The Joining of Bishops

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Created on Wednesday, 22 June 2011 02:05

The Holy Synod is pleased to announce the acceptance into the bosom of the canonical Church of the G.O.C of Greece of an entire ecclesiastical community consisting of two bishops as well as the clergy and laity and monastics who follow them with its administrative center in Portland, Oregon with parishes and missions in the western United States.

His Eminence Metropolitan Moses (Mahany) of Portland and his assistant, His Grace Bishop Sergios (Black) of Loch Lomond, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St Gregory of Sinai, California were both ordained in what is known as the “Holy Orthodox Church in North America” (HOCNA) which surrounds the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston Mass. A few months ago they made up their minds that the canonical Church of the G.O.C. of Greece is presently under the presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens (whose enthronement they unofficially attended) and they officially submitted a petition on March 27/April 9, 2011.

The Holy Synod, having already investigated the applicants and having positive information about them from the clergy and laity from our Church in America; that they have a good outward witness, discussed and favorably accepted their petition during its meeting on March 30/April 12, 2011. However, due to the absence of certain members of the Synod it was deemed better to come to a final decision in its meeting on April 20/May 5, 2011 at which time the Holy Synod of the G.O.C. of Greece having the agreement of its hierarchs in America (Metropolitan Pavlos and Bishop Christodoulos) proceeded to found the Holy Metropolis of Portland and the Western United States and elected Metropolitan Moses as Metropolitan of Portland and Bishop Sergios as his assistant bishop with the title of Loch Lomond, presupposing the confirmation of their Orthodox Confession of Faith and the canonical healing of their ordinations.

In its meeting on April 29/May 5, 2011 the hierarchs who had arrived answered all the questions of the members of the Synod concerning their Confession of Faith and they decided that the canonical restoration of Metropolitan Moses should take place on Saturday May 1/14 in the Holy Monastery of St Nicholas in Paiania, Attica and Bishop Sergios on Sunday May 2/15 in the Cathedral of St. Athanasios in New Philadelphia.

Translated from the Greek