The following annoucement was posted earlier today on the official Facebook page of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. It has also been posted on the website of the Antiochian Archdiocese. While Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s reporting initiated the chain of events that have culminated in the Holy Synod’s decision to return Mr. Al-Zehlaoui to lay status, I take little pleasure in this outcome. I am sitting here shaken and weeping—weeping for the Church, for the faithful hierachy, clergy, and laity of the Antiochian Archdiocese, for Al-Zehlaoui’s known and unknown victims, and yes, for Mr. Al-Zehlaoui himself. Justice may have been served, except for meaningful pastoral outreach to his known victim (which must be rectified), but this is a dark day for all of us. May God have mercy on us all.

Giacomo Sanfilippo, Editor

Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East

(Centre)

The Holy Synod was informed of the results of the Synodal Committee formed by the Patriarch regarding the events surrounding the resignation of Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui, formerly Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of North America.

To the dismay of the Synod Fathers, following his retirement, retired Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui wrongfully claimed rights over Archdiocesan property; through his attorneys, he demanded from the Archdiocese a large sum of money and threatened legal action and public conflict with the Church, reflecting through his demands an improper attitude as a bishop with regard to monetary matters; and he ultimately filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese in U.S. civil court. These actions contravene Holy Scripture and the Holy Canons. Therefore, the Holy Synod found retired Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui guilty of canonical violations related to: Read More

The following article is reprinted from Dr. Andreja Bogdanovski’s new Substack, Divine Diplomacy. Created in January 2024, it describes itself as a free publication offering timely, in-depth analysis and coverage of (Orthodox) church politics impacting the security and stability of the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Russia and beyond. Orthodoxy in Dialogue recommends it as an important resource for up-to-the-minute news and commentary on church politics in traditionally Orthodox nations.

The Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Met. Epifaniy appealed for much-needed unity that would help repel Russia in its efforts to destroy Ukraine’s independence and democracy at the Yalta European Strategy Forum in Kyiv, which took place on the second anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

[N]ow we need so much unity in our common struggle. After all, we pay a very high price for our state, for democracy, for freedom today…If we allow internal contradictions and quarrels to divide us, then in the future we can pay an even higher price. A million times higher.

Unity is indeed a special glue that binds Ukraine’s society, especially amid the relentless war waged by Vladimir Putin. Ukraine’s President Zelensky has managed to keep the nation together in the most challenging times and instil confidence that Ukraine will be victorious. Read More

For context, see the Metropolitan Joseph: The Scandal section in our archives linked above.

The Patriarchate of Antioch posted the following announcement on its Facebook page on February 28.

Patriarch John of Antioch (centre)

The Synodal Committee formed by His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X held a meeting to discuss the developments taking place in the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. This committee consists of Metropolitans: Elias Audé (Beirut), Antonios Souri (Zahlé and Baalbek), Nicolas Baalbaki (Hama), and Athanasius Fahd (Latakia). Its first meeting which took place in Balamand was chaired by His Beatitude and attended by the Metropolitans, members of the Committee. It examined the ecclesiastical transgressions committed by the former Metropolitan of the Archdiocese Joseph Zehlaoui. It decided to hold several meetings for further investigation and deliberation, in order to prepare a detailed report to be submitted to the upcoming Holy Synod meeting on March 13, 2024, where the appropriate decision will be taken. Read More

Our sister blog, Public Orthodoxy, has addressed an open letter to Ecumenical Patrriarch Bartholomew and the global leaders of other Christian churches and denominations, calling on them to “to actively and immediately engage with the appropriate international institutions to facilitate the establishment of an international task force dedicated to holding accountable, through sincere and impartial analysis, those bishops, priests, and laity within the Russian Orthodox Church whose statements, testimonials, sermons, communications, and fabrications have sanctioned and bestowed divine approval upon violence, war, and aggression against the people of Ukraine”—first among the offenders, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.

Orthodoxy in Dialogue stands with Ukraine and fully supports Public Orthodoxy’s initiative. We urge our readers around the planet to read the open and letter and sign it. You need not be Orthodox to sign.

We address your Excellencies, leaders of the major Christian Churches and confessions, to plead with you. We ask that you publicly address four acute problems that large-scale military conflicts in the modern world pose to all Christians:

• Using religion to justify violence
• Injustice
• Religious nationalism
• Outright lies emanating from church pulpits

These pressing issues are amplified within the context of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. From the very beginning, this conflict took on a distinctive character, in which Russia, a nation primarily identifying itself as Orthodox Christian, invaded Ukraine, another predominantly Christian nation, without any immediate provocation from the side of the latter. Ironically, citizens of both countries were, until recently, affiliated with one and the same Orthodox Church. Read More