News of the Milan Synod
Sevilla / Valencia, 01/9-19/2009 (civil calendar)Archbishop Luca of Torcello completed a pastoral visit to Spain from January 9-19 (New Style). Having traveled to Andalusia, he was a guest of Bishop Pablo of Italica (Sevilla), the Bishop of the Diocese of Spain and Portugal. The Vicar General was also in Valencia, host of Bishop Ildefonso, vicar bishop of Segorbica. In Seville, Mgr Luke celebrated January 10 (civil calendar) the Divine Liturgy and on the days that followed, held a series of lectures on the Byzantine liturgy addressed to the clergy of the Diocese. The evening the same day he held several conferences in Spanish, open to the public, on the history, structure and meaning of the Byzantine liturgy. Wednesday evening, after the conference, has been a music concert, organized by the Diocese. In Valencia archbishop Luca received a delegation of Romanian priests who were members of the Metropolia, and had a series of interviews with Bishop Ildefonso, vicar of Metropolitan Evloghios.
Greece /Ukraine (12/2009-01/20/2010, Calendar calendar) Metropolitan Evloghios and Bishop Abundius visited the Metropolis of Avlona and Boeotia on a trip ending Jan 20. On 1 January the two bishops, after having celebrated the Liturgy of St. Basil along with Metropolitan Anghelos, visited several monasteries. During their stay has been made important steps forward for the improvement of relations with other Orthodox Churches: His Eminence Gervasie and another bishop in Bulgaria have expressed their desire to enter into communion with the Synod and with the Metropolis of Avlona and Boetia. On January 17 (civil calendar), during a visit to the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Bishop Philoteos confirmed the Primate’s communicatio in sacris between the Metropolia and the Synod of Auxentios. Other Old Calendar synods expressed a desire to enter into communion with the Milan Synod. During the same period Archbishop Onofrius, vicar for Eastern Europe, made a pastoral visit to Ukraine.
