interwiki, renameuser, Administrators
9,194
edits
Changes
m
→Second All-American Sobor: added link
The second sobor was originally planned to be held in 1918 after Abp. [[Evdokim (Meschersky) of the Aleutians|Evdokim]] returned from the [[All-Russian Church Council of 1917-1918|All-Russian Sobor]] of 1917. However, with the chaos caused by the October Revolution in Russia and the extended sessions of the Russian sobor into 1918, as well as disruptions in the United States caused by the events in Russia, the second All-American Sobor was delayed until 1919. The sobor was convened on [[February 12]], 1919 at the St. Theodosius Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and continued until [[February 15]].
Among the actions taken during the Sobor were election of Abp. [[Alexander (Nemolovsky) of Brussels|Alexander (Nemolovsky)]] as the diocesan bishop since Abp. Evdokim was not returning. Since the North American diocese did not have a statutes concerning the election of its own diocesan bishop, an election procedure had to be established by the sobor. Several delegates proposed the election of Bishop Alexander by acclamation of the sobor, however, a small group of delegates protested and a vote by secret ballot was then held. Bishop Alexander received 242 votes, 6 for Bishop [[Stephen (Dzubay) of Pittsburgh|Stephen]], 5 for Archbishop [[Eulogius (Georgievsky) of Paris|Evlogy]], 1 for Archpriest John Krohmalny, 8 against Bishop Alexander but without a name, and 6 blank ballots. Other actions were, the establishment of a financial administration to handle the financial crisis caused by the loss of funding from Russia, authorizing return of Ukrainian [[Uniates]] in Canada to the Orthodox Church as members of the "Ukrainian Orthodox Church," formalized relations between Syrians and Russians, and providing for consecration of Archimandrite [[Theophan Noli]] and Archimandrite [[Mardarije (Uskoković) of America|Mardary ]] as bishops of the Albanian and Serbian communities, if they were so elected.
==Third All-American Sobor==
==Fifth All-American Sobor==
The fifth All-American Sobor was convened in Cleveland, Ohio on [[November 20]]-[[November 23|23]], 1934, to elect a successor to Platon who had died on [[April 20]], 1934. In addition to considerations of the chaotic canonical positions that existed, the sobor, after considering options, elected Abp. [[Theophilus (Pashkovsky) of San Francisco]] the new metropolitan through concurrence by the bishops, clergy, and lay delegates.
There was still no statutes or other documents that governed the procedure of primatial elections in the North American Church, the only other proven leader in the North American Church was Bishop [[Leonty (Turkevich) of New York|Leonty]] of Chicago, who himself nominated Archbishop Theophilus.
==Sixth All-American Sobor==
The sixth All-American Sobor was convened in New York City on [[October 5]]-[[October 8|8]], 1937, to confirm agreements made by Metr. Theophilus at a consultation called by Patriarch Varnnava of Serbia in 1936 with representatives of the Russian dioceses and exiles that were not administered by the Patriarchate of Russia (the ROCOR). The agreements that were subsequently ratified by the American Council of Bishops with bishops from the Church Abroad attending the meetings, made by Metr. Theophilus in which he had stressed that the autonomy of the American church remained inviolate. The sobor confirmed these agreements, but with over half of the delegates abstaining. The abstentions indicated an uneasiness about this "union" with the Church Abroad.
A major advance for the North American diocese was signaled when the sobor approved the of establishment of two theological training institutions. [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] was approved as a liberal arts college based school, while a [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|school]] attached to [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery]] would provide pastoral training. By this course, the Metropola took action to alleviate the inevitable shortage of trained clergy that had been developing since the closing of [[St. Platon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Tenafly, New Jersey)|St. Platon's Seminary]] in Tenafly in 19231924.
The sixth sobor also approved a statute for the governance of the diocese, organizing it as a metropolitan district. However, without a central administration and the support of the parishes, the statutes were just another step in the maturing of the diocese as an effective organization.
==Eighth All-American Sobor==
The eighth All-American Sobor was held in New York City and was in session [[December 5]]-[[December 8|8]], 1950 to elect a successor to Metr. Theophilus who died on [[June 27]], 1950. Although Abp. [[Leonty (Turkevich) of New York |Leonty]], who was the consensus choice in pre-Sobor discussions, was a primatial election took place in accordance with a procedure developed by the Presobor Commission. The sobor delegates voted by secret ballot to nominate three candidates from which the hierarchs would elect the new Metropolitan. The results of this secret ballot were 239 nominations for Archbishop Leonty, 8 for Bishop [[Dimtry (Magan) of Boston]], 4 for Bishop [[John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco|John (Shahovskoy) of Brooklyn]], 1 for Bishop [[Nikon (de Greve) of Brooklyn|Nikon (de Greve) of Philadelphia]], 1 for Metropolitan [[Anastasy (Gribanovsky) of Kishinev|Anastasy (Gribanovsky)]] of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia, and an invalid ballot. Following a brief consultation in the sanctuary by the hierarchs, Bishop [[Dionysius (Diachenko) of Pittsburgh]] announced that they had unanimously elected by acclamation Theophilus to the position of metropolitan of All-America and Canada and which was by then generally known as the "Metropolia."
