www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News EXARCH of SANTA MARIA DI GROTTAFERRATA

-WAIVER of the EXARCH of SANTA MARIA DI GROTTAFERRATA and SUPERIOR GENERAL of the CONGREGATION of BASILIAN MONKS in Italy the Pope accepted the resignation to the Office of Exarch of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata and Superior General of the Congregation of Basilian Monks in Italy, according to CCEO, can. 210 § 1, presented by Fr. Archimandrite Rev.mo Emiliano Fabbricatore, O.S.B.I.

-Appointment of the APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR AD NUTUM SANCTAE SEDIS of ITALO-MONASTERY of SANTA MARIA DI GROTTAFERRATA, the Pope appointed Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of Italo-Monastery of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata S.E. Mons. Marcello Semeraro, Bishop of Albano.

-Appointment of the HEGUMEN of the TERRITORIAL ABBEY of SANTA MARIA DI GROTTAFERRATA, the Holy Father appointed Hegumen of the territorial Abbey of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata the Rev.mo p. Abbot Michel Van Parys, O.S.B. (Translated by Bing)
— in Grottaferrata, Lazio, Italy.

According to the French Wikipedia, Abbot Michel was the first abbot of Chevetogne from 1990 (and before that prior since 1971) until his resignation in July 1997.

May God grant many years to His servant, the Exarch Emiliano!

Axios! Axios! Axios! May God grant many years to His servant, Hegumen Michel!

Bishop Semeraro is secretary to the 8 cardinals whom Pope Francis named as advisors to him.

Many years,

Neil

I wonder what the plan is from here. Great minds are now at play here. I suppose we will just have to wait and see what unfolds.

This seems like good news.

I spent Easter of 1998 at the abbey of Chevetogne [youtube.com] in Belgium and was very impressed with the monastery. The choice of Abbot Michel, who was the first abbot of Chevetogne, as hegumen of the monastery of Grottaferrata is a clear sign that Grottaferrata's Byzantine heritage is going to be preserved and strengthened.

The choice of the bishop of Albano as the apostolic administrator is important in a subtle way. The exarchic monastery of Grottaferrata is completely surrounded by the diocese of Frascati, but is also completely independent of the bishop of Frascati. The fact that the apostolic administrator is the bishop of the neighbouring diocese of Albano and not the local bishop of Frascati confirms, in my opinion, the independence of the monastery of Grottaferrata from the bishop of Frascati.

Also, the fact that the bishop of Albano is secretary of the Council of Cardinals means that he can pick up the phone and talk to the Pope any time he wants, and Pope Francis is known to be very appreciative of the Byzantine liturgical and spiritual patrimony.

Why isn't this abbot a Greek?

The community at Grottaferrata is small and (I think) aging. That may be why they needed to get a hegumen from outside the community. Abbot Michel, as someone who is intimately familiar with Byzantine monasticism from his many years at Chevetogne, seems like a good choice. It is also significant that he has assisted the Armenian Mekhitarist monks in Venice as pontifical delegate, so he has a wide experience of Eastern monasticism. (source [press.vatican.va])