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Published by the
Antiochian Orthodox
Christian Archdiocese of North America,
January 18, 2005
THREE NEW BISHOPS
ASSUME DUTIES FOR DIOCESES OF THE SELF-RULED
ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH
AMERICA |
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The following letter from the Department of
Legal Affairs was sent to the faithful of the
Archdiocese to be placed in each parish bulletin.
January 18, 2005 – Englewood,
New Jersey
Venerable Hierarchs, Esteemed Members of the Board
of Trustees, and Beloved Clergy and Faithful of
this God-Protected Archdiocese:
We greet you with prayers for all good things in
this New Year!
His Grace, Bishop THOMAS (Joseph), Bishop of
Pittsburgh and the Diocese of the East, His Grace
Bishop MARK (Maymon), Bishop of Toledo and the
Diocese of the Midwest, and His Grace Bishop
ALEXANDER (Mufarrij), Bishop of Ottawa and the
Diocese of Eastern Canada and Upstate New York
assumed their new duties on January 1, 2005.
Bishop THOMAS has moved into the chancery at the
Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and
Bishop MARK has moved into the chancery in Toledo,
Ohio. Bishop ALEXANDER will soon move to a
temporary location in Canada until renovations are
completed at the permanent chancery in Montreal.
They will later be formally enthroned at their
diocesan cathedrals by the Metropolitan and
members of the Local Synod.
Formerly Fr. Thomas Joseph, Fr. Mark Maymon and
Fr. Rafeek Mufarrij were included in the
nominations made by the General Assembly of the
Special Convention of July 2004 as candidates for
the office of diocesan bishop. According to the
Constitution of the self-ruled Antiochian
Archdiocese of North America, adopted July 16,
2004 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they were
elected to the episcopacy by the Local Synod on
October 29, 2004, in Naples, Florida. Subsequent
to their election, and at the request of His
Beatitude IGNATIUS IV, the new bishops-elect were
sent to Damascus, where they were consecrated to
the episcopacy at the hand of His Beatitude during
the weekend of December 3 – 5, 2004. The
Archdiocese, on behalf of the faithful, has
expressed its heartfelt thanks to Our Father in
Christ, Patriarch IGNATIUS IV and the members of
the Holy Synod of Antioch for the continuing
support of the North American Archdiocese.
The Holy Synod of Antioch, at its meeting of
October 14, 2004, in approving the basic
implementation by the Pittsburgh Constitution of
the self-rule granted on October 9, 2003,
suggested some changes in the Pittsburgh
Constitution. Pursuant to our constitution, the
suggested changes were submitted to the
Archdiocese Department of Legal Affairs for
review. The Department of Legal Affairs has
determined that the major appropriate suggested
changes do not require amendments to the
Pittsburgh Constitution.
Under the Pittsburgh Constitution, (as occurred in
the case of the three new bishops), the Patriarch
of Antioch may exercise his option to not send
representatives of the Holy Synod of Antioch to
participate, with the Local Synod, in the election
of diocesan bishops. It is also permissible under
our constitution, where approved by the
Metropolitan and Local Synod (as occurred in the
case of the three new bishops), to send our
bishops-elect to Damascus for consecration.
The Pittsburgh Constitution, therefore, as
approved by the faithful on July 16, 2004, stands
as the Constitution of this Archdiocese, without
the need for further revision.
The faithful of the Archdiocese are hopeful that
His Beatitude Patriarch IGNATIUS IV will be with
us at the Archdiocesan General Convention in
Detroit, which will be held from July 25-31, 2005.
The Archdiocese adds its Axios to Bishops THOMAS,
MARK, and ALEXANDER as they assume their new
duties. May God grant them many years!
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