Yesterday, May 9, 2025, Archbishop Elpidophoros presided over the session of the Holy Eparchial Synod, convened in Washington, D.C., to address current issues concerning the life of the Church.
Subsequently, he welcomed the presence in the United States of Metropolitan Elder Apostolos of Derkoi, a distinguished hierarch of the Mother Church.
Today, the regular spring session of the Archdiocesan Council will take place.
At the beginning of the Synod’s session, the Archbishop, after welcoming the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, announced the schedule of the upcoming official visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States this coming September.
Furthermore, the Holy Eparchial Synod was briefed on the progress of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, as well as the plans for the beautification of its Holy Chapel.
The Synod addressed its agenda and, among other things, decided:
1) The establishment of two new Synodal Committees: Religious Education, chaired by Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, and Mission and Evangelism, chaired by Metropolitan Constantine of Denver.
2) To proceed, in collaboration with the Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council, with the inclusion of the CrossRoad Institute in the National Ministries of the Holy Archdiocese, as well as the appointment of Protopresbyter Panagiotis Orfanakos as spiritual advisor and representative of the Holy Archdiocese to the said Institute.
At the end of the session, heartfelt wishes were exchanged between the Archbishop and the Synodal Hierarchs for the remainder of the Pentecostarion period.
