Pan-Orthodox Council

The Pan-Orthodox Council, Kolymvari, Crete, Greece, June 2016

The Pan-Orthodox Council officially referred to as the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church,[1] was a Council of set representative bishops of the universally recognised autocephalous local (national) churches of Eastern Orthodox Christianity held in Kolymvari, Crete. The Council sat from 19 to 26 June 2016.

As the term "Council" is used in the Catholic Church and the meeting was Orthodox, it is more suitable to use the Eastern Church terminology and, so, to name it as Synod. In the Orthodox life any Orthodox Church can held Synods, but if the meeting links togather all the Orthodox Bishops, it is named Ecumenical Synod. More, as the required condition were not fulfilled, it can be named only as Synaxis. Merely, we will use the term "Synod" when we will refer to event named so by orthodox documents or men, and Synaxis or meeting when we will name ourself these items, when the data show that they do not fulfills all the requirments to be named as (Ecumenical) Synod. One big problem arises from the name of the meeting, who is named ...Council. This is an innovation without precedent, foreign from Orthodoxy, as more of its documents, as we will show latter. So, we will use as an exception the term Council for this meeting, at which not only participated 156 orthodox bishps from about 700,[2][3] but also the Antiochian Orthodox Church, Georgian Orthodox Church, Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Church absented and there was exprimed some disagreements between the participants.[4][5][6]

In March 2014, the Primates of local Orthodox Churches convened in Fener, the residence of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and reached a decision: "The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church will be convened by the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople in 2016, unless something unexpected occurs."[1][7]

In January 2016, at the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Synaxis of Primates of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches was held at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland.[8] The Primates of the local Orthodox Churches and three official delegations representing the Church of Antioch, the Church of Greece, and the Church of Poland, convened to finalise the texts for the Holy and Great Council.[8] Due to the heightened tensions between Russia and Turkey, a decision was reached to hold the Synod in Greece.[9][10]

Agenda, decisions and reception

The items officially approved at the 2016 Synaxis for referral to and adoption by the Holy and Great Council were:[11][12]

The Synod in Crete approved, with minor amendments, the documents that had been elaborated by all the Churches in the course of their consultations prior to the Synod, and adopted the Message and the Encyclical.[13]

In view of non-attendance by the four Churches, the Synod′s official spokesman Archbishop Job Getcha stated that all the documents adopted by the Synod in Crete would be binding to all the Orthodox Churches.[14][15]

On 27 June 2016, the Synod of the Church of Antioch issued a statement concerning the Crete Synod that stated that the documents adopted by in Crete were not binding for the Patriarchate of Antioch; the Church of Antioch recognized the Synod as "a preliminary gathering on the way to a Pan-Orthodox Council", while the documents it adopted as not final and open for discussion.[16][17]

The Synod of the Russian Church (the Moscow Patriarchate) in July 2016 passed a resolution that designated the Crete Synod as a "an important event in the history of the synodal process in the Orthodox Church that was begun by the First Pan-Orthodox consultation in Rhodes in 1961", the Russian Church Synod refused to recognise the Synod as pan-orthodox and the documents thereof as "reflecting pan-orthodox consensus".[18] The Russian Church Synod decided to have the Crete Synod's documents examined for further conclusions.[18][19]

Criticism

To show some problems concerning the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church it is needed to include more religion linked considerations and, in particular, of the Orthodoxy.

An Ecumenical Synod is a very important event in the Othodox Church life. It means that all the Bishops meet togather to find an correct answer to important problems as the dogmatic ones.[20] To accomplish this hard task, there is required that all the Bishops to be at the meeting and to pray the Holy Spirit to enlighten their decisions. It is considered that God helps they to find the right decision, so all subsequent synods reaffirm the truth of the previous ones and make decisions in accordance with them. The decissions must be held in accordance with God's Will and the Orthodox teachings, not for social or political interests.

List with some problems:

1. First of all, the name. The orthodoxes use only the term Synod, not Council. Even the term means the same thing as Synod, Council means for an orthodox a foreign teaching.

