Sts Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Institute
2 May 15: Communiqué – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceania
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Our Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of Oceania includes all jurisdictions in the region – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand and Exarchate of Oceania, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines, Russian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, Ukrainian Orthodox Consistory in Australia and New Zealand, Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of USA, Canada and Australia, and Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand. As you may be aware, the last Synaxis of the Assembly mandated the initiation of work on a website representing the Assembly.
Consequently, we are delighted to inform you about the launching of the official Orthodox Australia and Oceania website – www.orthodox.net.au
This is the official website of our Assembly, and is intended to facilitate Pan-Orthodox communication. In Australia alone, there are currently 244 Orthodox churches, 20 monasteries and approximately 563,000 declared Eastern Orthodox Christians (according to the Australian Census of 2011).
We are aiming to provide:
• Maps and lists of all Orthodox parishes and monasteries in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji
• Electronic copies of official documents of the Assembly
• News and photos from Church events
• Information about upcoming events – parish feast days, seminars, planned pilgrimages, Bible Study groups etc.
In connection with the website, we have also established a Facebook group called “Orthodox Christians of Australia”, which already has over 1000 members, including a large contingent of Orthodox clergy.
If possible, we would highly appreciate your support for our initiative, which aims to bring Orthodox communities closer together. You can help us in the following ways:
• Inform parishioners about the website by distributing our link www.orthodox.net.au;
• Provide a link to www.orthodox.net.au on your parish website;
• Display the downloadable flyer and cards on your parish notice board;
• Review and update your parish listing;
• Submit information about events, pilgrimages, Bible Study groups to Facebook group or by email orthodoxau@gmail.com;
• Assist in translation to your language, and,
• Report any inaccuracies/grammatical issues/omissions or technical problems relating to the website to our webmaster on orthodoxau@gmail.com.
On behalf of the Assembly of Canonical Bishops, we thank you for your help and invoke God’s rich and benevolent blessings upon you.
Dated, 21st April 2015
Archbishop Stylianos (Chairman ex officio, Ecumenical Patriarchate)
Metropolitan Archbishop Paul (Antiochian Patriarchate)
Metropolitan Hilarion (Russian Patriarchate)
Bishop Irinej (Serbian Patriarchate)
Bishop Mihail (Romanian Patriarchate)
Metropolitan Amphilochios (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
Bishop Ezekiel (Assistant Bishop – Ecumenical Patriarchate)
Bishop Seraphim (Assistant Bishop – Ecumenical Patriarchate)
Bishop Nikandros (Assistant Bishop – Ecumenical Patriarchate)
Bishop Iakovos (Assistant Bishop – Ecumenical Patriarchate)
Bishop George (Assistant Bishop – Russian Patriarchate)