Milan Synod First Hierarch Resigns Episcopacy

The first hierarch of the Old Calendrist Milan Synod, Metropolitan Evloghios of Milan, together with his auxiliary, Archbishop Abbondios of Como, have both resigned from the episcopacy and begun to serve as priests in preparation for reception into the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. The status of the other three hierarchs still belonging to the Milan Synod is unclear. More (in Italian) here.

Eritrean Orthodox Patriarch Visits Milan Synod Headquarters

As part of his ongoing pastoral visit to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church in Western Europe Patriarch Abune Diyosqoros of Asmera has met with Metropolitan Evloghios of Aquileia and Milan, first hierarch of the Old Calendrist Milan Synod. More (in Italian) on the visit can be found here.

Milan Synod Archbishop to Visit Chisinau, San Francisco

Archbishop Abbondio of Como, auxiliary to Metropolitan Evloghios of the Old Calendrist Milan Synod, is set to visit Metropolitan Vladimir (Canterean) of the Moldovan Orthodox Church next month in Chisinau, after which he will make a pilgrimage to the relics of St. John the Wonderworker in San Francisco. The agenda for Archbishop Abbondio's meeting with Metropolitan Vladimir has not been announced, but doubtless pertains to the reception of the Milan Synod into the Moscow Patriarchate. More (in Italian) here.

Milan Synod in Spain Against Reconciliation with Moscow Patriarchate

The Spanish hierarchs of the Old Calendrist Milan Synod have protested its decision to dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church and commemorate Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow in the divine services. The decision is being protested "at the highest levels" of the Milan Synod in Spain, but as it consists of two or three churches and missions in the country it is doubtful that the protests will have much effect on the Synod's decision to seek reconciliation with mainstream Orthodoxy. More here.

Milan Synod Begins Dialogue with Moscow Patriarchate

The Milan Synod has formally broken its ties with its sister Old Calendrist synods in Bulgaria, Greece, and North America as part of its dialogue with the Moscow Patriarchate concerning its reception into the Russian Orthodox Church. The communities of the Milan Synod have been directed to commemorate Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and Metropolitan Vladimir (Cantarean) of Chisinau in all their divine services in addition to Metropolitan Evloghios of Milan, who remains first hierarch of the Milan Synod. More here.

North American Daughter of Milan Synod Recognizes Broken Communion

The North American daughter of the Old Calendrist Milan Synod today recognized that it is no longer in communion with the Milan Synod due to its efforts to unite with the Russian Orthodox Church (more on that here). The North American metropolia remains in communion with the Milan Synod's sister churches in Bulgaria, Greece, and the former USSR. More here.

Milan Synod in Europe Confirms Desire for Union with Russian Orthodox Church

Archbishop Abbondio of Como, an auxiliary to the First Hierarch of the Milan Synod in Western Europe, has confirmed that the Milan Synod is pursuing reception into the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church and does not have any ties with the various Old Calendrist and traditionalist movements in the former USSR. He noted in particular the Milan Synod's apparently close ties with Metropolitan Vladimir (Cantarean) of Chisinau. More here.

The day before Archbishop Abbondio's comments vis-a-vis the Milan Synod in Europe and the Moscow Patriarchate the Milan Synod's sister church in North America reaffirmed its opposition to communion with the mainstream Local Orthodox Churches. More on that here.

Pictured is Bishop Abbondio at a recent service in Milan, Italy.

New Milan Synod Metropolitan

The Milan Synod has elevated one of its North American hierarchs to the rank of metropolitan and will be consecrating two auxiliary bishops to assist him in his pastoral duties despite the rather small size of the Synod's North American flock. More on that here.

The Milan Synod also recently posted a rather confused and confusing statement on one of its news websites saying that it is "not in fraternal relation with any Russian churches ('in the catacombs'), only the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Rus'." How this can be when the Russian Orthodox Church does not have any communion with the Milan Synod is unclear.

Update: According to Milan Synod sources the new metropolitan will head a self-governing/autonomous church with jurisdiction over the British Isles and the Americas. Archimandrite Fanourios (Michael) has already been consecrated auxiliary Bishop of Lincoln. Archimandrite Michael (Acosta) will be consecrated at a later date. More on that here. The newly autonomous church under the Milan Synod in North America lists 31 parishes, missions, and monastic communities on its website.

In Memoriam: Bishop Pavlos of Maspeth

I just found out that Bishop Pavlos (Metroupoulos) of Maspeth of the Milan Synod, an Old Calendrist movement in Western Europe and North America, fell asleep on 3 February. Bishop Pavlos, the grandson of a priest from Georgia, died of congestive heart failure at 85-years old. More here.

Antiochian Orthodox Priest Received into the Milan Synod

This has already been well reported elsewhere, but one of the priests recently dismissed by Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) of New York was received into the Milan Synod of the Western Orthodox Church, an Old Calendrist movement associated with Archbishop Auxentios (Pastras) of Athens of blessed memory (before his synod fell apart) and later with the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (before its takeover by the ex-KGB hierarchs led by Patriarch Philaret (Denisenko) of Kiev), this past Wednesday. The priest in question will be serving a new Byzantine Rite mission of the Milan Synod in southern Pennsylvania. The Milan Synod's announcement can be found here.

Pictured are hierarchs of the Milan Synod and its sister synod in Greece concelebrating the Holy Liturgy together.