Holy Synod Spring Session opens at Dormition Monastery, Rives Junction, MI
The Spring Session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America opened at the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery here on Monday morning, May 7, 2012.
His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, celebrated the opening Service of Thanksgiving, after which he delivered his opening address. Reports on external and legal affairs and the life of the dioceses will be heard, together with a presentation on the work of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America.
After the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the monastery church on Tuesday, additional diocesan reports will be heard, after which the hierarchs will travel to the Vatra, headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate, where they will be hosted by His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit. Great Vespers for the Feast of Mid-Pentecost will be celebrated in Vatra’s Chapel of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Mid-Pentecost at Dormition Monastery on Wednesday, May 9, sessions will resume, with a variety of issues, including parish vacancies and clergy concerns and awards slated to be considered by the hierarchs.
On Thursday, May 10, the hierarchs will hear reports by the OCA officers — Archpriests John Jillions, Chancellor, and Eric Tosi, Secretary, and Melanie Ringa, Treasurer. Reports on the work of the OCA’s departments will be offered, as will a review of the 16th All-American Council. That afternoon, the hierarchs will visit the Ascension of Our Lord Monastery, which recently relocated to Clinton, MI from Detroit.
The Spring Session will conclude on Friday, May 11.
Updates will be posted on the OCA web site as they are received.
A photo gallery of the meeting may be viewed here.