Assembly of Canonical Bishops celebrates Liturgy in D.C. for 10th anniversary (+VIDEOS)

Washington, D.C., October 4, 2021

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The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month.

The celebration began with Vespers on Saturday evening at Sts. Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Potomac, Maryland, with His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Archdiocese presiding:

The service was followed by a private reception for the hierarchs, local clergy, and their families.

Yesterday morning, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Archdiocese presiding together with other hierarchs from the various jurisdictions represented by the Canonical Assembly:

The homily was given by His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of Washington and All America and Canada, the head of the autocephalous Orthodox Church in America. His Beatitude spoke about the Lord’s unambiguous call to love all men. Read Met. Tikhon’s full sermon on the site of the Orthodox Church in America.

Yesterday afternoon, a networking charity event was held at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, featuring a panel of young adults entitled, “Life, Faith, and Social Issues Through the Lens of Today’s Youth.” Then, everyone was welcomed to join the bishops in assembling hygiene kits for those in need.

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America represents all canonical jurisdictions except for the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which have not participated in the work of the Assembly since the Patriarchate of Constantinople (represented in America by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, and the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A.) anti-canonically invaded the territory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

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10/4/2021

See also
Assembly of Bishops Joins Other Christians in Filing Amicus Brief in Major Abortion Case before the U.S. Supreme Court Assembly of Bishops Joins Other Christians in Filing Amicus Brief in Major Abortion Case before the U.S. Supreme Court Assembly of Bishops Joins Other Christians in Filing Amicus Brief in Major Abortion Case before the U.S. Supreme Court Assembly of Bishops Joins Other Christians in Filing Amicus Brief in Major Abortion Case before the U.S. Supreme Court
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America has consistently and unequivocally recognized the full humanity of every person beginning at the moment of conception. Assembly of Bishops issues common statement on sanctity of life Assembly of Bishops issues common statement on sanctity of life Assembly of Bishops issues common statement on sanctity of life Assembly of Bishops issues common statement on sanctity of life
"We denounce the termination of a life as a response to unwanted pregnancies or as a method of overcoming social and economic challenges. We embrace the mothers and the couples who, in spite of difficulties, choose to bring their pregnancy to term. At the same time, however, we invite those who may have undergone or facilitated an abortion to turn to Christ with contrite hearts, seeking to overcome their grief through His forgiveness, mercy and healing." Orthodox Bishops Release Statement on Sexuality; Marriage Orthodox Bishops Release Statement on Sexuality; Marriage Orthodox Bishops Release Statement on Sexuality; Marriage Orthodox Bishops Release Statement on Sexuality; Marriage
In the final day of its annual meeting, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America issued the following statement on the Orthodox Church’s unchanging position on marriage and sexuality.
Comments
Jesse Dominick10/7/2021 10:38 pm
//The EP would certainly welcome a free and clear dialogue of that sort // ... How could anyone who's conscious actually believe this?
Ioann10/7/2021 2:57 pm
David: "A waste of time"? Well, if that is really what he said, then it's clear that nothing can change for the better as long as Pat. Bartholomew is still in power. Since when has a true pan-Orthodox council been a waste of time? Moreover, Pat. Kirill has shown willingness to discuss things, but Bartholomew is apparently as receptive as a brick wall to any opinion but his own. As for Ukrainian autocephaly, it will come when the time is right. And yes, Holy Rus' is important. You are probably familiar with the old tactic, "divide and rule"? It's an Anglo-American favorite.
David10/7/2021 3:24 am
Ioan: HAH Bartholomew has said that a Council at this point would be "a waste of time." He is absolutely right. What is there to talk about? Moscow will not even consider the possibility of an independent Ukrainian Church in any form. For a dialogue to take place, there has to be an openness from both parties. I bet if the UOC-MP told the OCU they wanted to talk, with no pre-conditions or demands for "repentance," then that would bear fruit (of course the OCU would have to do the same). The EP would certainly welcome a free and clear dialogue of that sort (and if there was sincerity, he would facilitate such a dialogue). A Tomos can be modified or amended (it has happened before). Did the MP demand ROCOR "repent" before they talked? I honestly don't understand the MP's hardness on this issue, especially considering the troubled history of Ukraine. If the Greek Catholics are counted, roughly half of the country wants nothing to do with Russia in any way, shape, or form. This will not change, because of Russia's foreign policy. Why does the MP insist upon poking the hornets nest? Is autocephaly or an amicable separation not better for souls? If it were anywhere else but Ukraine, Moscow would not be acting this way. Is "Holy Rus" that important?
Ioann10/6/2021 5:36 pm
David: That is just the point--there needs to be a pan-Orthodox Council, but Patriarch Bartholomew will not let it happen. He will not participate in a council that he has not called, and so a council without him would not be pan-Orthodox. He is not going to call a council that will judge him wrong. So the Orthodox world is currently at a deadlock. And the OCU has a choice--they can continue to be uncanonical and find themselves outside of God's grace. That of course is not a good choice.
David10/6/2021 9:51 am
Mikail: I think that argument is probably the weakest of all the MP's arguments on this issue. Perhaps the question of the reception of "schismatic" clergy should be discussed as well, given the precedents that the MP has set using "economy." That clarification may come very soon, given what is happening between ROCOR and Rue Daru in the UK currently.
Mikhail10/5/2021 5:52 pm
David: The OCU consists of laymen who are pretending to be Hierarchs and clergy. The EP decided to support the charade. The schism that was created will cause a damaging ripple effect for many years before the OCU crumbles into the trash heap of history.