2. Second, in this case the intent was to held an Ecumenical Synod. If it is a real one, as it refflect the God's Will, it is both Great and Holy. As there was in the past Ecumenical Synods that made very important decisions and they was not named great or holy, why this, with controversial decisions, to be named so?

3. Ecumenical Synod needs that all of the Orthodox Bishops meets togather. At The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church participated only a total of 156 bishops, and not 290 as announced by the Representatives of press conferences. But even this greater number is too few in relationship with the total of the Orthodox Bishops in the World, around 700.[21][22] So, only this fact prove that the meeting can not be named as "Synod".

4. But even there are considered only the Primates of the autocephalous Orthodox Churces, not all participated (exception were Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia and Antioch). Even some time before the meeting the Primates agreed, later the Churches found some important problems that needed to be resolved. Unlike the Catholic Church, where the Pope can not be contradicted, in the Orthodox Churches the Bishops may have different opinions and the local Synods may not to approve the Primate attitude. So, the four Churces asked the Synod to be postponed until the divergences are resolved. As this was not allowed, they, legitimate, refused to participate until all the problems are resolved: "Also started its work on the basis of unanimously accepted on texts R Preconciliar Conference. But the basis is not proven safe, solid and firm as it seemed in retrospect. This is because the six prosynodika texts were hand accepted unanimously by the representatives of R Preconciliar and the Synaxis of the Primates (January 2016), but not from all the hierarchies of local Autocephalous Churches. These Churches when received by them on the Primates prosynodika texts as they stood in E. Pre-Conciliar, then studied synodically. Many of these, such as the Church of Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia etc.) In the conciliar texts study found gaps, ambiguities, falsehoods formalities etc., So imposed modifications and corrections.[23][24]

5. For the Orthodoxy the Mount Athos monks' opinions are of the greatest importance. An Orthodox see these monks as having a holy life and their guidelines are full of wisdom. In these condition, Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church gets a big kick as the monks strongly condemn it for its un-Orthodox teachings (at first glance they found 12 objectionable aspects). Athos Mount monks say that "It is not a continuation of the Orthodox Synods, but presents itself as a deviation from the synodal practices long as a canonical unprecedented innovation." and "The Synod was not Holy, as some of the documents approved by the decisions contradict the Apostles and the Fathers adopted in the Holy Spirit".[25] Their opposition is so hard, that they have come to ask the Orthodoxes to "Stop commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew".[26] Based on the above rationals, it appear clear that this meeting can not be named as “Ecumenical Synod” and an attempt to baptise it so could give to a strong merited opposition. So, the name of “Council” was deliberately choosen. But the opposition was expressed not only because of some unorthodox oppinions, but also because it claimed that his decisions to be accepted by the whole Orthodox world, that meaning that it would have the power of an Ecumenical Synod.

But the name of "Council" reveals more: the Catholic influence. This fact is more proved by some positions of the Organizers, that showed an acceptance of the Catholic positions, whereas the Orthodox position accepts only the recognition of its existence. We will discusss about this fact, that it si good or bad, now we show the Organizers behaviour from other point of view.

Each Church has a set of dogmas and other rules that give its the individuality. Religions means a link with a divinity and, in this conditions, why is better to a man to accept one or other religion?

First, to believe in the Right God. Sure, one West widespread opinion is that the God made all the World, so It would be the God of all the religions. But we also need to observe that this is only a humane way of thinking and it is true that in many situation he proved to be false (as when the man believed that the Sun rotates around the Earth, even all the observed facts seemed to prove that the sun is moving). By contrary, each religion says that only it reffers to the True God. What we will decide? To deny all to religion teaching about their unique link with the God and to impose the hypotetical point of view that all religions make the same mistake and we have right? But in the case in which there is one religion that believes in the True God, we could be in a very bad postion, thinking against the God. More, if we begin to change the Church beliefs, it is very probable that we continue to change the Churches teaching and if one Church is on the right way, we oppose our will and opinion to God. In fact, we may pursue on this path and to made unbounded changes, as in the situation in which it was created a new...Koran![27] This is an inacceptable for a true believer and could operate only for (1) an atheist that, simply, not believe in God and feels himself free to have any opinion, (2) an atheist which uses the religion as manipulation tool for his interest or (3) a God or Church enemy. So, for any Church and its followers it is important to have a set of central teaching that conducts he and give their identity. It could be discuted the degree of other religion recognition, even acceptance, but not imposed (if it is a Right Church, it means that the man impose to the God, he is stronger and clever, a blasphemy). To continue on this path of changing the religions to fit to someone teaching transforms the religion in something made by man and the Church in an social institution, not a divine one. So, the Churches must keep their identity.

