On June 5, 2014, hierarchs, clergy, and lay delegates from the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America convened in Chicago, IL at the Hyatt Regency Hotel for a Special Convention, with the purpose of selecting three candidates whose names will be submitted to the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch for the office of Metropolitan. Two of the nominees chosen were St. Vladimir's alumni—The Right Rev. Bishop Basil (Class of 1973), Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America, and The Right Rev. Bishop John (Class of 1984), Diocese of Worcester and New England.
Also elected was The Most Rev. Archbishop Joseph, Diocese of Los Angeles and the West and Locum Tenens for the Diocese of Eagle River and the Northwest.
Vicar General for the Antiochian Archdiocese and SVOTS Lecturer in Liturgics The Very Rev. Thomas Zain was interviewed by Ancient Faith Radio immediately following the vote. In the interview, Fr. Thomas thanked His Eminence Metropolitan Silouan of Buenos Aires and all Argentina, who has served as the Patriarchal Vicar of New York and all North America since the repose of former SVOTS Board of Trustees Vice President His Eminence Metropolitan Philip on March 19, 2014. "His Eminence has done a magnificant job of guiding us since he arrived here; he gave us a masterful speech of the land mines of this process and he anticipated our questions ahead of time. It seemed everyone is of one mind."
"The Synod in Antioch has the right to choose any one of these three as the next Metropolitan. God willing, the Holy Spirit will work among them," Fr. Thomas said.
Listen to the AFR interview
