College Student Sunday 2024

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America declared the fourth Sunday of August as College Student Sunday, running in conjunction with the back-to-school season for college students. This year the date falls on August 25th.

AoB Executive Committee Prays for Peace in the World

The Executive Committee lamented the violence and divisions that have affected Ukraine and Gaza. As peacemakers, intercessors for healing and reconciliation, they encourage the whole of humanity to metanoia, to repentance and spiritual conversion, returning to the ways of forgiveness, compassion, peace, and love as taught by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Assembly of Bishops Hires Director of Inter-Parish Associations

Spyridoula is grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve Christ and His Church. It is her hope that all the ministries of the Assembly, especially the Inter-Parish Associations, will catalyze parishes and faithful to strengthen and to grow their witness of Christ’s love in the world.

ANNOUNCEMENT: The North American Orthodox-Catholic Consultation Addresses Commonalities in their Respective Traditions on the Sacredness of Christian Marriage

Christians from the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in the United States and Canada have engaged in dialogue for more than a half-century. Most recently, the representatives from the two faith traditions, announced the publication of new agreed statement on marriage, The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine – but Ours.

The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine—but Ours

While commonalities exist between the two faith traditions, the Theological Consultation acknowledged that estrangement can often be seen when a Catholic and an Orthodox Christian enter into marriage. Instead of dividing the parties in a mixed marriage into “yours” and “mine,” the Consultation proposed that the parties begin with a joint solicitude for the spouses and embark on the pastoral care of each mixed marriage as “our” concern.

Mission Sunday 2024

Assembly of Bishops Delegation Participates in the 2024 March for Life

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America sent a delegation to the annual March for Life in the nation’s capital on Friday, January 19, 2024. The members of the delegation attended the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, January 18, the evening before the march.

Volunteer Sunday 2024

Assembly of Bishops’ Inter-Parish Association Program Receives Major Grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America is one of 105 organizations that has received grants though a competitive round of the Thriving Congregations Initiative. Reflecting a wide variety of Christian traditions, the organizations represent mainline Protestant, evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, peace church and Pentecostal faith communities.

Assembly of Bishops sends observers to the USCCB General Assembly

The delegation attended the afternoon session and were warmly greeted by the Catholic bishops. They participated in the discussion on the importance and use of technology in the liturgy.

Humanitarian Relief Sunday 2023

On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, Orthodox faithful in the United States offer thanks together to our Almighty God for the privilege of serving Christ by serving our neighbors in need. The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America has designated this Sunday as Humanitarian Relief Sunday to highlight humanitarian relief. Therefore, we lift up the ministry of International Orthodox Christian Charities. IOCC is the Assembly of Bishops’ Agency which, since 1992, has helped people in dire need around the world.

AoB Publishes Homelessness Guidebook for Parishes

 The Guidebook is part of the Assembly's work on social issues, particularly in collaboration with the Orthodox Christian Ministries on Homelessness Network.

On the Foreign Affairs Article (September 14, 2023)

On September 14th, Foreign Affairs, the influential magazine of the Council on Foreign Relations, published an article entitled, “Putin’s Useful Priests.” The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America hereby expresses its objection and concern with the inaccurate manner with which Orthodox Christians in the United States are stereotyped by the authors.

Orthodox Youth Ministries Sunday 2023

As the Episcopal Liaison of the Orthodox Youth & Young Adult Ministries (www.theOYM.org), I encourage everyone to observe this day and reflect on the importance of young people in the life of the Church.

Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday 2023

As the Episcopal Liaison to Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM), I place a challenge to you, our faithful in America, and respectfully request that you observe this day of awareness and support Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Open your hearts to God’s children behind bars.

AoB Announces Inter-Parish Assocation Program

Reflection by OCPM's Mark Santana

Sunday July 30, 2023, has been appointed by the Assembly of Bishops as Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday (PMAS), when all Orthodox churches of every jurisdiction recognize the importance of prison ministry for the life of the Church. OCPM Church Programs Manager, Mark Santana, has written a simple reflection on his most recent visit inside a prison, SCI Waymart, near St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS).

Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation Concludes its 101st Meeting

2023 Mental Health Awareness Month Promotion

2023 Mental Health Awareness Month Promotion

Communiqué

On November 18, 2022, the Orthodox Bishops of the Assembly received a communication from the ROCOR Eastern American Diocese regarding Archpriest Peter Heers. This communication stated “that the Very Reverend Archpriest Peter Heers is not a clergyman of the Eastern American Diocese or of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, nor is there any pending consideration of his reception.”