Second, to made the right facts, what the God likes. As He teaches in the New Testament, He will split the men in two: the sheeps, that made the good facts, and the goats, who made misdoings. The firsts will go to the eternal good, the seconds will go to an eternal punishment. Despite someone names himself as Christian, if he kills in wars, thieves and lies, his behaviour speaks. This is very clear, if someone wants to be with God in His kingdom, he must do what God likes.

Three, that choose a good way for he after his death. What say an religion or other about what it is happen after the death? One position is that after this event is nothing. But many religions, including the Christian one, offer the hope in an ethernal life. So, the man must try to find the true answer to the question "where is more probable to be Saved?"

In these conditions, it is clear that the Catholic teaching give to their followers their bases to be Catholics, whereas the Orthodox position helps his believers to persevere on their way. There are some differences that are very important because the right choice helps the believer to be saved. And this is not only for this life, but for eternity. We will not enumerate all, we will remember only one, that reflect the Orthodox position. 2,000 years ago there was an great and without comparisation event: God Himself arrived on Earth and the people had the unique experience to interact with Him. At that time, He teached us what to do to make the God Will. In time, a lot of Western actions tried to modernize the Church. But the Orthodox Church believes that what teached in these times God us is the best, no human thinking could be better (we approve the progress in science, in arts, but not in this special case). So, the Ortodox Church is traditionalist and keeps the best the God teaching because he tried to change nothing. That being said, what about the Catholic influence, strongly condamned by many Orthodoxes? In the past, there was a strong opposition between Catholics and Orthodoxes. It is true, this is not in accord with the Christian teaching because God wants an Only One Church. But, as we showed earlier, there are important differences between the two Churces and if somebody renounces at some important teachings, it may not receive the God's salvation.The best way would be to meet togather all the Catholic and Orthodox Bishops and to pray The Holy Spirit to help them to ajunge to the right decisions. This means to be held an Ecumenical Synod, as it was at the Christian Church at its beginnings.

Unfortunately, there is a large impediment. In the early Christianity all the Bishops had the same power, none was more important or influential. So, the decisions were made purely democratic. As it is known, the Pope pretend to be the full Vicar of Jesus Christ, Saint Peter's Succesor and a without sins man. So, he holds the whole power in the Catholic Church. On the bases of the Catholic Church beliefs, he holds his power over the whole Christianity. Only his position matters, all other Bishops oppinions has no effect.In this situation, how to be held an Ecumenical Synod? What to debate when only one can decide? The Pope attributes are in total contradiction with the conditions needed to be accomplished to hold an Ecumenical Synod.

By contrary, in the Orthodox Church all the Bishops hold power and their decisions matters. It is true, there is some hierarchy, but in an Ecumenical Synod any Orthodox Bishop can contribute to the final decision. In the Orthodox world the Bishops can share oppinion that are different each to other and even other member can influence the decisions. This is attested even at this so called Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, when Mount Athos monks exprimed their opposition to the event issues. This behavior is also supported by the teaching that all the men have sins, only God is without them. So, any Bishop, not only other men, also the Primates, can make also mistakes (even The New Testament tells us about the Saint Peter, who denied Jesus in three occasions) and so his opinion can be discussed. So, in the Orthodox Church all conditions are fulfilled and it can be to held a real Ecumenical Synod.

Due to the above presented facts in the early Church there was Ecumenical Synods that revealed the identity of the Church and stressed the need for the Christians to follow no other god. The Church issued Canons, that provided strong punishments to whose that not respect the teachings. As there teaching are both in the Old Testament as in the New Testament and the Ten Commandments begin with the requirement to have no other god, for an Orthodox is very clear that a prayer with believers of other religions as the Christians are prohibited. So, for a nearness between the two Churces, it could be necessary that the Catholic Church to give an acceptable solution. More, after the two Churches was born, both saw in the other as heretical and condamned strongly it. In the Orthodox Church it is believed that the Holy Spirit Himself led at the teaching concerning the heretical position of the Catholic Church and to retract the position is as to contradict the God.

