|
|
|
Published by the Orthodox
Church in America, October 24, 2005
Holy
Synod of Bishops elects Bishop Nikon to fill
vacant New England See
|
 |
 |
SYOSSET,
NY [OCA Communications] — In response to the request of delegates at a July 2005
extraordinary assembly of the Diocese of New
England to provide a ruling bishop for the
diocese, members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of
the Orthodox Church in America elected His Grace,
Bishop Nikon of Boston and the Albanian
Archdiocese to fill the diocesan vacancy at their
fall session at the OCA chancery here October
18-20, 2005.
Delegates to the extraordinary assembly failed to
nominate a candidate to fill the diocesan see,
which had been vacant since the transfer of Bishop
[now Archbishop] Job to the Diocese of the Midwest
in the early 1990s. Of the 58 voting delegates, 25
had abstained, while the remaining ballots were
cast for five different candidates, none of whom
garnered the required two-thirds majority. The
delegates then passed a resolution calling for the
Holy Synod of Bishops to elect a ruling hierarch
for the diocese “in the best interests of the
diocese and the whole Church.”
As ruling bishop of the Albanian Archdiocese,
Bishop Nikon was not eligible for nomination by
the assembly, but was eligible for election by the
Holy Synod of Bishops.
Bishop Nikon will bear the title of Bishop of
Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese.
The fall session of the Holy Synod opened on
Tuesday, October 18, with the celebration of a
Service of Thanksgiving in the presence of the
wonderworking Sitka Icon of the Mother of God in
the chancery’s Saint Sergius Chapel.
“We
have just offered our prayers of supplication,
asking God’s blessing and the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, in the presence of the wonderworking
Sitka Icon of the Mother of God,” Metropolitan
Herman said in his opening address. “This icon,
a true spiritual treasure, reminds us that from
the earliest days of the Church in North America
and from the very beginning of its mission, the
Mother of God’s presence in the life of our
Church and her motherly intercession on our
behalf, have played an integral and essential role
in its life and mission.”
Metropolitan Herman went on to report on a variety
of matters, including the OCA’s relationship
with various Orthodox Sister Churches, the current
activities of Standing Conference of Canonical
Orthodox Bishops in the Americas [SCOBA], and the
work of the chancery and the Church’s
departments, offices, and boards. He reported on
the recent visit to the OCA of His Eminence,
Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland and the
celebration of the 35th anniversary of the
glorification of Saint Herman of Alaska. He noted
that in the face of a drop in free-will offerings
– a phenomenon shared by other Orthodox Churches
in North America and other religious and
not-for-profit organizations – the OCA’s 2006
budget had been reduced by $250,000.00. The
reduction reflects a cutback in chancery personnel
and in the elimination of expenditures related to
various projects and publications. He spoke
positively about the renewed efforts of the
Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards under its new
executive director, the Very Rev. Eugene Vansuch.
Financial concerns were also expressed in reports
given by Protopresbyter Robert Kondratick,
chancellor, the Very Rev. Paul Kucynda, acting
treasurer, and the Very Rev. Stavros Strikis,
comptroller. Members of the Holy Synod accepted
the 2006 budget and approved it for review and
implementation by the Metropolitan Council. The
hierarchs supported the decision of the 14th
All-American Council in July 2005 for further
implementation of the “Fair Share” program,
which includes the appointment of of a full-time
development director by Metropolitan Herman. They
also reviewed a detailed analysis of individual
parish support for the OCA’s annual charity,
seminary, and mission appeals.
The hierarchs reviewed in detail the work of the
14th All-American Council. They accepted the
report of the Council summary team for
implementing specific goals during the next three
to six months, three years; and five to ten years.
In response to the emphasis on evangelization,
education, and unity expressed by delegates, the
hierarchs decided to look further into ways to
coordinate evangelistic efforts and address the
goal of establishing 50 new communities and
revitalizing 50 older parishes during the next
decade. They also approved numerous appointments
to the OCA’s departments, offices, boards, and
commissions.
In the area of external affairs and inter-Church
relations, it was reported that Orthodox
participation in the National Council of Churches
in Christ will be discussed at the SCOBA meeting
in November 2005.
The hierarchs also heard a report on the recent
work of International Orthodox Christian Charities
[IOCC] by Mr. Dean Triantafilou, especially in
addressing the needs of Hurricane Katrina victims.
They expressed their recognition of IOCC’s
growing efforts on behalf of North America’s
Orthodox Christians by presenting Mr. Triantafilou
with a citation signed by the hierarchs.
In other episcopal matters, His Eminence,
Archbishop Kyrill of Pittsburgh and Western
Pennsylvania and the Bulgarian Diocese and His
Eminence, Archbishop Job of Chicago and the
Midwest were appointed to the Lesser Synod of
Bishops for 2005-2008. His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of
Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania was
appointed to the Lesser Synod for 2005-2006. His
Grace, Bishop Seraphim of Ottawa and Canada was
appointed to the Lesser Synod for 2006-2007, while
Bishop Nikon was appointed to serve for 2007-2008.
Bishop Seraphim was appointed secretary of the
Holy Synod and chairman of the Department of
External Affairs and Interchurch relations, for
which His Grace, Bishop Nikolai of Sitka,
Anchorage, and Alaska was appointed vice-chairman.
Archbishop Kyrill was appointed chairman of the
Board of Theological Education, with Bishops
Seraphim, Nikolai, and Tikhon of Philadelphia
serving as board members. His Eminence, Archbishop
Dmitri of Dallas and the South was appointed
chairman of the Committee on Late Vocations, with
His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and
the Romanian Episcopate, Bishop Alejo of Mexico
City servicing as committee members. His Grace,
Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and
the West was appointed chairman of the Committee
on Canons and Statutes. Chairing the Pension Board
is Bishop Nikon. Archbishop Nathaniel was
appointed chairman of the Canonization Commission,
with Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia serving as
vice-chairman and His Grace, Bishop Irineu of
Dearborn Heights as commission member. Bishop
Nikolai will chair the newly-created Clergy Awards
Commission and the newly-created Commission on
Church Demographics, assisted by Bishop Tikhon of
Philadelphia and His Grace, Bishop Benjamin of
Berkeley. Archbishop Job will chair the Commission
on the All-American Council.
The spring 2006 session of the Holy Synod will be
held May 23-25, 2006 at the OCA chancery in
Syosset, NY.
|
