Holy Synod of Milan

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The Holy Synod of Milan originated as a diocese for Western Europe of an Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church (see also Florinites). The full name of this jurisdiction is Autonomous Orthodox Church of Milan, Western Europe.

History

The diocese was granted a tomos of autonomy in 1984 from Archbishop Auxentios in order to pursue missionary work among the non-Orthodox people of the West. The title of the Synod at this time was the Metropolia of Western Europe. After the transference of its first Chief Hierarch, Metropolitan Gabriel of Portugal, to the autocephalous Church of Poland, Bishop Evloghios of Milan was chosen as second Chief Hierarch and elevated to the rank of metropolitan. Metropolitan Evloghios, despite being traditionally Orthodox visited canonical churches and was received by their primates, as can be seen in the commemorative photograph where he was received by Metropolitan Basil (Doroszkiewicz) of Warsaw. He was never and is not now, intransigent towards other Orthodox Churches and never denied the presence of grace in the sacraments of the Church considered official. The Holy Synod of Milan, never conformed to the strict rules of the ultra-orthodox and uncompromising Old Calendarist movement.

1989 - BEGINNING OF THE COMMUNION WITH THE UKRANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

With the establishment of full communion between the Ukranian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and the Church of Milan in 1989, the ecclesiological views of the Archbishop Evloghios became manifestly moderate. He was in full communion with Metropolitan Mstyslav (after First Patriarch of All Ukraine), manifestly ecumenist and in full communion with the Holy See of Constantinople. Then Metropolitan Evloghios was in full communion with the historical Metropolitan Ioan Bornachuk of Lviv, right hand of Mstyslav and later with Patriarch Volodymir of Kiev (second Patriarch of the Holy See of St. Andrew). For two years he was in full communion with His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kiev. Today Metropolitan Evloghios remains at the helm of the Holy Synod of bishops of the Church of Milan, which comprises four dioceses, in Europe, as well as missionary deaneries in England, Spain, France and Canada.

His Beatitude Basil (Doroszkiewicz) of Warsaw All Poland with Archbishop Evloghios of Milan

In 1989, Archbishop Evloghios was in full communion with Metropolitan Mstyslav[1] Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA. Metropolitan Mstyslav at that time was in full communion with Patriarch Demetrios I and Bartholomew I of Constantinople.

In 1992, Metropolitan Ioan Bornachuk of Lviv, assured Metropolitan Evloghios about the full communion between the two churches that is Ukranian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine and Autonomous Orthodox Church of Milan, Western Europe and Canada.

In October 1993, Metropolitan Evloghios, as Primate of the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Milan and Western Europe, was invited in his position of First Hierarch in full communion with the Ukranian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. to participate at the sobor in Kiev for the election of the second Patriarch after Mstyslav.

On November 18, 1993, the full right of Metropolitan Evloghios to be part of the Holy Synod of the Ukranian Orthodox Church - Kievan Patriarchate is confirmed by the Patriarch Volodymir . On March 20, 1994 Metropolitan Evloghios, receives from the hands of Patriarch Volodymir the Tomos of Autonomy[2].

The title reconfirmed by Patriarch Volodymir through a new Tomos of Autonomy (1994) is: Archbishop of Milan and Longobardy - Metropolitan of Aquileia, Western Europe and Canada.

On December 25, 1996 Patriarch Filaret sent a letter to the Canadian episcopate forbidding Metropolitan Evloghios from accepting American bishops under his jurisdiction.

On December 27, 1996 the Holy Synod of Milan responds to Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko) that it intended to accept the American bishops through the laying on of hands (John Lobue and Hilarion of Austin), despite the instructions and threats of Patriarch Filaret and formalizes the final break (protocol 36/1996 of December 27, 1996). Full communion with His Holiness Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), ceased on December 27, 1996, before he was excomunicated by the Patriarch of Moscow Alexei II.

1997 Break of the relation with the Patriarchate of Kiev

Since 1997 (before the breakdown of relationships with the Patriarchate of Kiev, the Milan Synod included a number of Western Rite communities, mainly in the United States, who worship according to pre-schismatic (historically Orthodox) liturgical traditions with the support of the Metropolitan and of the Holy Synod of Bishops. The principal rite of the Synod of Milan is the Byzantine Rite of the Orthodox Church, celebrated most commonly in the Slavic style but in some parishes in the Greek style.

The Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of North and South America and the British Isles was an Old Calendarist jurisdiction which was originally comprised of the Archdioceses of America and the British Deanery of the Holy Synod of Milan. It was granted "Autonomous status" on February 14/27, 2011 through Decree #542 of the Milan Synod. The Tomos of Autonomy was definitively suspended by the Holy Synod of Milan and the bishopric of New York was suppressed. His former bishop John defrocked through Decree #639 of the Milan Synod because he joined with the Russian group called "Raphaelites"

Ecclesiastical status

As with all of the Old Calendarist jurisdictions, the Milan Synod is not currently in communion with the mainstream Orthodox churches. During 2011 the Orthodox Church in Italy joined the Milan Synod, two years after the death of its founder, Metropolitan Antonio (de Rosso) of Ravenna. The Milan Synod is moderately traditionalist and uses the Julian calendar exclusively, and "firmly resists the heresies of false ecumenism and trans-religious syncretism.

Hierarchy 2015

• Metropolitan Evloghios (Hessler) of Milan, First Hierarch
• Archbishop Abondius (Bica) of Brixia Brescia
• Archbishop Daniil (Mogutnov) of Como Como
• Archbishop Boris of Germany

Hierarchy 1995-96 UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE PATRIARCHATE OF KIEV

− The composition of the Synod in 1996, before the breakdown of relationship between Milan and Kiev (with Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko)) This Hierarchy is officially published in the bulletins of the Patriarchate of Kiev (see website of the Synod of Milan where they are currently available)

Italy

• Metropolitan EVLOGHIOS of Milan, First Hierarch
• Archbishop Vigilij of Paris
• Archbishop GREGORIJ OF TURIN (deceased)
• [Bishop Vassilij of Ostia
• Bishop Vladimir of St. Julius Island

• Canada

• Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo) of Ottawa
• Bishop Varlaam (Novakshonoff) of Vancouver

Православна Церква Милана, Аквілєї i Західної Європи и Канади[3]

External links

• OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ORTHODOX ARCHBISHOPRIC OF MILAN AND LONGOBARDY - METROPOLIA OF AQUILEIA, WEATERN EUROPE AND CANADA (Italian - Russian - English)
• Official Website of the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Milan (Holy Synod of Milan)(Italian - Russian - English)
• News from the Milan Synod Archbishopric maintained by Bp Abbondio of Como (Italian and Romanian)