On Thursday, May 12, 2022, a regular virtual session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was held, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. Participating in the meeting were: His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany; His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops; His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada; His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America; His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe and His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Deputy Secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
Opening the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the archpastors, wishing them Divine aid in their work. Then, approving the proposed agenda, the members of the Synod heard and discussed reports by: the Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem (ROCOR), Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), on the affairs of the monastic communities in the Holy Land; Priest Antony Odaysky, Rector of Archangel Michael Church in Cannes, France, on the life of his parish, which is under the direct authority of the President of the Synod of Bishops; and the Synod’s Jurisconsult, Nicholas Ohotin, on various property and legal matters.
Bishop Irenei then delivered a report on recent events in the Orthodox Christian world, after which the bishops discussed humanitarian, material and other aid provided to Ukrainian refugees by the dioceses, parishes and organizations of the Russian Church Abroad, on clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church who find themselves in the dioceses of Western Europe.
During the session, the Synod of Bishops decided to convene a Council of Bishops in New York on December 6-13, 2022, and appointed Bishop Nicholas, Vicar of the First Hierarch, to administer the Synodal Chancery.
The Synod of Bishops also discussed various ecclesiastical-disciplinary and administrative matters, and considered intercessions by the member bishops for church awards to their clergymen and parishioners.
The next session of the Synod of Bishops is scheduled for 7 September of this year.