Even there are Orthodox Bishops that consider that the Catholic Church is not so heretical, but different, it must be observed that this is no more as a man’s thinking that, as we showed early, may be in error. Only a true Ecumenical Synod could change his position, when It is invocated the Holy Spirit. In these conditions, the Mount Athos monks’s strong reaction is fully explicable. Some orthodox Primates exprimed public their new oppinion prior the meeting. The right solution was that a such important problem (the relation with other Christians) to be at the beginning discuted only between all of the Orthodox Bishops and validated by the Holly Spirit invocation in an true Ecumenical Synod and only if all the requisite conditions was met, the Orthodox Church to made it public his new position.

As the meeting was not an Ecumenical Synod that decided to change the Catholic Church recognition in Catholic Church acceptance, the oppinion of some Primates exprims only their belief, but the Orthodox teaching remains unchanged. If the change occurred as a result of an Ecumenical Synod, the fact could be considered as positive; but as some Primates tried to change the Orthodox believes before the meeting, this reflect unwanted attempts to change the holy teachings of the Orthodox Church.

In conclusion, the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church is only a meeting held by some Orthodox Primates and other Bishops. As participated only 156 Bishops (from around 700 in the World) he is not the equivalent of an Ecumenical Synod and, so, the Orthodox Bishops are free to ignore his teachings. Some verbal positions and documents prove more grave deviation from the Orthodox faith and Traditions and a lot of Christians expressed their position against the meeting issues. .[28][29]

Participants and delegations

Churches that attended

Church of Constantinople

  • Special Consultants:
  • Bishop Makarios of Christopolis (Estonia).
  • Archimandrite Tikhon, Abbot of Stavronikita Monastery of Mount Athos.
  • Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Konstantinos Myron (Germany).
  • Sister Theoxeni, Abbess of the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring (Chrysopigi (gr)), Chania.
  • Mr. Panteleimon Vingas, Archon Grand Chartophylax of the Holy and Great Church of Christ (Constantinople).
  • Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, Professor (USA).
  • Archimandrite Bartholomew Samaras, Chief-Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Council of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Secretary to the Holy and Great Council’s President.

Church of Alexandria

  • Special Consultants:
  • Dr. Panagiotis Tzoumerkas, Professor, University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki.
  • Archimandrite Paisios (Larentzakis).
  • Archimandrite Peter (Parginos).
  • Protopresbyter Athenodoros Papaevropiadis.
  • Protopresbyter Joseph Kwame Labi Ayete.
  • Deacon Emmanuel Kamanua.

Church of Jerusalem

The entourage of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem included the following members:[33]

  • Special Consultants:
  • Archimandrite Christophoros (Mousa).
  • Archimandrite Damianos (Panou).
  • Archimandrite Nikodemos (Skrettas).
  • Archimandrite Chrysostomos (Nasis).
  • Archimandrite Ieronymos (Delioglou).
  • Protopresbyter Georgios Dragas.
  • Professor Theodoros Yiangou.

Church of Serbia

On June 9, 2016, the Serbian Orthodox Church joined a number of local Churches which did not consider participation in the Pan-Orthodox Council slated for late June on Crete to be possible.[34] However on June 15, 2016, the Serbian Church changed its position on the issue of its participation in the Pan-Orthodox Council and decided to attend,[35] with the caveat that it reserved the right to leave forum on Crete if the position of those churches who refused to participate was ignored.[36] The delegation of the Church of Serbia included the following members:[32]

  • Special Consultants:
  • Bishop Jerome (Močević) of Jegar (sr).
  • Archimandrite Sava (Janjic), of the Visoki Dečani monastery.
  • Archimandrite Nicodemus (Kosovits), of the Krka monastery.
  • Protopresbyter-Staurophor Dr. Zoran Krstic.
  • Protopresbyter Gaja Gajic.
  • Mr. Vladan Tatalović, Assistant Professor at Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Belgrade University.

Church of Romania

The delegation of the Romanian Patriarchate included the following:[31][32]

Church of Cyprus

  • Special Consultants:
  • Archimandrite Ioannis (Ioannou), Igumen of Monastery of St. Barnabas.
  • Archimandrite Benedict (Ioannou), Director of St. Barnabas Seminary.
  • Archimandrite Papagrigorios (Ioannidis).
  • Archimandrite Gregory (Mousouroulis).
  • Archimandrite Augustinos (Kkaras).
  • Deacon Cyprian Kountouris.
  • Deacon Michael Nicholaou.
  • Mr. Michael Spyrou, Secretary of the Holy Council.

Church of Greece

A Greek media report of May 24, 2016 stated that at least a dozen bishops who had been appointed[37] to participate in the Holy and Great Council said that they refused to attend. The specific prelates were to be replaced by other metropolitans at an urgently convened summit of the hierarchy of the Church of Greece.[38] The original list of participants was published on March 8, 2016.[37][39] The final delagtion that attended the Synod included the following:[32]

  • Special Consultants:
  • Bishop Clement (Kotsomytis) of Methoni, Chief Secretary of the Holy Council.
  • Archimandrite Ignatius (Sotiriades), Secretary, Inter-Orthodox Relations.
  • Archimandrite Cherubim (Moustakas), Assistant, Inter-Orthodox Relations.
  • Protopresbyter Adamantios Augoustidis, General Vicar of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, Associate Professor of Theology, University of Athens.
  • Protopresbyter Basil Kalliakmanis, Professor of Theology School of Thessaloniki.
  • Mr. George Filias, Professor of Theology, University of Athens.

Church of Poland

  • Special Consultants:
  • Archimandrite Andreas.
  • Archpriest Anatol Szymaniuk.
  • Archpriest Andrzej Kuźma.
  • Archdeacon Paweł Tokajuk.
  • Mr. Jarosław Charkiewicz, journalist.
  • Mr. Jerzy Betlejko, interpreter.
  • Mr. Mikołaj Podolec, interpreter, steward.

Church of Albania

  • Special Consultants:
  • Protopresbyter Jani Trebicka.
  • Father Anastasios Bendo.
  • Nun Rakela Dervishi.
  • Mr. Piro Kondili.
  • Dr. Dion (Vasil) Tushi.
  • Mrs. Sonila Rëmbeci (former member of the Presidency, and of the Central Council of the CEC, 2009-2013).
  • Mr. Orfea Beci (Press Office).
  • Father Charalampos Gkiokas (Staff of the Archbishop).
  • Deacon Spiros Topanxha (Staff of the Archbishop).

Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia

  • Special Consultants:
  • Archpriest Milan Gerka, Secretary of the Holy Council.
  • Archimandrite Seraphim (Šemjatovský).
  • Archpriest Michal Švajko.
  • Archdeacon Maxim Durila.
  • Deacon Kiril Sarkissian.
  • Ms Iveta Stacova (interpreter).

Churches that did not attend

Church of Antioch

The Antiochian Orthodox Church pulled out due to the dispute over the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Qatar that is also claimed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.[43]

Church of Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church pulled out due to disagreements on some of the texts already approved for the Synod meeting, and specifically that those texts would not be subject to editing in the course of discussions.[44]

Church of Georgia

The Georgian Orthodox Church pulled out due to disagreements about several of the Synod's documents, in particular "The Relation of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World".[43][45]

Church of Russia

The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest orthodox denomination. While some consider it "the first among equals" The Church of Constantinople has held that place by traditon. Vladimir Putin exercises some influence over Russian Orthodox politics. Conflict between Islam and Christianity has a long history and is ongoing. The Russian Orthodox Church pulled out because the council is not truly "pan-orthodox" without the Antiochan, Bulgarian, or Georgian churches.[46][47] Previously, a preliminary discussion was held on the composition of the delegation to the Pan-Orthodox Council,[48] and the list of participants was published.[49][note 1]

