Pan-Orthodox network meets to combat cults

(spc.rs) - The Orthodox Diocese of Backa in Novi Sad from September 24-27, 2012 will host a great and important Inter-Orthodox Conference - the fifth meeting of the Inter-Orthodox Network of Initiatives for Research of Religions and Destructive Cults.

Upon the invitiation of His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa, more than hundred theologists, professors, priests, psychologists, criminologists, politicologist and experts from Cyprus, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Syria, Georgia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania, besides those from Serbia will deal with the theme of the conference Guruism in Destructive cults and elsewhere: personal-spiritual-social problems and their solution. In Novi Sad many eminents bishops will show up including the head of the Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia, His Beatitude Archbishop Christopher of Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archbishop Irinej of Crete, Metropolitan Christopher of Karpasia from the Cypriotic Orthodox Church and many bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartolomew, other Orthodox Patriarchs and Heads of Local Orthodox Churches, as well as His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch will send ther messages to the members of the Conference.

The fifth meeting of the Inter-Orthodox Network of Initiatives for Research of Religions and Destructive Cults will be opened by His Grace Bishop Dr Irinej of Backa and the first presentation regarding the theme of the Conference will have Archbishop Christopher of Czech Lands and Slovakia.

On Thursday, September 14/27 on the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-giving Cross, the participants of the Conference will gather at the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Cathedral church in Novi Sad, and later they will visit the Holy Archangels monastery in Kovilj.