July 12, 2013
New York
City: An Extraordinary Session of the Synod of Bishops was held
On Wednesday,
July 10, an extraordinary session of the Synod of Bishops of the
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was held, presided over by
its First Hierarch, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern
America & New York. Participating in the meeting were permanent
members of the Synod of Bishops: His Eminence Mark, Archbishop of
Berlin, Germany & Great Britain; His Eminence Kyrill, Archbishop of
San Francisco & Western America; His Eminence Gabriel, Archbishop of
Montreal & Canada, and His Grace Peter, Bishop of Cleveland,
Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America.
Deliberating on the
matter of Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, the Synod of Bishops made a
decision as follows:
"During a meeting
of the Synod of Bishops on Wednesday, July 10, 2013, presided over
by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, A DECISION WAS
MADE: on the activities of Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, Vicar of the
President for the Administration of Western Rite Parishes.
After exhaustive
deliberation, IT WAS DECREED:
1) To halt the
ordination of new clergymen for parishes adhering to the Western
Rite.
2) To censure
Bishop Jerome for his willfulness in administering the parishes
adhering to the Western Rite, and in performing various ecclesial
services not approved by the Synod of Bishops, and for criticizing
his brethren in letters to clergy and laity.
3) To deny
recognition of the ordination of a group of individuals by Bishop
Jerome during a single divine service, and to regularize them
following a thorough examination of the candidates.
4) To release
Bishop Jerome from all duties, including those of Vicar of the
President in administering Western Rite parishes, designating him as
retired without the right to serve in the Synodal Cathedral of the
Sign in New York, or to perform ordinations or award clergymen, and
designating his place of residence at St. Vladimir Memorial Church
of the Millennium of the Baptism of Russia in Jackson, NJ.
5) To bless Bishop
Jerome to perform divine services within the confines of the Eastern
American Diocese with the consent of its Ruling Bishop.
6) To release Monk
Anthony (Bondi) from all of his administrative duties and from the
spiritual ministry to the Vicariate of Western Rite Parishes.
7) To establish a
commission to examine the means of integrating clergymen and
communities of the Western Rite into the liturgical life of the
Russian Orthodox Church, consisting of: Metropolitan Hilarion of
Eastern America & New York, President; Bishop George of Mayfield,
Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese; Archpriest David Straut of
the Eastern American Diocese, and Archpriest Anthony Nelson of the
Mid-American Diocese.
8) To address an
epistle to the clergymen and communities of the Western Rite
regarding the need for them to adopt the order of divine services of
the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, while preserving, when
necessary, certain particularities of the Western Rite.
9) To emphasize our
adherence to the rules and traditions of the Eastern Orthodox
Catholic Church in general and of the Russian Orthodox Church in
particular.
10) To deem this
decree immediately valid and to submit it to the members of the
Council of Bishops in the form of a questionnaire for confirmation."
The meeting
concluded with the singing of "It is Truly Meet."
Official website of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of
Russia
www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws
