he Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of France met in Paris under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Demetrios (Ecumenical Patriarchate) on June 10, 2022.
The hierarchs sent blessings to all Orthodox Christians in France on the feast of Pentecost. The bishops also officiated a Te Deum service in honour of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s name day (June 11).
Following the meeting, the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France (AEOF) communicated the following:
- With joy, the Orthodox Bishops of France welcome the re-establishment of Eucharistic communion between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Serbia, on the one hand, and the Orthodox communities of the former Archdiocese of Ohrid and the present Republic of Northern Macedonia, on the other hand.
- The Orthodox Bishops of France once again express their great concern at the continuing military operations in Ukraine, which continue to cause misery and destruction in that country. They urge the international community to redouble diplomatic efforts to bring this war to an end and to allow, as soon as possible, the establishment of a dialogue which will lay the foundations for a lasting peace which is beneficial and reassuring for all parties. In this respect, the Bishops welcome the holding of the prayer service “of intercession for peace in Ukraine,” which took place with the blessing of the AEOF, and on the initiative of the Orthodox Fraternity in Western Europe, on May 21 at the Cathedral of the Holy Archangels (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese) in Paris.
- The Orthodox Bishops of France welcome the election of Bishop Justin Jeremić, the new Serbian Bishop of Western Europe, based in Paris, who succeeds Bishop Luka Kovacević, who reposed on December 17, 2021.
- The Orthodox Bishops of France welcome the presence and participation in the work of the AEOF meeting of His Eminence Metropolitan John of Dubna and his auxiliary bishop Symeon of Domodedovo.
- The Orthodox Bishops of France welcome the holding of the next triennial congress of the Orthodox Fraternity in Western Europe, under the aegis of the Assembly of the Orthodox Bishops of France, from October 29 to November 1, 2022, at the diocesan reception centre in Merville (near Lille), on the theme: “The Church, a space of freedom?”
- The Orthodox Bishops of France welcome the cooperation between the three Christian denominations in France (Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox) in the context of the judicial appeal lodged last February before the Council of State by these three bodies against certain provisions of the law consolidating respect for the principles of the Republic (law n°2021-1109 of August 24 2021, which introduced major changes to the regime of the right to worship in France) and its application decrees.
His Eminence Iosif, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe, and His Grace Assistant Bishop Marc of Neamț are AEOF members.
Foto credit: Aeof.fr