A regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad is held

DECR Communication service,
ROCOR website 27.02.2025

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the feast day of St Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia met remotely under the chairmanship of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch. Participating in this meeting were His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and German; His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America; His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada; His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe; His Grace Bishop Theodosius of Seattle and His Grace Bishop Job of Stuttgart.

After a prayer and approval of the agenda sent out in advance by Bishop Theodosius, the President of the Synod of Bishops opened the session with a brief greeting and an update on his services and visits. His Eminence told the archpastors about the celebration of the Nativity of Christ and Theophany at the Cathedral of Our Lady “of the Sign” in New York City, about his recent meetings with His Eminence Metropolitan Longin of New Gracanica, Chicago and Midwestern America (Serbian Orthodox Church) and His Grace Bishop Clement of Leucia (Bulgarian Orthodox Church), who took part in the celebration of his namesday, and about other events in the life of the Church.

His Grace Bishop Irenei, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops for Inter-Orthodox Relations, then spoke about his meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria and about the events in the Orthodox world since the last session.

Archbishop Gabriel, the CFO, presented to his brethren a financial report prepared by the treasurer of the Synod of Bishops. The archpastors noted with great joy that since August of last year, $600,000 has been collected for the overhaul of the Synodal Residence, of which $100,000 came from the Western American Diocese.

The staff of the Chancery of the Synod of Bishops is working closely with the Zimmerman architectural company, which works on the restoration of architectural monuments in Manhattan. In its report to the President of the Synod of Bishops, the Zimmerman Agency proposed that the restoration project of the Synodal Residence be carried out in two stages: 1) the most urgent repair of the damaged sections of the façade, windows and roof ($6.5 million) and 2) the gradual repair of the interior, including the replacement of the heating system, electrical wiring, etc. ($7.5 million).

The Synod of Bishops, expressing heartfelt gratitude to all the donors, reminds the clergy and flock of the call of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia: "Open your hearts and contribute to the repair of the Synodal residence and the strengthening of our Holy Church! Do not forget that the House of Our Lady of the Kursk-Root Icon, the building of the Synod of Bishops, is also your home, it is the center of our Holy Church, which helps leada each of us to eternal salvation."

Discussing the program for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the repose of Saints Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and Jonah, Bishop of Hankow, and the Holy Confessors of the 20th century, the Synod of Bishops called upon the bishops and clergy to commemorate these saints at all dismissals of the Divine Liturgies up to the feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple (the day of the Patriarchal enthronement of St Tikhon – ed.), and to dedicate all church events to these memorable dates: conferences of the clergy, youth conferences and liturgical music forums organized in the dioceses of the Russian Church Abroad. On Sunday, April 6, the fifth Sunday of Great Lent, all parishes and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia should prayerfully honor the memory of St Tikhon, who reposed on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1925, by serving a moleben to him and delivering a sermon appropriate to this occasion. The Synod of Bishops will prayerfully mark the centenary of the repose of the above-mentioned hierarchs at its session timed to coincide with the patronal feast day of the Cathedral in New York in December of this year.

The Synod of Bishops considered various ecclesiastical disciplinary and administrative issues, as well as a number of intercessions from the archpastors, who nominated their clergy and parishioners for church awards.

At the end of the session, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, asking forgiveness from the archpastors, wished them a fruitful Great Lent and a joyful greeting of the Risen Christ.