The Archdiocese Synod of Bishops Meets

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The Synod of Bishops of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America met at Antiochian Village on May 30, 2008.

The hierarchs discussed many items that are of paramount importance to this God-protected Archdiocese.

 

Present at the meeting were the following:

 

  • His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP – Archbishop of New York and Washington, D.C. and Metropolitan of All North America
  • His Grace Bishop ANTOUN – Bishop of the Diocese of Miami and The Southeast
  • His Grace Bishop JOSEPH – Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and The West & Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Eagle River and The Northwest
  • His Grace Bishop BASIL – Bishop of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America
  • His Grace Bishop THOMAS – Bishop of the Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic
  • His Grace Bishop MARK – Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo and The Midwest
  • His Grace Bishop ALEXANDER – Bishop of the Diocese of Ottawa, Upstate New York and Eastern Canada
  • Fr. George Kevorkian – Secretary to The Synod

 

Among the items on the agenda of the meeting were the following:

 

  1. An update on the new initiatives toward Orthodox Unity in North America
  2. A status report from each hierarch on the highlights of activities in his diocese
  3. The status of our seminarians, and the pastoral assignments that are still to be made
  4. Important policies and procedures that insure smooth and efficient communications.

 

Two important specific issues that were addressed were:

 

  1. A reminder that, as per a decision of the Holy Synod of Antioch, the Paschal Funeral Service is to be used for the entire 40 day period from Pascha to Ascension.
  2. A reminder that Orthodox weddings must be held in an Orthodox Church building.  Any exception to this requires the approval of The Metropolitan.