wfn.org | [SCOBA] ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW MEETS WITH THE ORTHODOX PRIMATES OF THE U.S.A.

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GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA

8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106 * Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212)
774-0237
www.goarch.org    - Email: communications@goarch.org

>Contact: PRESS OFFICE
>Stavros Papagermanos
>pressoffice@goarch.org

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW MEETS WITH THE ORTHODOX PRIMATES OF THE
U.S.A.

NEW YORK ­ His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave an
audience yesterday Tuesday, Oct. 27, to the Orthodox Primates of the USA,
most of whom were present the previous evening for the Ninth Annual Orthodo x
Prayer Service for the United Nations Community. Present at the audience
were Archbishop Demetrios of America (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese);
Metropolitan Philip (Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan
Christopher (Serbian Orthodox Archdiocese); Metropolitan Nicholas (Carpatho -
Russian Diocese); Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese);
Metropolitan Jonah (Orthodox  Church in America), Metropolitan Constantine
(Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA); Bishop Ilia (Albanian Orthodox
Diocese) and Archpriest Alexander Abramov (Representation of the Moscow
Patriarchate in the USA). Archbishop Demetrios welcomed His All Holiness on
behalf of the Primates.

>The remarks of His All Holiness follow:

³We bring to you the greeting, the blessing, and the love of the Apostolic,
Patriarchal and Ecumenical Throne of the First-Called Andrew, and we expres s
as well our appreciation to the Most Reverend Chairman of the Standing
Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, His Eminence
Archbishop Demetrios of America, for bringing you together today so that we
may have this opportunity for fellowship in the Holy Spirit and for a
dialogue of love.

³For nearly fifty years, the Standing Conference has served as a place for
the Primates of the various jurisdictions that are present in North America
to gather and discuss common concerns and issues. Also, through the many
agencies that have been formed under your aegis, you have been able to
activate pan-Orthodox ministries that extend beyond the confines of your
particular Churches, so that your united effort might be brought to bear in
common interests.

³The success of SCOBA has always been based in the true sense of
cooperation, of synergy, between the Orthodox ecclesiastical entities here
in North America. You have been successful at providing a common witness to
all the Orthodox Faithful, even as you have maintained your ties to the
Mother Churches and sought to establish yourselves in the countries and
culture within which you live.

³Nevertheless, SCOBA has always been an organization that lacks
authorization from the Mother Churches, being a self-started and volunteer
body. This reality reflects both strengths and weaknesses ­ strengths in
that SCOBA was free to find creative solutions to issues and problems,
without seeking approval from a higher authority ­ and weaknesses, because
without authorization from the Mother Churches, there has been no
methodology to effectuate decisions and policies that prepare for the
future.

³Given these considerations, it was logical for the status quo to evolve, a s
it did at the Synaxis of the Heads of the universally recognized
Autocephalous Churches last October at the Ecumenical Patriarchate. At that
time, the common will of the universally recognized Autocephalous was
expressed as follows:

As Primates and the Representatives of the Most Holy Orthodox Churches,
fully aware of the gravity of the aforementioned problems, and laboring to
confront them directly as ³servants of Christ and stewards of God¹s
mysteries² (1 Cor. 4:1), we proclaim from this See of the First-throne amon g
the Churches and we re-affirm:
i) our unswerving position and obligation to safeguard the unity of the
Orthodox Church in ³the faith once for all delivered to the saints² (Jude
3), the faith of our Fathers, in the common Divine Eucharist and in the
faithful observance of the canonical system of Church governance by settlin g
any problems that arise from time to time in relations among us with a
spirit of love and peace.
ii) our desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has
arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements, such as in
the so-called Orthodox Diaspora, with a view to overcoming every possible
influence that is foreign to Orthodox ecclesiology. In this respect we
welcome the proposal by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to convene Panorthodox
Consultations within the coming year 2009 on this subject, as well as for
the continuation of preparations for the Holy and Great Council.

³As you all know and are well aware, the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox
Conference did take place in June of this year, at the Center of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland. The Decision, and the
Regulations promulgated by the Pre-Conciliar Conference establish a modus
operandi by which the Bishops, in the regions of the world defined by the
Conference, may progress institutionally toward the solutions that we all
seek in the forthcoming Great and Holy Council.

³This is not to say that there will not be difficulties along the way. The
region defined for this portion of the Western Hemisphere is quite
extensive, including Spanish-speaking Mexico and Central America, together
with the rest of Anglophone and Francophone North America. There are many
bishops who have never been represented in SCOBA, and who will now
participate through their Mother Churches in the Assembly of Bishops. There
are also the issues of so-called ³autonomies² and ³autocephalies² that are
not recognized by the Church Universal, and for which solutions must be
found in order allow for full participation on every level in the processes
of the Assembly of Bishops. All of the issues and problems that require
resolution first require willing hearts and minds, study and careful
consideration, and the unfailing loving application of the canonical
tradition of out Holy Orthodox Church.

³As the convener of the Pan-Orthodox world, the Ecumenical Patriarchate
stands ready to be of assistance through guidance and an ongoing dialogue
based in the truth of Gospel. We welcome positive suggestions and, as it
said in our modern world, ³thinking outside the box,² so that we may
construct models of ecclesiastical polity and governance with foundations
sunk deep in the venerable tradition of our One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church ­ and at the same time are relevant to the spiritual needs
and societal conventions of the world within which our faithful live.

³Here, we do not reference compromise nor conformity to the world, but,
following the exhortation of the Holy Apostle Paul ­ that we be ?transforme d
by the renewing of our minds,¹ we speak of transformative and
transformational models that are faithful to the history of the Church, for
this history is that of the Holy Spirit Who infuses and guides the Church i n
every generation ­ in times of weakness and in times of strength, in times
of persecution and in times of triumph, in times war and in times of peace.
And in whatever time the Church finds her incarnate presence through the
grace, operation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we know that the Churc h
lives in accordance with the Apostle¹s injunction: ³that everything be done
decently and in good order.²

³Therefore, beloved brothers in the Lord, let the order of the Church be
observed perfectly among you, beginning and ending always with the
commandment ­ new and divine ­ that we have received from our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ: Love one another. Everything else that we attempt ­
even with all our skill and might ­ will come to naught if love does not
reign supreme among us all. With these words we leave each of you with our
Patriarchal and paternal blessing, invoking upon you the grace of God and
His infinite mercy.²

Following the remarks of His All Holiness, there was an exchange of gifts,
including a presentation by the Metropolitan Philip of an ³engolpion²
(Episcopal medallion) with the icon of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Ecumenical
Patriarch presented gifts to all the Members, and departed the meeting.
Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, accompanying the Ecumenical Patriarch
throughout America and who is the Chairman of the already functioning
Episcopal Assembly of France (Inter-Episcopal Committee from 1967 and full
Episcopal Assembly since 1997), remained to engage in a brief dialogue with
the Members.

Immediately following the Patriarchal Audience, Archbishop Demetrios hosted
a luncheon in honor of His All Holiness for fifty Ecumenical and Interfaith
leaders from New York and around America.

More information about His All Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the
environmental work of the Church and the Apostolic Visit to the United
States may be found at:
www.usvisit2009.org <http://www.usvisit2009.org/> and www.patriarchate.org
<http://www.patriarchate.org/> .
== 30 ==

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