In USA, MP hierarchs refuse to participate in Assembly organized by Phanar

The joint Liturgy of the participants of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops of the United States. Photo: goarch.org

The hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church in America refused to take part in the joint divine service and in the Assembly, which was chaired by the head of the Greek Archdiocese of America, Archbishop Elpidophorus, reports the website of the Phanariots in the USA.

On October 2, 2021, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA began its work, and on October 3, members of the Assembly's Executive Committee held a joint divine service, in which Archbishop Elpidophoros (head of the Greek Archdiocese of America), Metropolitan Tikhon (the Orthodox Church of America), Metropolitan Nicholas (the Church of Romania), Bishop Savva (the Church of Georgia), Metropolitan Joseph (the Church of Antioch) and hierarchs of other Orthodox Churches of America.

Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church refused to take part both in the joint service and the work of the Assembly.

In his speech to the participants of the event, Archbishop Elpidophoros, Chairman of the Assembly, said that "Orthodoxy is not a federation of Churches but it is a very large world family".

Before the end of the Assembly's work, the hierarchs agreed to meet on October 2-4, 2022, and expressed regret "over the absence of their brothers-hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate".

As earlier reported, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church thanked the Orthodox Church of America for supporting the UOC.

At the same time, in October 2018, the Russian Church Abroad decided not to take part in any theological church meetings, as well as in dialogues, including the regional Assemblies of Canonical Bishops, which are headed (or co-chaired by) the bishops and clergy of the Church of Constantinople.

Read also