NEW YORK: October 13, 2011
A Regular Session of the Synod of Bishops was Held

On Tuesday, October 11, 2011, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was held. Presiding was His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, and participating were His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany; His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America; His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, and His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.

Opening the session, Metropolitan Hilarion reported on his recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he venerated holy relics, celebrated divine services in the convents of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, had several meetings with His Holiness Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem and All Palestine, and met with clergymen, monastics and pilgrims.

Archbishop Mark reported on a ROCOR delegation he led which brought the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” to Kazakhstan and Russia.

At the request of Archbishop Kyrill, His Grace Bishop Theodosius of Seattle, Vicar of the Western American Diocese, was released from his position as member of the ROCOR commission on discussions with the Moscow Patriarchate on various church matters and interrelations as well as the celebration of the 5th anniversary of the reestablishment of canonical communion within the Russian Orthodox Church. Replacing him will be His Grace Bishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe.

Administrative matters and intercessions by various hierarchs for clerical and lay awards were also discussed.

The next session of the Synod of Bishops will be held on 9-12 December, 2011.