December 22, 2011
New York
City: A Meeting was held between the Diocesan Secretary and the
Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA
On Friday, December
16, a meeting was held in the chancery of the Administrator of the
Patriarchal Parishes in the USA between His Eminence, Archbishop
Justinian, and Eastern American Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge
Lukianov. Also taking part in the meeting were the secretary to the
Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes, Igumen Nicodemus
(Balyasnikov) and diocesan Media Office correspondent Reader Peter
Lukianov.
During the meeting,
Fr. Serge presented Archbishop Justinian Metropolitan Hilarion’s
proposal to hold a joint celebration of the 5th anniversary of the
Reunification of the Russian Church, as well as a pastoral
conference of clergy from the Eastern American Diocese and the
Patriarchal Parishes in the USA. Archbishop Justinian gladly
accepted to the proposal and gave his blessing for the Patriarchal
clergy to participate in a joint pastoral conference.
On June 5, 2012,
the general diocesan meeting of the Eastern American Diocese will be
held. On June 6-8, the joint pastoral conference and triumphal
celebration of the 5th anniversary of the Reunification will take
place. The conference will be held in the New York/New Jersey area,
but the exact locations are still being determined and will be
announced shortly. The divine services will be held in two separate
churches of the Eastern American Diocese and Moscow Patriarchate.
Abp. Justinian
shared his ideas about the conference program and possible
lecturers. His Eminence stressed the importance of creating a forum
where clergy can have the chance to express their views on a variety
of issues surrounding the Reunification. Reader Peter explained the
need to hire several additional journalists and videographers who
will record and film all the lectures, discussions, forums, and
services, so that the voice of Russian pastors from America can be
heard about the world. Fr. Serge spoke of assembling a work group
that would undertake the organization of such a large scale
celebration. The first meeting of the work group will take place
once the exact locations of the conference are determined.
Both sides agreed
that significant funding is necessary to make the conference as
affordable as possible, so that all the clergy of the Eastern
American Diocese and Moscow Patriarchate can participate without
putting an extra financial burden on their parishes.
Republication of materials must include a reference to:
"Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."
Media
Office of the Eastern American Diocese