Notes

  1. ↑ The delegation of the Church of Russia that had been approved on May 4 had included the following bishops:[49]
    • Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
    • Metropolitan Onufriy (Berezovsky), of Kiev and All Ukraine.
    • Metropolitan Juvenal (Poyarkov) of Krutitsy and Kolomna.
    • Metropolitan Vladimir (Cantarean) of Kishinev and All Moldavia.
    • Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolitan Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
    • Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Central Asia Metropolitan Region.
    • Metropolitan Varsonofy of St Petersburg and Ladoga, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate.
    • Metropolitan Paul (Ponomaryov) of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus.
    • Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations.
    • Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail.
    • Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Latvia.
    • Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk and Berdsk.
    • Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopol and Kremenets.
    • Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye.
    • Metropolitan Merkury of Rostov and Novocherkassk.
    • Metropolitan Mitrofan of Lugansk and Alchevsk, chairman of the Ukrainian Orthodox CHURCH department for external church relations.
    • Metropolitan Georgiy of Niznniy Novrogod and Arzamas.
    • Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
    • Archbishop Mark (Arndt) of Berlin-Germany and Great Britain.
    • Archbishop Innokenty of Vilna and Lithuania.
    • Archbishop Guriy of Novogrudok and Slonim.
    • Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai.
    • Archbishop Ioann of Magadan and Sinegorye.
    • Archbishop Lazar of Narva and Prichudje.
    • Bishop Anthony of Bogorodsk.

