Communiqué of November 28, 2018 from the Office of the Diocesan Administration

The diocesan administration communicates to all the members of the Archdiocese that, on November 27, 2018, the Holy Synod of our Patriarchate decided to abolish the status of our Archdiocese as an Exarchate.

This decision of the Holy Synod, which has yet to be received officially at the see of the Archdiocese, was in no way requested by the Archdiocese. His Eminence, Archbishop John, was not consulted prior to this decision.

In Istanbul/Constantinople with the secretary of the Archdiocesan Council, Nicholas Lopoukhine, for a meeting of the synodal commission, Archbishop John learned of this decision during a private meeting with the Patriarch before the meeting of the Holy Synod.

The Archbishop and the secretary of the Archdiocesan Council will return to Paris shortly. The next meeting of the Council will take place in the coming days to discuss this question.

Until then, as pastor responsible for the parishes and communities of the Archdiocese, Archbishop John asks all the clergy and faithful to maintain their calm and to collect themselves in prayer, so that the Holy Spirit may come to enlighten us all.

More information will follow soon.