The 81st Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America started on April 29th with the Divine Liturgy at Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral of Chicago, IL. The Divine Liturgy was served by His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon, Archbishop of Targoviste and Patriarchal Exarch, together with His Eminence Iosif, the Romanian Orthodox Archbishop of Western Europe and the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe, His Eminence Nicolae, Archbishop of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America and the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of the Americas, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, Bishop elect of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, priests and deacons of the Archdiocese. The Divine Liturgy was followed by a memorial service for the hierarchs, priests and benefactors of the Archdiocese who have fallen asleep in the Lord. The Te-Deum service preceded the opening of the Eparchial Assembly.

After lunch, around 1.00 pm, the working session of the Congress started with the prayer uttered by His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae. At the presidium, next to His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, were His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, Fr. Vicar Nicholas Apostola and Fr. Daniel Ene, Eparchial Secretary.

 An introductory conference evoking the testimony of faith of those who we commemorate this year in the Romanian Patriarchate, namely of the confessors during the Communist regime in Romania, was presented. The conference with the title “The resistance through the Divine Liturgy. The Orthodox Christian confessors during the Communist regime in Romania” written by Fr. Assistant Prof. Dr. Alexandru Barna from the “Patriarch Justinian” Theological Orthodox Faculty of Bucharest, adapted to the work of our Archdiocese, was presented by Fr. Daniel Ene. Questions like what does really mean the concept term of sacrifice, what is the suffering and how the contemporary, especially a Christian man is relating to it or if we can benefit of the Christian confessors’ example during the Communist regime, at least of those from Romania, to understand the essence of the Christian life for us, as priests, and also for the flock we shepherd on the path of salvation and eternal life, were answered in the above mentioned presentation. All these draw the conclusion that assuming today the memory of the Orthodox Christian confessors as a liturgical commemoration, in the prayer of the Church, that is overlapping the same sacrificial Liturgy of theirs, we will bring out of the fatality area all their suffering experience and place it in the Church, where will continue to manifest its sacrificial and also cleansing work, in our spiritual benefit and we will also give a sense to their sufferings, not from an ideological, but Christian perspective.

After the conference His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae welcomed the priests and delegates of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America. His Eminence underlined the special character of the Congress and the importance of the election of the new members of the Eparchial Council, Consistory and the new Metropolitan Consistory of the new structure of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America. His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif was asked to talk about the youth ministry of NEPSIS (the Youth Organization of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Western and Southern Europe). His Eminence Iosif started with the joy of being back to United States of America 15 years after the election and ordination of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae as a hierarch and the reasons of the Romanian migration far from Romania, in our case here in United States of America. The main concern of the Metropolis from Paris was, from the very beginning, to care for the youth of a large Romanian community of 3 millions in Western and Southern Europe. In all 3 dioceses with 700 parishes and missions is a local branch of NEPSIS. They meet with the blessing of the 5 hierarchs of the Metropolitan Synod at local and central levels alike, thinking and implementing a variety of programs designed for youth and helping them to get involved in the life of the church. The care for youth means to help them get involved in the life of the church. Another important aspect is the education they get in the family and then continues in the Church. His Eminence’s recommendation for priests was to explore the Romanian language and tradition as additional factors in keeping the identity and in the same time not to stay closed in our parishes, but to be bold enough and attentively to bring the modern elements to support our youth ministry. His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae thanked His Eminence Iosif for the advices.

The roll call of the priests and delegates to the Congress followed. It was noted that all 33 parishes and monasteries from USA were represented. Only the two parishes from South America (Venezuela and Argentina) were missing. His Eminence Nicolae declared the Congress valid, mentioning that after lunch break the validation committee report will bring more details. There was a total of 76 delegates, priests and laity. It was for the first time when all the parishes sent their delegates and His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae thanked everyone for the large attendance. His Eminence Nicolae proposed for voting the Agenda and the Committees were nominated: Secretariat, Credential Commission, Nominating Commission. The Minutes of the 2016 Congress were approved.

After the validation committee report, the 2016 financial report was presented and was also proposed the 2017 and 2018 budget for the new Metropolia. The budget proposed by the Eparchial Council was approved. AROLA and ROYA reports were presented by Mrs. Ileana Ruxandra and Tudor Stroescu.

Fr. Daniel Ene, the Eparchial Secretary, read the official messages to: His Beatitude Daniel, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Demetrios, the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of Nord America, His Grace Bishop John, the representative of the Russian Patriarchate to United States of America, His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of the Eastern United States, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon of OCA, His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, His Excellency, the President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald J. Trump, His Excellency Mr. Bruce Rauner, the Governor of Illinois, the Honorable Mr. Rahm Emanuel, the Mayor of Chicago.

Finally, the Nominating Commission presented the proposals for the new Diocesan Council and for the Eparchial and Metropolitan Consistory. All these proposals were approved by the Congress.

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae concluded with the final remarks underlining the new mission we all take today, to guide with even more responsibility.

The working session of the Congress was followed by Vespers served by His Grace Ioan Casian, Bishop elect of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada and the sermon was given by Fr. Prof. Vasile Mihoc.