References

  1. 1 2 Message of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches §6: «Ἡ Ἁγία καί Μεγάλη Σύνοδος τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας θά συγκληθῇ ὑπό τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριάρχου ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει ἐν ἔτει 2016, ἐκτός ἀπροόπτου.»
  2. ↑ Ieromonah Petru Pruteanu. "What we especially after the Council of Crete? ", 3 september 2016
  3. ↑ Monahia Fotini "Danger Pan-Orthodox Synod meeting in Crete. Apostasy from the theology of the Fathers"
  4. ↑ Saccsiv. "So four patriarchs did not participate in the General Synod of Crete, which already no longer behold Pan-Orthodox", 12 june 2016
  5. ↑ Aghionorus. "Opinion about Pan-Orthodox Synod of the Russian Church Synod", 28 july 2016
  6. ↑ "Seven Metropolitan NOT SIGNED DOCUMENTS Pan-Orthodox Synod."
  7. ↑ "Synaxis of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches (Phanar, March 6-9, 2014) Message - Messages - The Ecumenical Patriarchate". Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Photo Galleries - The Ecumenical Patriarchate". Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  9. ↑ Last-minute politics overshadow historic pan-Orthodox council Washington Post, 18 Dec 2015.
  10. ↑ AsiaNews.it. "ORTHODOXY - RUSSIA Patriarch of Moscow: pan-Orthodox Synod to be held in Crete". Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Council to Address Six Major Themes in Orthodoxy - OFFICIAL ADVANCE DOCUMENTS. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Retrieved: 25 May 2016.
  12. ↑ COMMUNIQUÉ. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. 27/01/2016.
  13. ↑ Official Documents of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church
  14. ↑ Pan-Orthodox Council goes ahead without Russians; decisions 'will be binding'
  15. ↑ Church officials say Orthodox Council decisions will be binding
  16. ↑ "Statement of the Secretariat of the Holy Synod of Antioch, Balamand, 27 June 2016". Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Statement of the Secretariat of the Holy Synod of Antioch". The Self-Ruled Antiochan Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  18. 1 2 ЖУРНАЛЫ заседания Священного Синода от 15 июля 2016 года See ″ЖУРНАЛ № 48″.
  19. ↑ HOLY SYNOD OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH EXPRESSES ITS POSITION ON THE COUNCIL HELD IN CRETE
  20. ↑ “Ecumenical Synods”
  21. ↑ Rumfea. “The Holy Synod attended by 156 bishops and not 290”, 27 June 2016
  22. ↑ Lacasuri ortodoxe. “Great Synod: Russian Church proposes the participation of all Orthodox bishops”
  23. ↑ Office on Heresies and Parathriskeion. “Seraphim, Bishop of Piraeus: Raw distressing findings from the Holy Synod”, 27 June 2016
  24. ↑ UOJ Editorial. "Greece: clerics, monks and theologians renowned Orthodox do not recognize the Great Council of Crete", 5 July 2016
  25. ↑ “Greece: clerics, monks and theologians renowned Orthodox do not recognize the Great Council of Crete", 5 July 2016
  26. ↑ "Open letter Athonite Fathers to the Holy Community of Mount Athos for Stop commemoration of Patriarch Bartholomew.”, 11 July 2016
  27. ↑ Bill Warner. "A New Koran?", 21 May 2008
  28. ↑ "Petru Voda Monastery communiqué about the Synod of Crete in June 2016", 28 May 2016
  29. ↑ "PRESS: hierarchs, priests, monks and laymen retract from the pan-Orthodox synod decisions in Crete", 3 July 2016
  30. ↑ Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the Holy and Great Council. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Retrieved: 4 June 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Churches. ORTHODOXIA. Ostkirchliches Institut Regensburg OKI and Institute for Ecumenical Studies ISO, University of Fribourg. Retrieved: 27 June 2016.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Delegations: Holy and Great Council, Pentecost 2016. Official Site - Holy and Great Council. Retrieved: 26 June 2016.
  33. ↑ THE PATRIARCHATE’S PARTICIPATION IN THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE GREAT SYNOD OF ORTHODOX CHURCHES – ARRIVAL IN CHANIA. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem - Official News Gate. 16/06/2016.
  34. ↑ Serbian Orthodox Church refuses to participate in Pan-Orthodox Council. Interfax-Religion. 09 June 2016, 12:37.
  35. ↑ Serbian Church changes its decision not to take part in Pan-Orthodox Council. Interfax-Religion. 15 June 2016, 15:52
  36. ↑ Serbian Church says will leave forum on Crete if position of those who refused to participate in it is ignored. Interfax-Religion. 15 June 2016, 16:58.
  37. 1 2 (Greek) Πρώτη Συνεδρία της Ιεράς Συνόδου της Ιεραρχίας της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος. ECCLESIA.GR. 8.3.2016.
  38. ↑ (Greek) Δώδεκα Μητροπολίτες παραιτούνται από τη Μεγάλη Σύνοδο των Ορθοδόξων. ΠΡΩΙΝΟΣ ΛΟΓΟΣ. 24 ΜΑΙΟΣ 2016.
  39. ↑ (Greek) H Αντιπροσωπεία της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδoς στη Μεγάλη Σύνοδο. Greek American News Agency. 31 Μαΐου 2016.
  40. ↑ Met. Hierotheos Vlachos. JUST BEFORE THE HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL. Pravoslavie.Ru (Holy Metropolis of Nafpaktos and Saint Vlassios). June 16, 2016.
  41. ↑ Delegacioni i Kishës Orthodhokse Autoqefale të Shqipërisë për Sinodin e Shenjtë dhe të Madh. Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. Enjte, 09 Qershor 2016 17:49.
  42. ↑ Metropolitan Rastislav of Czech Lands and Slovakia, on first irenic visit to Constantinople. Basilica.ro. 17.05.2016.
  43. 1 2 "Amid shrieking family rows, the Christian east strives to find its voice". The Economist. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  44. ↑ Clive Leviev-Sawyer. Bulgarian Orthodox Church withdraws from Pan-Orthodox Council in Crete. The Sofia Globe. June 1, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Georgian Church decides not to participate in Pan-Orthodox Council". Interfax-Religion. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  46. ↑ Damick, Andrew Stephen; Noble, Samuel (20 June 2016). "The Great Orthodox Council: Antioch Is Different". First Things. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  47. ↑ Russian Church insists on rescheduling Pan-Orthodox Council. Interfax-Religion. 13 June 2016, 19:16.
  48. ↑ MINUTES OF THE HOLY SYNOD SESSION OF APRIL 16, 2016. The Russian orthodox Church - DECR. 04.05.2016 16:57.
  49. 1 2 (Russian) ЖУРНАЛ заседания Священного Синода от 16 апреля 2016 года. Patriarchia.ru. 4 мая 2016 г. 13:37.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crete Council (2016).

Criticism

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/5/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.