
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, December 11, 1994                   TAG: 9412140058
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

ORTHODOX CHURCHES FORMING UNION

A collection of traditionally distinct Christian Orthodox churches in America plan to form a central administration, with English as its official language.

Leaders of 6 million Orthodox believers announced that various Orthodox churches will retain their own names and identities but form an organization that will be a single voice on social issues.

``If we get the approval of our mother churches, we're going to be known as one Orthodox Church in North America,'' said Archbishop Iakovos, head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America.

Iakovos, who is chairman of the North American conference of Orthodox bishops, will serve as spokesman.

``Spiritually speaking, we will always be rooted in Constantinople, Antioch, Moscow, in these great ancient centers of Orthodoxy,'' said Metropolitan Philip, primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, based in Englewood, N.J.

``What we are trying to do here is put our own house in order and we expect that the mother churches will rejoice in that.''

by CNB