Thursday, February 27, 2014

More on upcoming Pan-Orthodox meeting in Constantinople

(OCP) - The Primates, high ranking Metropolitan, Archbishops and other prelates of all Eastern Orthodox Churches will meet in Istanbul on the invitation of His All Holiness Bartholomew the Ecumenical Patriarch. The Meeting will take place from 6th to 9th of March 2014.

The hierarchs will have serious discussion on various topics concerning the life and future of Orthodox Churches particularly the Christin communities in Middle East. There will be discussions on the upcoming Great and Holy Council of Orthodoxy as well as several other important topics.

The following Eastern Orthodox Churches will be represented in the meeting: the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Alexandria Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Antioch Patriarchate, Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Russian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox Church, Bulgarian Patriarchate, Georgian Orthodox Church, Cyprus Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Orthodox Church of Greece, Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Czech and Slovak Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

7 comments:

  1. nothing more, really. no info whether all 15 - 1 Churches confirmed arrival

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  2. The article is very positive. I like the wording "upcoming Great and Holy Council."

    Hopefully, as mike says, everybody will show.

    Also, hopefully they will make a priority out of:
    1) The Church in Syria
    2) The Church in the Ukraine
    3) The jurisdictional mess in the US
    4) The Jerusalem Patriarchate in Qatar and subsequent Antiochian response regarding participation in the ACOB in the US
    5) The urgency of choosing a DATE for the Great Council, and the conciliar agenda (hopefully including topics like modernity, gender, the relationship of Orthodoxy to Catholics and Protestants, and other pressing theological matters, a reassessment of liturgical canons, issues of translation and the question of uniformity/diversity, as well as the political organization and authority of Patriarchates, and a process for autonomy or autocephaly in the US.)

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  3. It seems to be the wishful thinking going on the Phanar, with connection to reality deemed superfluous. For one, I wouldn't be surprised, for instance, if Antioch does't come.

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  4. I would be more surprised if the Russians show honestly, although I hope they do. I'm not so sure U.S. autocephaly is desirous or should be on the agenda given the more pressing concern of simply normalizing the jurisdictional issues in the diaspora (especially given recent spats in Asia). But we can hope that the Lord wills for all the Local Churches to gather and discuss. The Holy Spirit guide and direct our hierarchs!

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    Replies
    1. I don't think American autocephaly is anywhere on the agenda. The issue is whose Churches we are. The EP says we belong to him. Can anybody see Antioch, Moscow or Romania agreeing to that? And all these issues are also present in Europe (which actually belongs to Rome) and Mexico and South America.

      And after we answer that question, then we're still light-years from any unanimity on autocephaly. Even Moscow wants to un-ring the bell on the OCA.

      These statements continue to be couched in very slippery language. I am having a hard time envisioning nine Patriarchs and their retinues and all the other lesser Primates crowding into the Phanar and solving issues that have been festering for over two centuries over the next 22 months. But, God works miracles.

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    2. He does. Let's pray for one.

      Heck, let's pray for 14.

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  5. Hello,
    Could you be so kind and tell me where exactly it is and if it is possible to join ???
    Its on my heart to join and also pray for it. Because it is really important.

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