SCOBA Hierarchs Convene For Spring 2008 Session

From Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>
Date Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:03:17 -0700

SCOBA

The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas
8 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075-0106

Press Release

June 13, 2008

SCOBA Hierarchs Convene For Spring 2008 Session

New York, NY - The Spring Session of the Standing Conference of theCanonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) met on June 12, 2008from 10:30 a.m. ­ 3:00 p.m. at the Headquarters of the Greek OrthodoxArchdiocese of America. This session was attended by all Hierarchs ofSCOBA: Archbishop Demetrios, Chairman (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese),Metropolitan Philip, Vice-Chairman (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese),Metropolitan Christopher, Secretary (Serbian Orthodox Church),Metropolitan Nicholas (Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese), MetropolitanHerman (Orthodox Church in America), Metropolitan Joseph (BulgarianOrthodox Church), Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese),Archbishop Antony (proxy, Ukrainian Orthodox Church) and Bishop Ilia(Albanian Orthodox Diocese). In attendance as well were MetropolitanMaximos of Pittsburgh (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), Metropolitan Methodiosof Boston (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), and Bishop Antoun of Miami(Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese). Also present were the GeneralSecretary and thirteen members of the SCOBA Study and Planning Commissionrepresenting all the SCOBA member Churches.

The Hierarchs held a fraternal and open discussion related to SCOBAAgencies, dealing with communications, education and mission. The formalrequest of the Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, who isalso the Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchal parishes in the USA (33in number), Bishop Mercurius of Zaraisk to be included on SCOBA waspresented by the Chairman, Archbishop Demetrios. He noted that the MoscowPatriarchate, through its Exarchate, had been one of the original signersof the SCOBA Constitution. After the Archbishopâ??s presentation of thematter, there was immediate unanimous agreement, in a spirit of fraternalwelcome, by all SCOBA Hierarchs to welcome the Representation of theMoscow Patriarchate in the United States, in the person of BishopMercurius, to full membership in SCOBA.

In addition, both Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Philip shared withthe other SCOBA Hierarchs the positive results of their individualmeetings with Metropolitan Hilarion, the newly enthroned (May 18, 2008)First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR).

The Co-Chair of the Orthodox-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation,Metropolitan Maximos, gave a presentation on the status of the variousInter-Christian Dialogues. The meeting closed with an open and fraternaldiscussion of ecclesiastical issues that need attention.

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