Holy Synod of Milan

The Holy Synod of Milan, also known as the Milan Synod, is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox Church in Milan, Italy.

It began as the Diocese for Western Europe of that Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church which (after receiving a hierarchy with the aid of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) was united under Archbishops Akakios and Auxentios. This Diocese was granted a Tomos of Autonomy as a Synod for the Western World 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 that 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. The Holy Synod of Milan adheres to the traditional Julian Calendar. The associated dioceses in the USA are not members of SCOBA and are termed non-canonical by those Orthodox jurisdictions which are members of SCOBA. The associated jurisdiction in Spain is legally recognized by the European Union: "Our Metropolia is recognized and registered in Spain by the Ministry of Justice (European Community) as “Iglesia Oriental Hispánica”, with N° 924 SG – Gruppo A."

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.

Bishops

Today Metropolitan Evloghios remains at the helm of the Holy Synod of bishops of the Church of Milan, which comprises eight dioceses, five in Europe and three in America, as well as missionary deaneries in England, France and South Africa.

As of 2008, the current makeup of the Synod is as follows.

In Europe:

Metropolitan EVLOGHIOS of Milan, First Hierarch

Archbishop LUCA of Torcello

Archbishop ONUPHRIUS of Bergamo (Titular; the Archbishop is the Representative to Eastern Europe for the Synod)

Bishop ABBONDIO of Como

Bishop PABLO of Italica, bishop for Spain and Portugal

Bishop BORIS of Germany

In America:

Archbishop HILARION of Austin

Archbishop JOHN of New York and New Jersey

Bishop PAVLOS of Maspeth

The Milan Synod uses the Julian calendar exclusively, and "firmly resists the heresies of false ecumenism and trans-religious syncretism." [http://www.odox.net/Synod.htm]

Since 1997 the Milan Synod includes 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.

References

* [http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Synod_of_Milan]

External links

* [http://www.orthodoxchristians.eu/ Autonomous Orthodox Church of Milan (Holy Synod of Milan)] (Italian)
* [http://www.orthodoxwest.net Official Website of the Archdiocese of New York and Eastern America, Milan Synod]
* [http://www.milansynodusa.org New Milan Synod Website for American Parishes] (English)
* [http://ihtis.wordpress.com News from the Milan Synod maintained by Bp Abbondio of Como]