BOSTON – The meeting of the two Charter Committees of the Archdiocese and the Ecumenical Patriarchate which took place at the Phanar on Friday the 13, as The National Herald had reported in advance in its last edition, was basically informational. There was discussion, however, among the members of the two committees, also known as the ‘Mixed Commission’, about a number of matters, including the possibility of the creation of new metropolises or the reorganization of their existing territories, especially the larger ones like the Metropolis of Denver. The annexation of the Metropolis of New Jersey to the Direct Archdiocesan District of New York also came up, as did the wish of Archbishop Elpidophoros to be commemorated at the sacred services nationwide, in order his name to be heard.

They will go back on March 7, this time to the city of Chalcedon.

The Committee of the Archdiocese is comprised of the following: Archbishop Elpidophoros, Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, Archimandrite Bartholomew Mercado, Protopresbyter Paul Kaplanis, Demetrios Logothetis, Chairman of the Leadership 100 endowment fund, and Anita Kartalopoulos, vice president of the National Philoptochos.

Patriarch Bartholomew appointed the following to serve on the Phanar’s committee: Metropolitan Geron Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, V. Rev. Grand Ecclesiarch Archimandrite Aetios, Director of the Patriarchal Private Office, and Dr. Konstantinos Delikostantis, Director of the First Patriarchal Office and Professor Emeritus of the University of Athens.

Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco was unable to travel to Constantinople since he had heart surgery on December 6, 2022 as TNH had reported, but he partially participated via electronic platform.

We reveal today that what was reported as Elpidophoros’ plan for a major reorganization of the metropolises will not materialize and that they will remain as they are with some minor changes regarding some of their territory.

The Patriarchate issued the following statement:

“Today, January 13, 2023 at the Ecumenical Patriarchate, under the chairmanship of His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, took place the inaugural meeting of the established ten-member Mixed Commission on the topic of the revision of the existing Charter of the Sacred Archdiocese of America.

“The entire discussion and exchange of views was informative and creative and took place in a fraternal and constructive spirit. All the members of the Commission recognized the need for modifications to the text of the Charter in order to serve the spiritual needs of the beloved Orthodox flock in America and for the purpose of strengthening the unity within the Sacred Archdiocese of America and its canonical bond with the Mother Church of Constantinople, as well as the alignment of the liturgical practice of the Archdiocese with the order of the Holy Great Church of Christ.

It was decided that the work of the Commission will continue on Wednesday, March 8, in the Sacred Metropolis of Chalcedon.”