ROCOR-OCA in talks

SEA CLIFF, NY (OCA) - The meeting of the members of the Joint Commission of the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia opened at Saint Seraphim Church [ROCOR] here on Tuesday, October 5, 2010. The meeting will continue on Wednesday, October 6 at Our Lady of Kazan Church [OCA], also in Sea Cliff.

The Joint Commission is meeting as a result of the directives of the OCA and ROCOR hierarchs to "discuss and resolve issues that have in the past stood in the way of full Eucharistic communion and to come to an understanding of how we can pray and work together in the future, said Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary."

During the meeting the participants will celebrate an opening Service of Thanksgiving and Vespers on Tuesday and the Divine Liturgy on Wednesday morning.

OCA representatives include His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; Archpriests Alexander Garklavs, Leonid Kishkovsky and John Erickson; and Igumen Alexander [Pihach]. Mr. Alexis Liberovsky serves as a consultant.

ROCOR representatives include His Grace, Bishop George of Mayfield; Archimandrite Luke [Murianka]; Archpriests Alexander Lebedeff and David Moser; and Priest Peter Jackson. Archpriest Seraphim Gan, ROCOR Chancellor, also will be present.