==Ninth All-American Sobor==
==Eleventh All-America Sobor==
The eleventh All-American Sobor was held again in New York City on [[November 12]]-[[November 15|15]], 1963. This sobor finally addressed the inadequacies of a central administration by amending the statute to provide for three national officers. These were the [[chancellor]], the secretary, and the treasurer. The individuals for these offices would be nominated by the Metropolitan Council and appointed by the synod of bishops. These three officers, with the later addition of two representatives from the Metropolitan Council were to constitute a permanent administrative committee.
==Twelfth All-American Sobor==
The election held at the sobor proved to be another step in the maturity of the old North American mission of the Church of Russia as the "old" and the "new" in the church polarized the discussions and the election on the question of further "Americanizing" the church by electing an American-born bishop. The two principal candidates were Abp. [[Ireney (Bekish) of New York |Ireney]], who was Archbishop of Boston, ''[[locum tenens]]'' of the metropolitan's office, and who had worked closely with Metr. Leonty during his last few years of failing health, and Abp. Vladimir who was the head of the [[Church of Japan|Japanese Orthodox Church]], then under the jurisdiction of the Metropolia.
Under the statutes adopted at the Ninth Sobor, the first ballot required requires a two thirds majority vote for a candidate to winbe solely nominated. If the two thirds is not obtained, or the candidate is rejected by the canonical vote of the hierarchs, a second round of voting takes place immediately. On the second vote two names would be are placed on the ballot. If again, the two thirds is not obtained, and the final selection was is then placed in the hands of the synod of bishops. The first vote produced a majority for Abp. Vladimir, but not two thirds. The second vote had the same results, and the decision was then turned to the bishops for deliberation and decision. After some minutes the holy doors on the [[iconostasis]] opened and the senior bishop, [[John (Garklavs) of Chicago]], announced that Abp. Ireney was the new Metropolitan. Then, the sobor, putting aside any ill feelings that may have been present during the voting, broke into a majestic ''Eis polla eti despota'', thus sanctifying and truly receiving the decision of the bishops.
The results of the first vote produced a majority ballot were 122 nomination votes for Abp. Archbishop [[Vladimir (Nagosky) of San Francisco|Vladimir(Nagosky)]] of Tokyo, but not two thirds. The second vote had the same results105 for Archbishop Ireney (Bekish) of Boston, and the decision was then turned to the bishops 32 for deliberation and decision. After some minutes the holy doors on the Bishop [[iconostasisKiprian (Borisevich) of Philadelphia|Kiprian (Borisevich)]] opened and the senior bishopof Philadelphia, 23 for Archbishop John (Garklavs) of Chicago, announced that Abp12 for Archbishop [[John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco|John (Shahovskoy)]] of San Francisco, 5 for Bishop [[Sylvester (Haruns) of Montreal|Sylvester (Haruns)]] of Montreal, 1 for Archbishop [[Nikon (de Greve) of Brooklyn|Nikon (de Greve)]] of Brooklyn, and two blank ballots. The results of the second ballot were 203 votes for Archbishop Vladimir, 131 for Archbishop Ireney was the new Metropolitan, 61 for Bishop Kiprian, 51 for Archbishop John (Garklavs), 46 for Bishop Sylvester, 44 for Archbishop Nikon, 26 for Archbishop John (Shahovskoy), 18 for Bishop [[Michael (Diky) of Buenos Aires]], 8 for Bishop [[Amvrossy (Merejko) of Pittsburgh|Amvrossy (Merejko) of Sitka]], 3 for Fr. Then[[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitri Royster]], the sobor1 for Fr. Andrew Fedetz, putting aside any ill feelings that may have been present during the voting1 for Fr. [[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius Lazor]], broke into a majestic ''Eis polla eti despota''1 for Fr. Seraphim Babich, thus sanctifying and truly receiving the decision of the bishopseight invalid ballots.
==Thirteenth All-American Sobor==
While the change in the name had been broached earlier and had been studied in committee, the bishops suddenly vetoed the proposal and, after approving a straw vote that affirmed strong support for such a change, forbade discussion on the subject. While the subject was then closed, the proposal for the name change was a notice that the church had allegedly matured to see itself not as an ethnic group but as the Orthodox Church in America. But, as this attempt may have been premature, other events had transpired that would reconcile the disagreements with the mother church.
Among the decisions of the council was that of permitting parishes, upon approval of their diocesan bishop, to use the new calendar.
==Fourteenth All-American Sobor==
*[[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]
*[[ROCOR and OCA]]
==External linklinks==
*[http://oca.org/DOCindex-councils.asp?SID=12 All-American Sobors and Councils]
*[http://oca.org/PDF/NEWS/2007/2007-1028-mayfield/mayfield_sobor_anniv_10282007.pdf THE 1907 MAYFIELD CHURCH COUNCIL]- Banquet address at the 100th anniversary celebration of the First All American Sobor (Council) at [[St. John the Baptist Cathedral (Mayfield, Pennsylvania)]] on October 28, 2007 by Alexis Liberovsky [[OCA]] Archivist.
*[http://oca.org/HSprimatialelections.asp?SID=7 Primatial Elections in the OCA]
[[Category:Church History]]
[[Category:Councils]]
[[ro:Soborul Tuturor Americanilor]]