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	2023	2022	2020-2021

Please donate!   The work of the Lord requires the talents and resources of His people. Each year, Holy Trinity develops a budget which supports its mission and ministries...   Click on this link to read the whole message

For large picture (click here)   All Hierarchs in black robes Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, Sunday, January 29, 2023. Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church of San Gabriel - The Divine Liturgy (click here)   A mini album with various pictures

For large picture (click here)
* Los Angeles, CA - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America held its 12th Meeting (January 28-31, 2023) The Vespers, Reception & Charity Event, St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedra.(click here)   A mini album with various pictures

Communiqué Of The 12th Convening Of The Assembly Of Canonical Orthodox Bishops Of The USA

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America convened in Los Angeles, California from January 28-31st for its 12th Meeting. Thirty Hierarchs participated in the meeting chaired by Archbishop Elpidophoros.
On January 28th the Executive Committee met to confirm the meeting agenda and to conduct their regular business, including approving new board members for Orthodox Volunteer Corps and Orthodox Youth Ministries. Later that evening, all the Hierarchs gathered at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles for Great Vespers, presided over by Archbishop Elpidophoros, Chairman of the Assembly. A reception and networking charity event hosted by the parish followed. The participants assembled 200 food and hygiene kits to be distributed by FOCUS North America to those in need.
On Sunday, January 29th, member Hierarchs – including Archbishop Elpidophoros (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America “GOA”), Bishop John (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America “AOCA”), Bishop Maxim (Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central and South America “SOC”), Metropolitan Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas “ROC”), Bishop Saba (Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church in North America “GOC”), Metropolitan Tikhon (Orthodox Church in America “OCA”), Metropolitan Alexios (GOA), Metropolitan Gregory (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America “ACROD”), Archbishop Michael (OCA), Bishop Demetrios (GOA), Bishop Sevastianos (GOA), Bishop Apostolos (GOA), Bishop Joachim (GOA), Bishop Andrei (OCA), Bishop Ioannis (GOA), Bishop Athenagoras (GOA), Bishop Constantine (GOA) – concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in San Gabriel, CA. Also present during the service were Archbishop Nathaniel (OCA), Bishop Spyridon (GOA), and Bishop Timothy (GOA). This historic event was the first time all the members of the Assembly were invited to concelebrate, furthering the bond of love and communion. The sermon was offered by Bishop Maxim, and the Assembly of Bishops’ Director of Operations, Nicholas Anton, was ordained to the diaconate during the liturgy. After the liturgy, the Hierarchs celebrated with the faithful during a reception hosted by the parish for the Feast of Saint Sava the Enlightener of the Serbian People.
The meetings officially opened following a liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. In his opening remarks on Monday, January 30th, Archbishop Elpidophoros, Chairman of the Assembly, stated, “first and foremost among lofty intentions for our Assembly and all the Assemblies is the manifestation of our unity as the Orthodox Church in this region, the United States of America. Our light of unity cannot be hidden under the proverbial bushel – it belongs on the lampstand for all to see to help illuminate their own path.”
His Eminence continued, “and yet, we know that there are differences, even fault lines, in our worldwide Orthodox Church; perhaps none so bitter and distressing as those that have emerged around the war against Ukraine.”
The Assembly also reviewed the extensive work its Committees, Working Groups, Task Forces, and Ministries have undertaken over the past year and considered proposals. The Hierarchs resolved to work more closely together to achieve the goals of the Assembly, especially in the areas of Military and Institutional Chaplaincy, a common clergy database, parish engagement, research, and pastoral matters.
Following general discussions, the Assembly heard the application from Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve “FOCUS” North America’s Executive Director, Kenny Kidd, to become a ministry affiliated with the Assembly of Bishops. After considering the development and maturing of the organization, the Hierarchs voted to approve and welcome FOCUS North America as the newest Affiliate Ministry.
The final session of day one included a presentation from the two pilot cities – Atlanta and Akron – for the Assembly’s Inter-Parish Association program. Both pilot regions expressed their gratitude to the Hierarchs for their support and the value of the program. Inter-Parish Associations bring together the clergy and laity from all the local, jurisdictional parishes. Their purpose is to get to know each other better and collaborate on both home and outreach projects which enhance their local communities. In turn, the ultimate goal is growth of the Orthodox Christian Church. The Assembly has resolved to launch the program nationally.
The meetings on day two began by addressing matters of common concern followed by presentations from the six agencies of the Assembly (International Orthodox Christian Charities “IOCC,” Orthodox Christian Mission Center “OCMC,” Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry “OCPM,” Orthodox Christian Fellowship “OCF,” Orthodox Youth Ministries “OYM,” and Orthodox Volunteer Corps “OVC”). The two newest agencies showed great progress over their first year, with OVC launching its first cohort in September 2022 and OYM hiring an Executive Director in January 2023.
The meeting concluded with a productive discussion about the rite of the reception of converts. Following the mandate from the 2021 meeting, the Assembly of Bishops appointed a cross-jurisdictional working group, chaired by Protopresbyter Dr. Patrick Viscuso, that produced an in-depth white paper on the topic. The Hierarchs discussed the white paper and asked the working group, as a next step, to formulate recommended agreements and rubrics to be presented at the next Assembly meeting.
The Hierarchs present regretted the absence of their Brother Hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and reiterated their invitation to participate in future Assemblies.
Finally, an expression of appreciation was extended to Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia for their Abrahamic hospitality.

