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{{orthodoxyinaustralia}}

The '''Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Churches in Australia''' (SCCOCA) was an organisation founded in 1979 under the leadership of [[Archbishop]] [[Stylianos (Harkianakis) of Australia]] and intended to help cooperation among the Orthodox jurisdictions in Australia, under the permanent chairmanship of the representative of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]].

==Founding members==

*[[Australian jurisdictions without a local bishop|Romanian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand]]: delegation consisting of V. Rev. Dr. [[Gabriel Popescu]].

*[[ROCOR]] - [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]]: delegation consisting of Archbishop [[Theodosius (Putilin) of Sydney|Theodosius]] and Fr Nicholas Gan.

==Membership-related Events==

===Regarding the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand]]===

There is an allegation from Greek Orthodox sources that "the acceptance by the Antiochian Archdiocese of schismatic Romanian communities run by defrocked priests has forced the exclusion of the Antiochian Archdiocese from SCCOCA". The Antiochian Archdiocese denies that any Romanian communities within its jurisdiction were schismatic or run by defrocked priests. Rather, the Romanian priest was released with the personal permission and blessing of Patriarch [[Teoctist (Arapasu) of Romania|Teoctist]], and subsequently established a worship community which has always been within the Antiochian Archdiocese and has therefore never been schismatic [http://www.antiochian.org.au/content/view/394/6/]. Added to which, a chairman has no right or authority to exclude any jurisdiction on his own motion without a decision by SCCOCA itself.

:"In March 2006, Vespers of the Sunday of Orthodoxy was celebrated at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Marrickville with Archbishop [[Stylianos (Harkianakis) of Australia|Stylianos]] of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|Greek Orthodox Church]], the Bishop [[Milutin (Knezevic) of Australia and New Zealand|Milutin]] of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand|Serbian Orthodox Church]], as well as clergy from the [[Australian jurisdictions without a local bishop|Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Partriarchate)]] and the [[Australian jurisdictions without a local bishop|Romanian Orthodox Church]]. In total about 35 clergy were present surrounded by about 500 faithful. The event was powerful, sombre and moving as each of the jurisdictions read the testimony from the [[Seventh_Ecumenical_Council|7th Ecumenical council]] in their respective languages as well as English. The ceremony ended with exchanges of words of love and solidarity by the bishops. In similar spirit on the morning of Friday after Pascha (28 April 2006), SCOCCA again joined to concelebrate the Paschal Liturgy and to share a common Paschal meal at the Greek Orthodox Parish of St. Euphemia, Bankstown NSW."

===Regarding the [[Australian jurisdictions without a local bishop|Romanian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand]]===

Fr Nicholas Gan said the "Greek Archdiocese of Australia later put it about that ROCOR chose to depart in protest over the involvement of other jurisdictions in the ecumenical movement." [http://www.antiochian.org.au/content/view/413/6/]

==See also==

*[[Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas]]

==External links==

[[Category:Orthodoxy in Australia]]

[[Category:Organizations]]