARE IN GEORGIA
    Next Article GOA Youth and Young Adult Ministries launches new crowd funding initiative

    Related Posts

    July 8, 20251 Min Read

    Suprasl: Enhancing the Awareness of Unity – July 2025 Newsletter

    July 5, 20251 Min Read

    Video: A Vision for Orthodox Christianity’s Future in North America

    July 5, 20259 Mins Read

    Another Attempt to Break the Silence: Why Orthodox Christians in America Must Stand with the Persecuted in Russia

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Register for OCL's Annual Conference - October 11, 2025

    Sign the Declaration for Orthodox Christian Unity

    Enter the Slogan Contest

    Share this page
    DISCLAIMER

    All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    Stay Informed!

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT!

    Your donation impacts and helps advance the unity of the Orthodox Church of America.

    DONATE NOW

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

    Upcoming Events
    Jul 16
    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT

    John Zizioulas’s “Remembering the Future” (Virtual)

    View Calendar
    Recent Comments
    • Lou Gaviras on How will the Female Diaconate Help Prevent Abuse?
    • pERRY tORMAS on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Perry Tormas on HAVE WE HIT ROCK BOTTOM? REFLECTIONS OF A NOT-SO-INNOCENT BYSTANDER [witnessing the present decline of the Orthodox Church as an institution]
    • Myron Kaleras on How will the Female Diaconate Help Prevent Abuse?
    • Levantios on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • Jerry Maras on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • John on 90% OF PEOPLE OF GREEK DESCENT HAVE LEFT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
    • Jupiter's Son on Leading Liturgists Reaffirm the Ordination of Women to the Diaconate
    • Timothy Mulligan on Ethno-Phyletism: A Problem for the American Church
    • Angela Skinner on Orthodox Christian Unity in America – Papers in Support (New: See Paper No. 5)
    OCL Archives Online
    Project for Orthodox Renewal
    renewal-resize
    OCL Digital Newsletter

    Subscribe to our Newsletter

    MAKE A DONATION

    Sign the Declaration for Orthodox Christian Unity

    Facebook
    Twitter
    YouTube

    St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Photini are the Patron Saints of OCL

    footer-fnl

    Orthodox Christian Laity
    PO Box 6954

    West Palm Beach, FL · 33405
    561-585-0245

    Sponsored by Ann Souvall in memory of husband George

    DISCLAIMER: All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    ©2023 Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) ·  Login

    St. Symeon the New Theologian and St. Photini are the Patron Saints of OCL

    footer-fnl

    Orthodox Christian Laity
    PO Box 6954

    West Palm Beach, FL · 33405
    561-585-0245

    Sponsored by Ann Souvall in memory of husband George

    DISCLAIMER: All articles represent the views of the authors and  not necessarily the official views of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL). They are posted to encourage thoughtful discussion on topics and concerns relevant to Orthodox Christians living in a pluralistic society. OCL encourages your comments.

    ©2025 Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) ·  Login

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.