Decisions and Actions Taken by the OCA Holy Synod - September 4, 2008

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] - On Thursday, September 4, 2008, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America issued the following statement.

"On September 4, 2008, the Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America elected Archimandrite Jonah (Paffhausen) to be Bishop of Fort Worth, and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of the South.

"Details regarding the consecration of Bishop-elect Jonah will be announced later."

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America issued the following statement on Thursday, September 4, 2008, regarding His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, Retired Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada.

"The Holy Synod of Bishops received the recommendation of the Special Investigating Committee regarding His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius.

"The Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, meeting at the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America in Oyster Bay Cove, New York, on September 4, 2008, resolved that His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius be restricted to attending, and celebrating the Divine Services, when invited, at the Church of St. John the Baptist, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, henceforth."

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting at the OCA Chancery in Oyster Bay Cove, NY, on Thursday, September 4, 2008, issued the following statement.

"On September 4, 2008, The Holy Synod of Bishops received a letter from His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN. In this letter, His Beatitude asks for Retirement, effective immediately, 'in the best interests of The Orthodox Church in America, and taking into consideration the current condition of my health.'

"Effective this date, The Holy Synod of Bishops grants His Beatitude's request to retire from the Office of Metropolitan of All America and Canada of the Orthodox Church in America.

"The Holy Synod of Bishops resolves that, in retirement, the title will be ‘Former Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada.'

"The Holy Synod of Bishops expresses to His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN, their fraternal love and gratitude for his primatial service and archpastoral labors.

"The Holy Synod of Bishops resolves that His Eminence, DMITRI, Archbishop of Dallas and the South, be Locum tenens of The Orthodox Church in America. In liturgical commemorations, in the Litanies, he is to be commemorated in this manner: 'For His Eminence, Archbishop DMITRI, for His Grace, our Bishop [N]...' At the Great Entrance and at 'Among the first...,' he is to be commemorated in this manner: 'For His Eminence, DMITRI, Archbishop of Dallas and the South, Locum tenens of the Metropolitan See...'"

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- On Thursday, September 4, 2008, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America issued the following statement.

"The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America resolved that His Eminence, SERAPHIM, Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada be the Administrator of the Metropolitan's See to assist the Locum tenens, effective September 4, 2008."

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- The Holy Synod of Bishops, meeting at the OCA Chancery in Oyster Bay Cove, NY, on September 4, 2008, issued the following statement concerning support for the suffering peoples of The Caucasus.

"The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America asks that the following petition be added to the Augmented Litany for four months:

'Again we pray that the Lord will restore brotherly love and peace to the suffering peoples of The Caucasus.'"

Source: OCA