Picture above: The Executive Committee

History of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America

		The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America is made up of all the active, canonical Orthodox bishops in the United States of America, of every jurisdiction.

The Assembly was established in accordance with the Decision of the 4th Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference, convoked in Chambésy, Switzerland, June 6-12, 2009, at which met representatives from all the universally-recognized autocephalous Orthodox churches. These representatives recognized substantial canonical "anomalies" in the organization and life of the Church in these regions, and realized that, though these anomalies had arisen from specific historical circumstances and pastoral needs, they nonetheless present a number of serious problems for the faithful; moreover, they give an appearance of disunity in the one holy Church. As such, these representatives unanimously agreed to the formation of assemblies of bishops throughout the world to heal, as quickly as possible, these anomalies.

The bishops in the USA, Canada and Central America were originally together in one Assembly, called the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America; in April 2014 it was announced that, in order to best respond to the cultural diversity and pastoral needs in the region, the Canadian and US bishops would form separate assemblies and the Central American bishops would join the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Latin America.

To accomplish its purpose and vision, the Assembly has as its goals:

1.  the promotion and accomplishment of Church unity in the United States
2.  the strengthening of the common pastoral ministry to all the Orthodox faithful of the region
3.  a common witness by the Church to all those outside her
4.  the organization of the Church in the United States in accordance with the ecclesiological and the canonical tradition of the Orthodox Church

In this way, the Assembly is both consultative and programmatic. It is consultative insofar as, while it has no administrative authority, it is a forum for the exchange of ideas and creation of templates, best practices, and models for each Bishop to implement as he sees fit in his own diocese. At the same time, the Assembly is to be programmatic in its goal to coordinate and ultimately unite the common ministries and pastoral practices of the various jurisdictions.

The Assembly meets annually and functions by a consensus of all its members. At its inception, it established a number of committees with specific tasks to help accomplish its goals. Each committee consists of member bishops who are assisted by clergy and lay advisors. The Assembly understands itself to be the successor of SCOBA, and as such, has assumed all of its agencies, dialogues, and other ministries.

Unlike SCOBA, the Assembly is a transitional body. If it achieves its goal, it will make itself obsolete by developing a proposal for the canonical organization of the Church in the United States of America. This proposal will in turn be presented to the universally recognized autocephalous Churches, gathered in council. Should this proposal be accepted, it is hoped that the Assembly of Bishops will be succeeded by a governing Synod of a united Church in the United States.

Ecumenical Patriarchate

• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

• American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA

• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA

• Albanian Orthodox Diocese

Patriarchate of Antioch

• Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Patriarchate of Moscow

• The Moscow Patriarchal Parishes in the USA

• Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

Patriarchate of Serbia

• Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central and South America

Patriarchate of Romania

• Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas

Patriarchate of Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia

Patriarchate of Georgia

• Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church in North America

Orthodox Church in America

• Orthodox Church in America

Programul catehetic al Postului Nașterii Domnului 2022

HTRAOC Holy Trinity under ROMA Romanian Metropolia in Americas

The Status of the Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church under the Jurisdiction of Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas

Picture above (2017): His Eminence Archbishop Nicolae Condrea elevated to the High Ecclesiastical Dignity of First Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of the two Americas

The Status of the Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church under
The Jurisdiction of Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas

