Holy Synod of Milan

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The Holy Synod of Milan originated as a diocese for Western Europe of an Old Calendarist Greek Orthodox Church (see also Florinites). The full name of this jurisdiction is the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of Milan, Western Europe and the Americas.

History

The diocese was granted a tomos of autonomy in 1984 from Archbishop Auxentios in order to pursue missionary work among the non-Orthodox people of the West. The title of the Synod at this time was the Metropolia of Western Europe. After the transference of its first Chief Hierarch, Metropolitan Gabriel of Portugal, to the autocephalous Church of Poland, Bishop Evloghios of Milan was chosen as second Chief Hierarch and elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

Today Metropolitan Evloghios remains at the helm of the Holy Synod of bishops of the Church of Milan, which comprises eight dioceses, four in Europe and four in America, as well as missionary deaneries in England, Spain and South Africa. The Milan Synod uses the Julian calendar exclusively, and "firmly resists the heresies of false ecumenism and trans-religious syncretism."[1]

Since 1997 the Milan Synod includes a number of Western Rite communities, mainly in the United States, who were absorbed from an episcopoi vagante organization. For example, St. Hilarion's Monastery in Austin, Texas, originated in the Liberal Catholic Church, a theosophist "church." Its bishop later ordained the head of the Gnostic Orthodox Church as a bishop, although the ordinand stated he did not need to receive the sacrament, as he had been a bishop in a past life. The Milan Synod reportedly did not see fit to reordain this lot upon acceptance. The principal rite of the Synod of Milan is the Byzantine Rite of the Orthodox Church, celebrated most commonly in the Slavic style but in some parishes in the Greek style.

Ecclesiastical status

The Milan Synod is not currently in communion with any autocephalous Orthodox church, nor any body that is in communion with them. As such, they are outside Orthodoxy.

Sources

External links