Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Synodal Archierarchical Divine Liturgy on the morning of July 1 during the 48th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Divine Liturgy, celebrated with the full gathering of the Church’s hierarchs, clergy, and lay delegates, reflected the Congress’s grounding in the theme “Rise & Build”—affirming that all deliberations and planning flow first from the Church’s shared life of worship.
“There is something wonderful about this incarnation of the Ecclesia, though we celebrate in a setting that is not one of our many, glorious Temples. We still adorn the space with icons and candles and incense, but the main characteristic of this temporary tabernacle is you–the human element,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said in his homily. “The truth is we need no sacred space to be the Church, for we are, like the Mother of God, ἡ Χώρα τοῦ Αχώρητου, the Container of the Uncontainable. Our hearts are the habilitation of God. We have come together as the Body of Christ here in Cleveland, to manifest the Church in all Her fullness.” (Read His Eminence’s full remarks).
Host Metropolitan Savas also offered remarks, welcoming Orthodox faithful and ecumenical guests to the Clergy-Laity Congress, Cleveland, and the Metropolis of Pittsburgh.
The liturgy featured full, live American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, facilitated by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America’s Lexicon ASL translation team, which works closely with the Orthodox Christian Deaf Association (OCDA).
Their Eminences Metropolitans Savas of Pittsburgh, Gerasimos of San Francisco, Sevastianos of Atlanta, Iosif of Buenos Aires, Apostolos of New Jersey, Nathanael of Chicago, Constantine of Denver; Their Graces Bishops Ioannis of Phocaea, Athenagoras of Nazianzos, Nektarios of Diokleia, Anthony of Synada, and Dionysios of Zenopolis; Bishop-Elect Alexander of Nicopolis; Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Elias Villis, Rev. Protopresbyter George Callos, Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Peter Orfanakos, V. Rev. Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris, and Rev. Archdeacon Ryan Gzikowski, and 187 additional clergy of the Archdiocese took part in the liturgy alongside lay faithful.
Ecumenical guests also took part: the Lord’s Prayer led by Rev. Fr. Joseph Hilinski (Catholic Diocese of Cleveland) and the Creed led by Rev. Dr. Laura Barbins, Bishop of the Northeastern Ohio Synod (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). An ecumenical luncheon followed the liturgy, welcoming these and other guests.
Photos by Orthodox Observer/Brittainy Newman
