Feast of Saint Markella, Meeting of Bishops & Clergy

On Thursday, July 22/ August 4, the altar feast of the Cathedral of Saint Markella was celebrated with solemnity and spiritual joy. Concelebrating with Metropolitan Pavlos at the Liturgy were Metropolitan Moses, Bishop Christodoulos, Archimandrite Nikodemos, Hieromonk Epiphanios, Protopresbyter Emmanuel Kolombos, Presbyter Steven Allen, Presbyter Nicholas Serigos, and Presbyter John Somers. After the Liturgy, a prayer was read over Fr. John Somers by Metropolitan Pavlos to make him a father confessor. Many years to Metropolitan Pavlos and all of the clergy and parishioners of the Cathedral of Saint Markella.

On the next day, July 23/ August 5, there was a clergy meeting held at the Monastery of the Holy Ascension in Bearsville, New York. Present were Metropolitan Pavlos, Metropolitan Moses, Bishop Christodoulos, Archimandrite Nikodemos, Archpriest George Kochergin, Presbyter Steven Allen, Priestmonk Damian, Priestmonk Maximos Marretta, and Presbyter John Somers. Special mention must be made of Protopresbyter Panagiotes Carras, Presbyter David Belden, and Presbyter Sergius Pellegrini, who made the 10 hour drive from Toronto in order to be present also.

Among the items discussed were the Monastery of the Holy Ascension as a spiritual resource and the plans for a new monastery church building. There was also a presentation on the Distance Learning Seminary and a discussion regarding future clergy and various other topics.

Classes for the seminary will begin September 1/14, 2011. All those who are interested in the seminary should log onto the seminary web site at www.3hierarchs.org.

This was the first clergy meeting of the G.O.C. in North America wherein Metropolitan Moses and the three priests from Toronto were present and our time together went quickly. Everyone agrees that we need to meet again to plan further collaboration within our Church.