The Holy Orthodox Church in North America convened its annual Clergy Synaxis on Friday, October 3, and Saturday, October 4, 2014, at St. Anna’s Hall in Roslindale, MA, followed by a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy on Sunday, October 5, at St. Mark’s Orthodox Cathedral, also in Roslindale. Present were Their Eminences, Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston and Metropolitan Makarios of Toronto, and Their Graces, Bishop Gregory of Brookline and Bishop Andrew of Markham, along with a little under twenty clergy.
Friday began with the Divine Liturgy served by the clergy of St. Anna’s, Archpriest Dimitry Kukunov and Deacon Savas Papadopoulos. Four sessions followed: diocesan reports, a forum on recent events, clergy agenda issues, and a lecture by Hierodeacon Samuel of Holy Transfiguration Monastery entitled “Human Language and Divine Revelation: On the Theological Nominalism of Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) and Fr. John Romanides.” The day concluded with Vespers, celebrated by Hieromonk Chrysostomos and the newly-ordained Deacon Stephen Johnson of the St. Cosmas of Aitolia Orthodox Church in Lanham, MD, and dinner.
Saturday again began with the Divine Liturgy, this time celebrated by Archpriest Ihnat Ponomarchuk and Deacon James Dimock of the St. Nectarios American Orthodox Cathedral in Seattle, WA. Two talks were then delivered: Thomas S. Deretich of Boston spoke on “The Kallinikos-Cyprian-Agafangel Unity Agreement of Old Calendar Synods in March 2014: An Act of Betrayal Against the Legacy of Saint Philaret the New Confessor and Against the True Orthodox Christian of Greece”; and Protopresbyter Andrew Boroda of the Prophet Elias Orthodox Church in St. Paul, MN, spoke on various matters of practical pastoral concern.
On Sunday a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy was celebrated at St. Mark’s Cathedral by Bishops Gregory and Andrew, with Metropolitan Ephraim in attendance, who also delivered the homily (Metropolitan Makarios had to return to Toronto). All remaining clergy concelebrated at the Liturgy, after which a festive meal was held in St. Mark’s Hall.
The 2014 Clergy Synaxis of the Holy Orthodox Church in North America was a time of fraternal association, lively discussion, edifying talks, and, most importantly of all, of joint prayer and Eucharistic fellowship.
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