Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America , Orthodox Observer
Hundreds of clergy and laity excited to learn about the recent Holy and Great Council packed a ballroom Tuesday to attend a Forum that included Archbishop Demetrios, the Metropolitans of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and those of the Archdiocese who participated in the Council.
e informative forum, which included a question-and-answer period, was moderated by Fr. Nathanael Symeonides, who also narrated a video on the Council that was screened for the delegates.
Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitans Nicholas of Detroit, Isaiah of Denver, Alexios of Atlanta, and Gerasimos of San Francisco shared their vision of how the Council will impact the lives of parishes and families, who emphasized that the documents on important issues and topics signed at the Council will now inform the work of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops in America.
e Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, who has written extensively on preparations for the Council and participated in Crete as the spokesman for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, presented an overview
of the Council. He concluded by saying “It is my fervent desire that all of you will assume some responsibility for comprehending and communicating the message of the Great Council” throughout the Archdiocese. “ e Orthodox Church will not be the same a er the Council,” Fr. Chryssavgis added. He described the Patriarchates of Russia, Georgia, Antioch and Bulgaria that chose not to attend as “narrow institutions having intimate ties to their governments.”
He also said some of the jurisdictions cling to ethnocentrism and that “nationalism isn’t going to go away.” e six documents on major issues signed at the Holy and Great Council, plus the O cial Message and Encyclical issued at its conclusion will appear in the July-August issue of the Orthodox Observer and also will be available via the website of the Holy and Great Council. Just as the Council demonstrated that the Orthodox Church is not “a fragmented federation of local Churches” in the words of Fr. Symeonides, the hierarchs noted that the Assembly has a great responsibility for manifesting Orthodox unity in America. Metropolitans Ambrosios of Korea and Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronos, whose Metropolis hosted the HGC and who was thanked by Archbishop Demetrios, graciously yielded most of their speaking time to the delegates for questions. e Q&A session illuminated some of issues that caused some autocephalous Churches to not attend the HGC and emphasized that the HGC, more than 60 years in the making and rst proposed over 100 years ago, was a rst step towards the restoration of full conciliarity in the
Orthodox Church and this constitutes “a tremendous achievement.”
He noted there will be a series of such councils to address the concerns and needs of the Orthodox Church and humanity.
In concluding remarks on the Council and in response to a questioner about the absence of the Churches that did not attend, Archbishop Demetrios was adamant that their failure to participate
in the Council is “inexcusable''.
Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitans Nicholas of Detroit, Isaiah of Denver, Alexios of Atlanta, and Gerasimos of San Francisco shared their vision of how the Council will impact the lives of parishes and families, who emphasized that the documents on important issues and topics signed at the Council will now inform the work of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops in America.
e Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis, who has written extensively on preparations for the Council and participated in Crete as the spokesman for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, presented an overview
of the Council. He concluded by saying “It is my fervent desire that all of you will assume some responsibility for comprehending and communicating the message of the Great Council” throughout the Archdiocese. “ e Orthodox Church will not be the same a er the Council,” Fr. Chryssavgis added. He described the Patriarchates of Russia, Georgia, Antioch and Bulgaria that chose not to attend as “narrow institutions having intimate ties to their governments.”
He also said some of the jurisdictions cling to ethnocentrism and that “nationalism isn’t going to go away.” e six documents on major issues signed at the Holy and Great Council, plus the O cial Message and Encyclical issued at its conclusion will appear in the July-August issue of the Orthodox Observer and also will be available via the website of the Holy and Great Council. Just as the Council demonstrated that the Orthodox Church is not “a fragmented federation of local Churches” in the words of Fr. Symeonides, the hierarchs noted that the Assembly has a great responsibility for manifesting Orthodox unity in America. Metropolitans Ambrosios of Korea and Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronos, whose Metropolis hosted the HGC and who was thanked by Archbishop Demetrios, graciously yielded most of their speaking time to the delegates for questions. e Q&A session illuminated some of issues that caused some autocephalous Churches to not attend the HGC and emphasized that the HGC, more than 60 years in the making and rst proposed over 100 years ago, was a rst step towards the restoration of full conciliarity in the
Orthodox Church and this constitutes “a tremendous achievement.”
He noted there will be a series of such councils to address the concerns and needs of the Orthodox Church and humanity.
In concluding remarks on the Council and in response to a questioner about the absence of the Churches that did not attend, Archbishop Demetrios was adamant that their failure to participate
in the Council is “inexcusable''.