OCA Holy Synod issues statements on Diocese of Alaska at 2008 Spring
Meeting
Article posted: 5/13/2008 5:36 PM
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, May
13 to
15, 2008, has issued the following statements concerning the Diocese of
Alaska.
"The Holy Synod of Bishops, meeting at its full, regular Spring Session,
reviewed the Leave-of-absence of His Grace, NIKOLAI, Bishop of Sitka,
Anchorage,
and Alaska, in accordance with the request of Bishop NIKOLAI that this be
reviewed at the May Session, rather than at the October Session. The Holy
Synod
of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, meeting at the Chancery in
Oyster
Bay Cove, New York, effective May 13, 2008, retired His Grace Bishop
NIKOLAI
(Soraich) from the Diocese of Alaska, with the title 'Former Bishop of
Sitka.'
He remains, in retirement, a Bishop of the Orthodox Church in America."
"The Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America, meeting at
its
regular Spring Session on May 13, 2008, heard the correspondence from His
Grace,
Bishop NIKOLAI, on April 14, 2008, to His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN,
regarding the transfer of Archimandrite Isidore (Brittain) and Hierodeacon
Panteleimon (Erickson) to His Grace, IRINEJ, Bishop of Australia, and New
Zealand, of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Holy Synod of Bishops
declared
these transfers of no effect, since a diocesan bishop cannot release a
cleric
beyond The Orthodox Church in America, without involving the Metropolitan
directly, in accordance with the Statute of The Orthodox Church in
America,
Article VI, Section 4e. They remain clerics of The Orthodox Church in
America,
and of the Diocese of Alaska."
"The Holy Synod of Bishops of The Orthodox Church in America declared on
May
13,
2008, that the Diocese of Alaska is vacant."
"The Holy Synod of Bishops named His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN, Lo***
Tenens of the Diocese of Alaska."
"The Holy Synod of Bishops named His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN, Administrator
of
the Diocese of Alaska."
"The Holy Synod of Bishops, recognizing the pressing need of the Diocese
of
Alaska, and at the same time the canonical limitations on the
administration
of
a 'widowed' diocese, nevertheless acknowledged that His Beatitude,
Metropolitan
HERMAN, and His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN, may exercise economia for the
purpose of
developing the needed good order."
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