SEPTEMBER 2002 VOLUME 46 NO. 7 CONTENTS 3 EDITORIAL By Very Rev. John Abdalah ◆ 4 THE HISTORIC TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST By Very Rev. Joseph Antypas The Most Reverend Metropolitan PHILIP, D.H.L., D.D. 12 METROPOLITAN PHILIP, SCOBA Primate MEET WITH PRESIDENT BUSH The Right Reverend 13 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE Bishop Antoun, Auxiliary 16 METROPOLITAN PHILIP DEDICATES The Right Reverend BUILDINGS AT ANTIOCHIAN VILLAGE … Bishop Joseph, Auxiliary CONTINUES DREAM The Right Reverend 17 THE DEPARTMENT OF Bishop Basil, Auxiliary CHRISTIAN EDUCATION The Right Reverend 22 LOVE GOES ON: THE DAYS AFTER THE Bishop Demetri, Auxiliary ARSON FIRE AT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH Founded in Arabic as OF THE REDEEMER Al Kalimat in 1905 By Samer Bahou by Saint Raphael Hawaweeny Founded in English as 24 THE MEANING OF PILGRIMAGE The Word in 1957 By Bishop Demetri by Metropolitan Antony Bashir 29 WHY PILGRIMAGE? Editor in Chief By Fr. Michael Massouh The Very Rev. John P. Abdalah, D.Min. 30 ARCHBISHOP HERMAN OF PHILADELPHIA Assistant Editor ELECTED PRIMATE OF THE ORTHODOX Joanne M. Abdalah, MSW CHURCH IN AMERICA Editorial Board 31 ANTIOCHIAN HOUSE OF STUDIES The Very Rev. Joseph J. Allen, Th.D. CONFERS FIRST GRADUATE DEGREES Anthony Bashir, Ph.D. The Very Rev. Antony Gabriel, Th.M. 32 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION The Very Rev. Peter Gillquist 35 THE ORTHODOX WORLD Linda Hopkins Anne Glynn Mackoul, J.D. 35 THE PEOPLE SPEAK … Ronald Nicola Najib E. Saliba, Ph.D. MEMBER The Very Rev. Paul Schneirla, M.Div. The Associated Church Press Design Director Conciliar Press Donna Griffin Albert Ecumenical News International Editorial Office: Orthodox Press Service The Word 1777 Quigg Dr. Pittsburgh, PA 15241-2071 COVER e-mail: [email protected] MEMBERS OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF FAX: 1-412-831-5554 THE PATRIARCHATE OF ANTIOCH Subscription Office: 358 Mountain Road Englewood, NJ 07631 ◆ ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: U.S.A. and Canada, $20.00 Foreign Countries, $26.00 Single Copies, $3.00 THE WORD (USPS626-260), published monthly except July and August, by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at 358 Mountain Road, periodicals postage paid at Englewood, New Jersey 07631 and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to: THE WORD, 358 Mountain Road, Englewood, NJ 07631 VOLUME 46 NO. 7 SEPTEMBER 2002 ISSN 0043-7964 www.antiochian.org. 2 The Word EDITORIAL Autonomy with Unity: AN ANTIOCHIAN SOLUTION N JUNE 13, 2002, AFTER THREE DAYS OF is the first cultural experience of Christianity, where O prayerful considerations, the Holy Synod of the followers of Christ were first called Christians. It Antioch recognized the Antiochian is practical and flexible, meeting the needs of chang- Orthodox Church in North America as autonomous. ing and diverse cultures. Our relationship with the The WORD commends his Beatitude Ignatius IV and Mother Church is important to feed us and to keep us the Holy Synod of Antioch for their courage and strong. We also need to stay united in America. Our vision in accepting the request of the Antiochian bishops, clergy and people need the support and love Archdiocese of North America for autonomy. of each other. Our strength is in our unity, and we Autonomy will permit the North American choose not to be divided. Our unity with the Mother Archdiocese to meet more effectively the challenges Church and within ourselves is essential for us to of preaching the Good News to America and minister- bring Orthodoxy to America, and to bring America to ing to the needs of the Orthodox in this “New World.” Orthodoxy. The North American Church is a church of It is our most sincere hope that Antioch’s historic approximately one half million people populating a initiative will propel other Orthodox jurisdictions in vast continent some seven thousand miles from the America to follow our example, allowing all Mother Church. She boasts two hundred and forty Orthodox Christian leaders in America finally to churches with three hundred and sixty work together to meet the needs of clergy, including five bishops. While ◆ America and to resolve the canonical and deeply Antiochian in tradition and ethos, practical challenges that we face. she exists in a very different culture than EDITORIAL In this issue of The WORD, you will BY that of her Mother Church. America is a read the text of the Synodal Decision, as Very Rev. John P. pluralistic, technological society that is well as Fr. Joseph Antypas’s article, “The Abdalah constantly changing. An autonomous ◆ Historic Trip to the Middle East.” The church will better witness to this society, Holy Synod decided to establish a com- responding to Christ’s commission to mittee with an equal number of partici- bring the Gospel to all the world. pants appointed by His Beatitude Ignatius IV and The Antiochian Church, with her pre-Byzantine