On Wednesday, April 29, the eminent members of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad, led by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of ROCOR, prayed at Divine Liturgy, celebrated by Metropolitan Mark of Berlin & Germany at the Convent of the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth in Buchendorf, Bavaria.
During the service, the clergy offered special petitions, invoking the grace-filled help of the Holy Spirit in the upcoming acts of the Council of Bishops opening that day.
After the conclusion of the service and a meal in the monastery meeting hall, the opening of the Council took place. Following the opening remarks of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, Metropolitan Mark was elected co-chairman, Bishops Theodosius of Manhattan and Job of Stuttgart as Secretaries of the Council, assisted by Archpriest Serafim Gan. Bishops Michael of Boston and Peter of Seattle became members of the Council’s Counting Commission. The archpastors then elected a commission to draft the Council’s epistle, which included Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada and Bishops Theodosius of Manhattan and Spyridon of Toronto.
Then the Council heard reports from the ruling bishops and discussed the state of the dioceses of the Russian Church Abroad. Having listened to the reports of Bishop Irinei of London & Western Europe, secretary of the Synod of Bishops on inter-Orthodox relations, and Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem (ROCOR), the hierarchs concluded their first day of work.
