Oriental Orthodox Hierarchs Convene for Annual Concelebrated Liturgy


Old Tappan, NJ – On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the Bishops of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCh) convened for their annual concelebration of the Divine Liturgy. This year’s service was hosted by the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in their beautiful new cathedral and archdiocesan headquarters in northern New Jersey.
 
The host of the event – His Eminence Mor Titus Yeldho, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese – was joined at the altar by six of his brother bishops representing the various Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions:
 
His Grace Bishop David, President of SCOOCh and Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England
 
His Eminence Mor Dionysios John Kawak of the Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church for the Eastern United States
 
His Eminence Archbishop Petros of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Archdiocese of New York & Its Affiliated Regions
 
His Grace Bishop Makarios representing the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church Archdiocese of North America
 
His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
 
His Grace Bishop Gabriel representing the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America
 
Praying along with the bishops were dozens of priests and deacons and more than four hundred faithful from the Malankara, Knanaya, Syriac, Coptic, Eritrean, Ethiopian, and Armenian Churches. Parishes from all over the East Coast of the United States – from Boston to Virginia – sent clergy and faithful to take the blessing of this wonderful service, which was also streamed live on MORAN TV.
 
After the Liturgy, His Eminence Mor Titus gave a moving homily in which he acknowledged the leadership of His Grace Bishop Makarios, who at ninety-five years of age is the eldest of the SCOOCh hierarchs, and who is universally revered not only by the faithful of his own jurisdiction but also by the members of the Standing Conference and the Oriental Orthodox community in the United States of America as a beloved father figure.
Before adjourning for the day, the clergy and the faithful were treated to a delicious meal of South Indian cuisine and a performance of traditional Ethiopian ecclesiastical music.
 
The Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches encourages regional concelebrations of the Divine Liturgy which make manifest our unity in Christ and in Orthodoxy at the Chalice. If your parish would like help and guidance in organizing a regional concelebration of the Divine Liturgy reach out to us.