BOSTON – The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on October 8 decided to remove the Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey from the Metropolis of New Jersey and transfer him to the once glorious Metropolis of Sardis in Asia Minor. 

Metropolitan Methodios of Boston was also suspended until Christmas and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was appointed as Patriarchal Vicar in the Metropolis of New Jersey. 

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, headed by Gordon J. Macdonald, in a letter dated September 25, 2020 had warned the Metropolitan of Boston concerning the protective measures for COVID-19.

The problem in Boston started back in July, when an initiative by Parish Council members to use multiple spoons for Holy Communion was blocked by Methodios.

The Holy Synod also decided to suspend the current Charter of the Archdiocese and to draft a new Charter.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate Communiqué from the Chief Secretariat of The Holy and Sacred Synod follows: 

Today, Thursday, October 8, 2020, on the third day of its work in this current month, the Holy and Sacred Synod extensively examined, among other items, issues of the Holy Archdiocese of America, and considered reports of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. The following decisions were taken:

a) It placed into abeyance the force of the Charter of the Holy Archdiocese of America, with the objective of constituting a joint Committee of representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Archdiocese for the composition of a new Charter.

b) It placed His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston under a penance of suspension until the Feast of Christmas, on account that he had fallen into canonical transgressions.

c) It transferred His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey to the Holy Metropolis of Sardes and appointed as Patriarchal Vicar in the vacant Eparchy of New Jersey, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.