NEW YORK: April 10, 2009
Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada Visits the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad 

On April 9, 2009, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, visited the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia at his residence in New York. After praying before the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God in the Synodal Cathedral, His Beatitude gave His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion a letter on the decision of the Holy Synod of the OCA regarding their former clergymen who had gone under the ROCOR while under suspension. At a recent meeting, the Holy Synod decided to recognize them as clergymen of the Russian Church Abroad, removing their suspensions.

Expressing his warm welcome to the Head of the Orthodox Church in America, Vladyka Hilarion gave His Beatitude a gift of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, and invited his guests to his residence, where a reception was held honoring Metropolitan Jonah and the clergymen accompanying him, Protopriest Alexander Garklavs and Protopriest Leonid Kishkovsky. Representing the Church Abroad were also His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) and Protopriest Serafim Gan.