Toronto, March 29, 2011
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto
The participants at the meeting were: His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios and His Grace Bishop Christoforos of the Greek Metropolis of Toronto, His Grace Job (Iov), Bishop of Kashira, Arministrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Canada, His Grace Bishop Gabriel (ROCOR), His Grace Bishop Georgij of the Serbian Diocese of Canada, His Eminence Archbishop Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas, His Eminence Metropolitan Yurij of the Ukrainian Church of Canada, His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, His Grace Vicar Bishop Irinee of the OCA and His Grace Bishop Ilias of the Albanian Diocese.
The main subject of the meeting was the creation of a regional Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of Canada, about which a petition was sent to the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a result of the last meeting. Plans were also discussed for joint-ministry and fraternal cooperation among the jurisdictions in the future.
Bishop Job of Kashira said that he does not see any problem with the creation of an Assembly; however, he would require that the guidelines passed at the fourth Pan-Orthodox pre-council conference, which took place in June 2009, at Shambesi, be strictly adhered to. “Any changes in the borders of an assembly of bishops in the diaspora should only take place based upon the decision passed at the meeting of Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, which is called together by the Patriarch of Constantinople,” Bishop Job reminded those present.
A date was set for next year’s meeting for March 29, 2012.