The visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the USA, as well as the 45th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress, are postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
During a teleconference with priests and Metropolitans throughout the United States, members of the Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America implied that the aforementioned events would be suspended. He added, however, that official announcements would be made on both issues next week.
In particular, Archbishop Elpidophoros said, “We are facing another serious issue. We have meetings with the committee, which is responsible for the organisation of the Congress, at least once a week and sometimes twice a week. Based on the information we have right now and following our conversations, it is obvious that is is extremely difficult to organise the 45th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress this year and, therefore, we are trying to find new dates in order to organise it next year, in the same place. As I far as I know, the event will be postponed until next year. I will be informed about that next week. We are currently trying to find new dates and once we have made the final decision we will let you know.”
“The same goes for the Holy Cross School of Theology as well. The President, Mr Kantonis, said yesterday, on Friday, that all major universities in Massachusetts had cancelled their graduation ceremonies. Despite that, we are planning to organise online graduation ceremonies. However, any visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch is out of the question, because, on the one hand, we must protect our students and our staff and, on the other hand, the Ecumenical Patriarch himself, who is 80 years old. I repeat again that the final decisions will be taken next week,” he added.
Source: The National Herald