“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, 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, he is to be commemorated as `His Eminence, DMITRI, Locum tenens of The Orthodox Church in America.'”
Fr. Peter, in light of all that has transpired on this day in the OCA, what word of comfort and guidance do you have to offer us, the faithful?
My heart aches over this mess.
Holy Crap.
Fr. P.: Huw’s comments were offensive to me, since only God is Holy.
“In liturgical commemorations, he is to be commemorated as `His Eminence, DMITRI, Locum tenens of The Orthodox Church in America.'”
They’ve got to be kidding! “Locum tenens of the OCA?” Has every Bishop in the OCA died? Shouldn’t he be commemorated as ‘the Locum Tenens of the Archepisocpacy of Washington’? (and I guess you could add, ‘and of the Metropolitanate of all America and Canada’, though that absurd title has it’s own problems.
Hmm, anonymous complains of offensive comments and then makes sarcastic comments about a hierarch’s title. Does anyone see something contradictory here?
Locum tenens of The Orthodox Church in America would be an appropriate title. After all, the head of any of our Churches (be they patriarchates, autonomous, autocephalous, etc.) is called the Father of that entire Church, even though there are other hierarchs. His Eminence, DMITRI, is not the new father, but simply the acting head. But, definitely the head of the whole OCA, thus his title encompasses the whole OCA.
Fr. Ernesto,
I do not think the Anon are the same people that is the trouble with not putting your name on things.