Syosset, New York, March 11, 2020
Photo: orthodoxwiki.org
Plans are underway for the Orthodox Church in America to sell its chancery property in Syosset, New York.
Following a discussion on the physical location of the chancery at its winter session on February 5 and 6 in Syosset, the Metropolitan Council of the OCA resolved that it is not financially feasible to repair and continuing maintaining the chancery, and thus efforts to sell the property are to be made immediately, according to the report published on the official OCA website.
According to the statutes of the OCA, the Metropolitan Council is “the permanent executive body of the Church Administration which exists for the purpose of implementing the decisions of the All-American Council and continuing its work between sessions,” and consists of the Metropolitan, the Chancellor, the Secretary, the Treasurer and priestly and lay representatives from every diocese.
Based on both the research from the committee established at the spring 2019 meeting to consider the issue and the discussion at the winter session, “it was evidenced that both the physical and fiscal health of the Chancery’s real estate assets were unsustainable.”
It was thus determined that further investment into the 106-year-old chancery structure would constitute an irresponsible use of funds.
The Metropolitan Council’s resolution on the matter reads:
1) It is not financially feasible for the necessary repairs and maintenance to be made to the Chancery;
2) It is not possible for the archives to be preserved if they remain at the Chancery;
Therefore, 1) Efforts shall be made immediately for the sale of the Chancery property;
2) Efforts shall be made immediately to determine a location for the new Chancery administration building;
3) Efforts shall be made immediately to determine a location for the residence of the Metropolitan; and
4) Efforts shall be made immediately to determine a location for the archives.
Commenting on the resolution, OCA Chancellor Archpriest Alexander Rentel noted that “the achievement of this resolution demonstrates the Metropolitan Council’s commitment to serving the faithful of the Orthodox Church in America with a particular commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility.”
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The OCA (then known as the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America, or the Metropolia) acquired the chancery property, including the mansion and 15 acres of land, on December 31, 1957, for the nominal sum of $1. The new property allowed Metropolitan Leonty, then living at the Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Manhattan, to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, and also provided ample space for the Church archives. A library was created and the St. Sergius of Radonezh Chapel was established.
The Metropolitan’s primary residence and the chancery were permanently transferred to the Syosset location in 1974. Since the 1970s, the chapel has been the site of the semiannual meetings of the Holy Synod of the OCA, and various other meetings are held at the chancery throughout the year.
