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GreekReporter.comGreeceFirst Panorthodox Council in 1000 Years Starts Today in Greece

First Panorthodox Council in 1000 Years Starts Today in Greece

orthodoxAcademyofcretePresided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church commences today (Friday) at the Orthodox Academy of Crete.
Conspicuous in his absence is Russian Patriarch Cyril, after the leader of Russia’s Orthodox Church decided to abstain on Tuesday, claiming the Council should be postponed because the Churches of Antioch, Bulgaria and Georgia will not participate as well. The three justified their decision to abstain claiming disagreements over some texts and the seating arrangements of the Council meetings.
As a result, only 10 of the 14 Orthodox Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches will participate. Nevertheless Patriarch Bartholomew stated that despite the absences, the Holy and Great Synod will take place in an atmosphere of unity. Reportedly, the Moscow Patriarchate will send observers to the proceedings.
According to analysts, the decision of the Bulgaria and Georgia Churches – traditional allies of the Moscow Patriarchate – to abstain was affected by the head of Russia’s Church. Allegedly, Patriarch Cyril challenges the leadership of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew since the Church of Russia has over 100 million faithful, a number far higher than the faithful of the Constantinople Patriarchate.
However, the Orthodox Church of Serbia that was to abstain initially, finally decided to participate and the Serbian delegation has arrived on Crete.
“It is inconceivable that in the last minute, and despite the unanimous decision to hold (the Panorthodox Council), some Patriarchates decided to be absent from the session, thus challenging the historically accepted positions of the coordinating role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” Alexandria Patriarch Theodoros II told Kathimerini, adding that “unity is required, away from political – ethnic interests.”
The Patriarchates of America, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Serbia, Romania, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania and Czech Lands and Slovakia will participate in the Great and Holy Synod.
The advent of the ten missions of Orthodox Patriarchates, churches, and those who will attend as observers (representatives of other Christian denominations, members of the pressSMEs) – a total of more than 500 people. The Panorthodox Council will be completed on June 27.

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