David10/5/2021 7:31 am
Ioann, to again ask you: What Ukrainian POV should I be "listening to?" There doesn't seem to be consensus on that. The Ukrainian situation should be submitted to a pan-Orthodox solution, and that includes the possibility of an independent Ukrainian Church. Moscow has made it clear they will not accept that in any form, as they are committed to the integrity of "Holy Rus." Since neither the EP or MP will bend in either direction, a discussion right now is pointless. The OCU will never submit to the MP, and the UOC-MP seem to be unwilling to be under the OCU. Forcing either side together when they don't want it is not pastoral or even desirable. If a compromise cannot be reached, then let there be a separation into two acknowledged jurisdictions. Akrevia didn't work then, it isn't working now.
Editor, OrthoChristian.com10/5/2021 7:01 am
Panagiotis: Also with all respect to you. But the independent Orthodox "church" you mentioned, which supposedly existed since 1921, was by all Orthodox standards absolutely uncanonical. You can read more about this on OrthoChristian. Please look at some of the past articles in the banner on the right of the front page. If you read up, you will see how mistaken your statement is.
Ioann10/5/2021 6:57 am
David: You really just don't know the situation. I am not judging you for that, but you shouldn't comment so emphatically about things you just don't know. You, like many others, also don't seem to know how the Orthodox Church works, which is just what the US state dept. and Pat. Bartholomew are banking on. The Orthodox Church has always worked on the principle of conciliarity. It makes decisions by coming to agreements at councils, where Christ is the head, and the Holy Spirit informs. Constantinople is trying to wreck that principle. You cannot make decisions for Ukraine. Its autonomous Church has more independence than Bartholomew's so-called "autocephalous" OCU. And all the true Orthodox understand that the OCU will go the way of all schisms. It will be completely without grace, and the true Orthodox will stay with the canonical Church. This is what history shows, and this is how it will be this time as well.
David10/5/2021 6:18 am
Well said, Panagiotis. An independent Ukrainian Church is inevitable. I don't believe it will necessarily be the OCU in its current form, but one thing is certain: Moscow has to let Ukraine go (at least part of it). The MP refuses to consider the possibility of an independent Ukrainian Church in some form (Metropolitan Hilarion's "One Spiritual Space" talk was not just for the EP's ears---it was a gruff "mind your own business" to the Church at large, and a firm declaration that Ukraine is "our territory"). Since the MP will not submit the Ukraine question to a Pan-Orthodox solution, then what is there to talk about? As for the article, this concelebration is a reminder that the rest of the Church sees this crisis as a turf war, the ugliest and latest in a long line of them that stretch back through the centuries. They aren't going to rend the Church on the say so of one Patriarchate, especially one who is a party in the dispute.
Herman10/5/2021 2:39 am
Panagiotis: Allow me to respectfully disagree. If Moscow gave Met Onuphry and the canonical Ukrainian Church "autocephaly" do you really think the schismatics would all just quit? Do you think they would suddenly reverse course and abandon the schismatic outfit and seek proper ordination, and everything would be "OK"? Do you think the US State Dept would let this all go? Of course not. The government would probably outlaw the canonical Ukrainian Church and force them under the schismatics, force them onto the "new" calendar, force them into communion with the Uniates, etc. This is a globalist project to split the Church, it's well documented by now. We are looking at a permanent schism here, we need to face the facts. The Russian Church is being backed into a corner, and so are all the other local Churches. Until a real true Ecumenical Council can be called (all bishops worldwide, no prepared documents, fully transparent), they don't have much of a choice. What is this obsession with "autocephaly" anyway? The Russian Church was under Constantinople for centuries. It doesn't matter.
Panagiotis10/5/2021 1:00 am
First let me preface my remarks by saying that those who have read my comments before know that I am strong Orthodox and conservative... Russian Orthodox are my brothers and I have great respect for them ... Having said that, we must face some facts.. First, independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church existed long before Patriarch Bartholomew, established in 1921... In the USA and Canada, ethnic Ukrainians started their own Ukrainian Churches many decades ago because they did not want to attend other ethnic churches... We must face facts friends, and accept that the Ukrainian People have a right to their own Independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, just as the Serbian Orthodox do, and the Russian Orthodox do, and the Romanian Orthodox do, etc....... I do not agree with the liberal policies of this Greek Archbishop in USA and I hope he resigns, but all of the ethnic Orthodox Churches in the United States must remain united.... The problems in the Ukraine will pass, and eventually they will be unified under One large Unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church that both the Russian Church and Constantinople will accept... Until that time, ordinary average Orthodox Christians must be united and we must remain Orthodox Brothers... When we are divided that only pleases those who hate us....
Mikhail10/4/2021 7:23 pm
AB Elpidophoros is fully onboard with the schism that his Patriarch caused in Ukraine. He concelebrates with those schismatics. Last year, he praised the fake "Metropolitan" Dumenko while offering him the humanitarian award. He is also the author of the famous "first without equal" description of EP Bartholomew. The Ukrainian schismatics continue to raid the canonical Churches in Ukraine as they beat elderly women and chant their nationalistic fascist slogans. And how do the other Bishops of the jurisdictions in America act? They concelebrate Divine Liturgy with AB Elpidophoros as the presiding Hierarch!!! They should all be ashamed of themselves...especially Metropolitan Tikhon whose Church received its autocephaly from the Russian Church. These are evil times that we live in.
Alexander Leitner10/4/2021 5:10 pm
They are not canonical! They are apostates
Anne10/4/2021 4:32 pm
This entire spectacle is appalling, however I am particularly disgusted by the wording of the bishop at 3:06:00 where he proclaims "A life that begins now and continues to the ages of ages". ANAXIOS!!!!!!!
Menas 10/4/2021 4:02 pm
They concelebrate with, rather than rebuke, Elpidohphoros. Birds of a feather flock together.
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