Metropolitan Jonah addresses delegates, observers at 16th All-American Council

Following an opening Service of Prayer and call to order, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, opened the first plenary session of the 16th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America on Monday evening, October 31, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel here.

After Metropolitan Jonah delivered his opening address, several members of the Holy Synod of Bishops offered reflections on the life of the Church in general and the issues they and the entire Church face in particular.  Metropolitan Jonah and the hierarchs then fielded numerous questions from the floor in a frank and candid exchange.

A podcast of the entire session, produced by Ancient Faith Radio, may be accessed, while the printed text of Metropolitan Jonah’s address will be posted on the OCA web site on Tuesday, November 1.

Podcasts of subsequent plenary sessions will be available throughout the week-long gathering, which concludes on Friday, November 4.

Composed of the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops; members of the Metropolitan Council; clergy and lay delegates representing OCA parishes, monasteries, and seminaries; and numerous observers, the All-American Council is the highest legislative body of the Church.