Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over a session of the Holy Eparchial Synod yesterday, at Saint Mark the Evangelist in Boca Raton, Florida, in the Metropolis of Atlanta, to discuss current issues concerning the life of the Church.
Among other things:
A) The Eparchial Synod reviewed the reports of the past year’s activities of the Holy Metropolises submitted by the respective Hierarchs. It was decided that the reports be forwarded to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in accordance with the applicable article of the current Charter;
B) The Eparchial Synod unanimously decided that the Hierarchs of the Holy Archdiocese, for the sake of uniformity, will henceforth use the following English version of the archpastoral exclamation during the Divine Liturgy: “Lord, Lord, look down from heaven and behold, visit and perfect this vineyard, which your right hand has planted.”
C) A report was given by Mrs. Elaine Allen, Treasurer of the Archdiocesan Council, on the work of a Task Force appointed to review the matters of health insurance and pension benefits provided to the Hierarchs of the Archdiocese. Proposals were made that would substantially reduce the cost of providing health insurance to Hierarchs while increasing the benefits under the medical plans. A report was also given on the status of the supplemental pension benefits that are provided to Hierarchs which currently are unfunded. Proposals were discussed that would reduce the cost of pension benefits for existing and newly elected Hierarchs while also providing a mechanism for funding those benefits.
D) The Archbishop informed the Synod regarding the establishment of the Holy Archdiocese’s Sacristy (Skevophylakion), where all sacred vestments and ecclesiastical items (i.e., sacred vessels, etc.) received as gifts by each Archbishop will be stored and will henceforth be considered property of the Sacred Archdiocese. The Archbishop stated that he had already deposited 58 engolpia, 24 sets of engolpia and pectoral crosses, 12 archpastoral vestments, 4 miters, 7 archpastoral staffs, 14 sets of omophoria and stoles (epitrachilia), and 8 archpastoral mandyas in the Sacristy.
E) The Holy Eparchial Synod discussed the prevailing situation in the Holy Metropolis of Denver following the relocation of Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver to the Holy Monastery of Archangels in Texas and unanimously decided to request guidance from the Mother Church regarding this matter.
F) The Synod congratulated Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago on his one-year appointment to the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Metropolitan Nathanael, whose appointment commences in March together with His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey, (who was appointed as a member last September) will represent our Holy Archdiocese of America in this highest governing body of our Church.
G) Upon a relevant request from the new President of the Theological School, Dr. Dimitrios Katos, it unanimously decided that the Third Sunday of Lent (Veneration of the Holy Cross) will be dedicated to the support of the School through an annual Archpastoral and Synodal Encyclical sent to all parishes of the Holy Archdiocese.