The Holy Trinity Romania American Orthodox Church in Los Angeles, California, is now officially under the Jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas, or "Mitropolia Ortodoxa Romana a celor doua Americi" based in Chicago, Illinois (United States of America) as of the Feast Day of the Entry in The Temple of the Mother of the Lord, November 21, 2022.
From its founding and the incorporation with the California Secretary of State in 1940, for over 35 years, the Holy Trinity parish functioned as an independent institution, from the  administrative point of view, having only the canonical and spiritual Blessings of the Romanian Orthodox Bishops +Polycarp Morusca, and +Valerian D. Trifa, respectively.
The Articles of Incorporation, Amendment #A156400 of 25 Jun.1975, The Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church (Sfanta Treime)", Article Seven (7) b, page #2, states the following: "As long as it does not conflict with California law as it applies to this corporation, upon the dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, its assets remaining after payment of all debts and liabilities of this corporation shall be conveyed to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (The Episcopate)..."
After the December 18-22, 1989’ events in Romania, a group of 12 priests from ROEA, including the pastor your church, initiated a movement of reunification of the 2 Romanian Dioceses in America, as it were during the time of Bishop Polycarp, and the establishment of a Romanian Metropolia in America, similar to the OCA.
The movement of the “Romanian Reunification” in America was not only discouraged by the ROEA Chancery, but the priests who initiated such movement were threatened to be defrocked if they continue such action.
The 1993-1994 ROEA’s Congresses "worked hard" to modify ROEA Statutes, which under Archbishop +Valerian were in place for 33 years. By adapting the new Bylaws, the Chancery made any such actions much harder to lead the path to the reunification of the 2 Romanian Dioceses in America.
So, after adopting the new ROEA Statutes, the Chancery imposed written texts to all ROEA parishes and missions requiring them to insert as an amendment into their articles of incorporation, explicitly stating that: "this corporation submits itself to the administrative and canonical jurisdiction and supervision of the ROEA..." Such resolution was inserted as an amendment in the articles of incorporation of all ROEA parishes and missions, including our own church HTROC, on December 9, 1989.
After 30 years of existence under the jurisdiction ROEA Episcopate, during many years of prayer and meditation, and a long and sound analysis of recent years events, and strenuous relationship between the Holy Trinity Church and ROEA Episcopate, Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church decided, on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at a Special Parish Assembly to "Amend and Restate its Articles of Incorporation" and draw its own Bylaws.
With a presence of 62 members in good standing, thus all paid members (January 1-October 30, 2022), ALL PRESENT on the day of the meeting, supported by 14 signed lists of over 250 parishioners, during the 2 meeting sessions, about 2.5 hours of reports and debates, the community voted, in unanimity, with no oppositions or abstentions, to approve the recommendations of the Parish Council, of which we mention the following:

On the Day of The Entry into the Temple of the Mother of God celebration, November 21 , 2022, the Metropolia Chancery issued 2 decrees of official acceptance, of both: Holy Trinity Romanian American Orthodox Church, and Father Constantine Alecse, under Omophorion of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, in the jurisdiction the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the two Americas.
The Metropolia maintains a unity of Apostolic faith, and dogmatic, canonical and liturgical discipline, with the Romanian Patriarchate in accord with the Patriarchal Decree No. 10219, dated 1 November 1930, of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church (hereinafter “Holy Synod”), the decision of the Permanent Synod 5 of 12 July 1950, and of the decision of the Plenary Session of the Holy Synod No. 14.079 of 12 December 1974.
The Metropolia is governed by the Holy Scriptures, Sacred Tradition, the Holy Canons, these Statutes, and other rules and regulations that may be adopted by it in accordance with the Statutes. The Holy Synod is the highest authority in matters of the Faith and Canonical discipline, in accord with the provisions of the Holy Canons and the canonical norms of all the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.
Metropolia is a “founding member” of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), and its successor, The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, as well as the companion Assemblies of Canada and South America (The Canadian Conference of Orthodox Bishops and the Latin American Orthodox Episcopal Conference). These are the only recognized forums for inter-Orthodox relations in the Americas. The Metropolitan, and the other Bishops, represent the Metropolia on the appropriate Assembly.
As the sole organ of canonical and spiritual continuity with the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Metropolia has the exclusive right to recognize ecclesiastical institutions of Orthodox Christians of Romanian origin within its jurisdiction, and to use the expression “Romanian Orthodox” as an identifying title. The Metropolia calls upon all Romanian Orthodox Christians, clergy and laity, to seek and to uphold canonical, spiritual, and administrative unity in the Americas, consonant with the Tradition of the Orthodox Church.
You can find more details on the website of the Metropolia, under the STATUTE THE ROMANIA ORTHODOX METROPOLITAN OF THE TWO AMERICAS – www.mitropolia.us

Please pay attention to the above stated Official Documents which we have received from the Metropolia:

1. The letter dated: November 21, 2022, addressed to the President, the Secretary and the Parish Council, communicating the decision of the Metropolitan Council to accept HTRAOC under the Jurisdiction of Metropolia ROMA.

2. The letter dated: November 21, 2022, addressed to Father Constantin Alecse, the parish priest of the HTRAOC, by which he is informed of the decision of the Metropolitan Council that he was accepted by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, into the Jurisdiction of ROMA.

	2023	2022	2020-2021