Metropolitan Philip to draft the constitutional roots and missionary zeal beginning with Sts. Peter changes which will reflect our new status and to pre- and Paul, has a unique Christian witness, one that sent them to the Holy Synod. America needs. This Antiochian school of practical Autonomy is not the goal of the Antiochian initia- incarnational theology is necessary to meet the chal- tive. Our goal is to begin a new era of renewed com- lenges of America in the third millennium. Two such mitment to Jesus Christ and His Church; an era to challenges are: 1) incorrect theological trends which bring America to Orthodoxy and Orthodoxy to reintroduce ancient heresies that the Orthodox America; an era of renewed commitment to Antioch Church has already responded to and, 2) moral com- and to America. Antioch produces practical theolo- promises based on such errors. gians who respond to the To respond to our mission, we changing needs of the world, need to strengthen our rela- and who preach the true tionships with our Mother gospel of Jesus Christ. Church. We are steadfast America and Antioch are in our resolve to be indeed blessed with coura- Antiochian. Antiochian is geous visionaries: Patriarch not a nationality or Ignatius IV, our Metro- ethnic origin. It is politan Philip and the a way of thinking members of the Holy and of being. It Synod. September 2002 3 THE HISTORIC TRIP The Historic Trip to the Middle East By VERY REV. JOSEPH ANTYPAS N MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2002, the Balamand University, which was a telephone call to his sister-in-law, OHis Eminence Metropolitan named after His Eminence. Mrs. Elaine Saliba, and extended Philip left his Archdiocesan At Damascus International sympathies on the death of her headquarters on his way to Paris, Airport, His Eminence was greeted father, the late George Abodeely of France. He was accompanied by the by many bishops and officials. From Worcester, MA. Memory be eternal. Vice-Chairman of the Archdiocese the airport His Eminence went to On Friday, June 7, the meeting of Board of Trustees, Dr. George Farha the Patriarchate headquarters and the Board of Trustees of the of Wichita, KS. In Paris, His was greeted by His Beatitude Balamand University took place at Eminence was greeted by Metro- Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and the Patriarchate. The meeting was politan Gabriel Saliby of Western of All the East. From there we went presided over by His Beatitude Europe and Archimandrite Gregory to the Sheraton Hotel, which be- Patriarch Ignatius IV. Metropolitans Saliby, and dined with them. In came his hub for the next 10 days. Philip Saliba, Ilyas Kurban, Elias Paris the other members of his dele- On Thursday, June 6, His Aude, and George Khodre are mem- gation, the Very Reverend Joseph Eminence received in his suite the bers of the Board, together with some Antypas, Mr. Nicola Antakli, and Mr. Ambassador of the United States of notable laymen from Syria and Fawaz El-Khoury, joined His America, the Honorable Ted Kattouf, Lebanon, including the Balamand Eminence, and together they took who is an Antiochian Orthodox University President Elie Salem. The their flight to Damascus, Syria on from Altoona, PA. The discussion discussion focused on the financial Wednesday, June 5. The purpose of focused on issues related to the picture of this thriving institution of the trip was two-fold: first, to partic- September 11th incident and other higher learning, its constitution, its ipate in the regular meeting of the issues dealing with the US policy in active departments, and its future Holy Synod of Antioch, which was the Middle East. His Eminence goals. Many vital decisions were to be held at the patriarchate in received many calls from church made, including the appointment of Damascus, Syria. Secondly, to par- leaders and public officials, who wel- Dr. Talee Bashour of San Francisco, ticipate in the dedication of the comed him and wished him a happy CA as a Vice-President for Medical Athletic and Cultural Complex at stay. Thursday night Sayedna made Affairs. It is to be noted that the Members of the Synod with the President at the Presidential Palace 4 The Word THE HISTORIC TRIP Balamand University is booming as a Church of Antioch is of the devil.” the Church of the Dormition (Al- shining beacon in the Middle East The interview was televised twice Marimieh) and had lunch with His and continues to attract new stu- and received much praise and Beatitude. That same day and on dents seeking knowledge and educa- appreciation. Saturday night, the occasion of the second anniver- tion. President Salem invited all the Sayedna and his delegation were sary of the passing on of the late hierarchs and mem- President Hafiz bers of the Board to Assad, His the dedication of the Eminence wired Metropolitan Philip President Bashar Saliba Athletic and Assad the following Cultural Complex, telegram: “On which was to be held behalf of myself and on Friday, June 21.