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The Orthodox Church - January/February 1997

Archbishop Spyridon hosts SCOBA hierarchs

NEW YORK, NY — His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, was among the hierarchs of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas who gathered at the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America here in December at the invitation of His Eminence, Archbishop Spyridon.

Archbishop Spyridon welcomed the hierarchs and reaffirmed the harmony and communion of purpose that binds North America's Orthodox Christians and stressed the need to continue seeking the means by which the various jurisdictions can provide a united witness to the Church among the faithful and to society at large.

During the luncheon gathering, the hierarchs discussed a number of issues, including the legalization of same-sex marriages in Hawaii, which the Church rejects; recent developments in Orthodox-Roman Catholic relations, the ongoing dialogue between the Patriarchate of Antioch and the Melkite Catholic Church, and the situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in North America. Metropolitan Theodosius informed the hierarchs of the recent decision of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America to enter into full communion with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.

The hierarchs also agreed to undertake a common and unified effort to issue joint Pastoral Encyclicals addressing the contemporary problems that affect Orthodox Christians in North America.

[ The Orthodox Church - January/February 1997 - p. 11 ]