From Diocese of Sourozh
Meeting of the Diocesan Assembly
This news item posted 8th March 2007
A regular meeting of the Assembly of the Diocese of Sourozh took place on the 3rd of March in the Cathedral of the Dormition in London.
The Diocesan Assembly was headed by Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun, the Temporary Administrator of the Diocese of Sourozh. Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Sourozh and Bishop Elisey of Bogorodsk, Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Korsun and Bishop in charge of the Diocese of Sourozh, as well as the clergy and laity of the Diocese, representatives of the parishes and the elected members of the Assembly also took part in the Assembly meeting.
The Assembly elected its Chairman as well as the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Diocese, each for a three year term.
The main theme of the Diocesan Assembly was adoption of the Address of the Assembly to His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on the inclusion in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church of the British Saints canonised before the Great Schism in the 11th century. Those Saints include the holy martyr Alban, the holy bishops David of Wales and Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, the holy King Edward the Confessor and many other saints, traditionally venerated in the British Isles.
The Assembly also discussed issues concerning the development of the life of the diocese. The composition of the Publishing and Pilgrimage Commissions of the diocese was adopted, and requests for opening of new parishes in the outskirts of London, in Newcastle, and in the sea-ports of Teignmouth and Hastings were discussed.
A special emphasis was placed on issues of inter-Orthodox co-operation. The Assembly acknowledged that the Pan-Orthodox Vespers which took place on the 25th of February in the London Cathedral was a vivid testimony of the active participation of the Diocese of Sourozh in the process of inter-Orthodox consolidation.
