Update on proposed Romanian metropolia for North America

(ROEA News) - The series of meetings between the Hierarchs of the two Romanian Orthodox Episcopates in the USA and Canada continued recently with a common meeting of the Diocesan Council of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (Vatra) and the Archdiocesan Council of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of both Americas (under the canonical authority of the Romanian Patriarchate). The majority of Orthodox clerics from USA and Canada considered this meeting to be an historic one, given the fact that it follows along last year’s decisions made by both Congresses to continue efforts towards their union in a single grouping. The basis of the discussions- held at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Cleveland- was the Joint Dialogue Commission’s document regarding the creation of the Orthodox Metropolitanate of North America. Among the main problems discussed were those referring to the nature of the autonomy of the future Metropolitanate and its relationship with the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), the administrative union of all Orthodox Christians in North and South America, and of no lesser importance, the issues regarding the means of spiritual healing of wounds produced over 60 years of religious division of Romanian Orthodox in USA and Canada.

The meeting, jointly presided by His Eminence Nathaniel and His Eminence Nicolae, the Archbishops of both Orthodox church groupings in USA and Canada, was finalized through a document- proposal of the principles that will be presented to the next Congresses of both Romanian Episcopates for debate and ratification; thereafter these proposals would be presented to the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, which would then approve the inception of the future North- American Metropolitanate. In this context, one of the supporters of the union of both Romanian Episcopates, Fr. Cezar Vasiliu, Parish Priest of St. Nicholas church of Montreal, presented the above- mentioned news items as part of a Conference he held in front of his parishioners, and in the presence of Ioan Casian, Vicar Bishop of the other Episcopate, all this as a sign of the hope for unity. Fr. Vasiliu did not hide the existence of some form of opposition to this project, admitting that there exists a “nucleus” [of people] who vehemently oppose the union with the “Mother Church” - a nucleus made up of a few (13!) Orthodox churches, the majority being from the “Vatra” Episcopate. However, Fr. Cezar Vasiliu says and hopes that the public actions (including via the Internet) of those who oppose the union of the Episcopates, have as effect only the delaying of the final decision, but in no way hindering the actual union of both Episcopates.