The Decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church on redistribution of dioceses

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on its session on May 21, 2009, by the number ABno, 49/ord. 147, brought this decision:

Upon the clause 16 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and with the established suggestion of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America and two members of the Holy Assembly of Bishops (His Grace Bishop Hrizostom of Zhicha and His Grace Bishop Irinej of Bachka), to execute the redistribution of existing dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Midwestern American, Eastern American, Western American and Canadian of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada; and Dioceses for America and Canada of the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica, with certain renaming of their titles and moving of their seats, in order to the canonic territory of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the territory of the North and South America now is consisting of:

1. The Metropolitanate of Libertville and Chicago, with a monastery of St Sava as a seat in Libertville (consists of monastery of St Sava in Libertville and Cathedral church of Resurrection of Our Lord with three parishes), whose Metropolitan is going to be the president of Episcopal, Church-People's and Central council, and ex officio representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church in this area.

2. The Diocese of New Gracanica and Midwestern America, with a monastery of New Gracanica as a seat (consists of all parishes based in Chicago except the previously mentioned Church of Resurrection of Our Lord - and other states of the Midwest which were part of previous Midwestern Metropolitanate, as well as all church-school communities and parishes of the previous Diocese for America and Canada of  the  Metropolitanate of New Gracanica on the area of previous Midwestern Metropolitanate)

3. The Diocese of Eastern America, with a Pittsburg/Mars as a seat (consists of all parished of the current Eastern American Diocese and parished and church-school communities of the  previous Diocese for America and Canada of the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica on the territory of Eastern America).

4. The Diocese of West America, with Los Angeles/Alhambra as a seat (consists of all parishes of the previous Diocese of Western America and parishes and church-school communities of the previous Diocese for America and Canada of the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica on the territory of  Western America).

5. The Diocese of Canada, with a seat in Toronto/monastery of Milton (consists of all parishes of the current Canadian Diocese and parishes and church-school communities of the previous Diocese for America and Canada of the Metropolitanate of New Gracanica on the territory of Canada).

The clause 8th article 1 of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America is changed by this decision, so with it previous names will not be used anymore: " Midwestern American Metropolitanate" and " Diocese for America and Canada of New Gracanica Metropolitanate", and there are being established new borders of Dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America.

Also, in this way the Clause 15th of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church is changed and is revised