Jordanville, March 24, 2008
On March 22, 2008, a meeting of the Synod of Bishops was held at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, chaired by His Eminence Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand. It was decided:
1) To call upon the episcopate, clergy and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to pray for the repose of the late Metropolitan Laurus in all churches. On the fortieth day of his death, which falls on Great Thursday, to commemorate "our lord and father, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus," during the great entrance, and a solemn pannikhida on Radonitsa [the second Tuesday after Pascha—transl.].
2) To include Archimandrite George, the spiritual father of the late Metropolitan and Dean of Holy Trinity Monastery, in the commission charged with conducting an inventory and to distribute the personal items of the late Vladyka Laurus. To charge the commission to regularly report on its work to Archbishop Hilarion and to the Monastery Prior, Archimandrite Luke. The commission is to begin its work after Radonitsa.
3) To establish the Pre-Council Committee comprised of the following: Archbishop Hilarion, Chairman; His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Manhattan; Protopriest Michael Boikov, Personal Secretary of Archbishop Hilarion; and Protopriest Serafim Gan.
4) To celebrate a solemn Divine Liturgy on April 28/May 11, 2008, the week of the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, to mark the opening of the Council of Bishops, and on the following day, April 29/May 12, to elect a First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. The enthronement of the new Primate is scheduled to be held on May 5/18, the Sunday of the Paralytic.
5) To appoint His Eminence Archbishop Hilarion as the Temporary Administrator of the Diocese of Buenos Aires and South America.
