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PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW URGENTLY CONVENES THE MEETING OF HEADS OF CHURCHES TO PREPARE FOR PAN-ORTHODOX COUNCIL

Religious Information Service of Ukraine
19 January 2016
http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/orthodox/constantinople_patriarchy/62221/

Yesterday, the Ecumenical Patriarchate issued a formal statement that according to the invitation of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent to all the Primates of the Local Churches, the meeting (“Synaxis”) is scheduled for January 21-28, 2016 in the Orthodox center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Geneva. The meeting will be chaired by Patriarch Bartholomew, Religion in Ukraine reports citing Amen.gr.

All Heads of Churches, in turn, said they would personally participate in the Conference, except for Antioch Patriarch John X and Metropolitan of All Poland Sawa, who cannot come for health reasons, and Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos for personal reasons, but all three would send officials to the meeting.

The meeting will address issues related to the preparation of “the Holy and Great Council,” which is scheduled for 2016, according to a communiqué of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. During the meeting, the Ecumenical Patriarch and heads of the churches will jointly serve the Divine Liturgy in the Stauropegial Church of St. Paul.

The delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarch to participate in the preconciliar meeting will include American Archbishop Dimitrios (Head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America of the Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Archbishop Job (Hecha) of Telmessos, dismissed after a series of conflicts with the Ecumenical Patriarchate from the office of Patriarchal Exarch of Orthodox parishes of Russian tradition in Western Europe. At the meeting, Patriarch Bartholomew will be accompanied by Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Ziziulas) and Metropolitan Emmanuel of France with their advisers.

As previously reported, holding Orthodox council in 2016 was jeopardized. As Metropolitan Onufriy, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) admits, the Moscow Patriarchate is likely to decide not to participate in the work of the Council, together with the Greek and Antioch Churches.

The idea of ​​convening the Pan Orthodox council emerged half a century ago, the ten topics of the Council were determined, the preparation has been carried out on these topics since then. Such a long period is due to the need to reach agreement between the churches.

Again, what Moscow doesn't want to talk about is how local Orthodox Churches achieve autocephaly - and how to improve that system.

It has nothing to do with "changes to the faith" but with geopolitics.

Alex

A frank and fair discussion of that problem would lean in the MP's favor. The Phanar would not permit it though. I expect nothing more from this council than a rubber-stamping of some pre-approved statements that change nothing and solve none of the problems affecting us. I would be happy to be wrong.

Isn't there an internal fundamental disagreement on how autocephaly is obtained in EO praxis, even within a single Church, let alone each jurisdiction? If Russia is correct and it can authorize, why hasn't it done so for Ukraine - out of deference to the EP?

If the EP is correct and an Ecumenical Council must grant autocephaly, then isn't Russia right to not grant it to Ukraine, but wrong for granting it to the OCA?

At least this is an article without a 'spin' which is remarkable these days. The Russian language sites have been full of spin. We shall see.

Rest assured, the MP is not holding onto Ukraine out of deference to the EP. It's more a question of whether Moscow is ready to let go of a huge chunk of its flock.



The EP is not correct. Which ecumenical council granted autocephaly to Georgia, Greece, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, etc.? Precedent shows that autocephaly can be given by the mother church by itself.

Historically, the most common way for a church to become autocephalous is simply to declare it, at which point the mother church breaks communion for a few years before finally recognizing it.

You should be very happy then! The movement for canonical Orthodox autocephaly in Ukraine is very strong. That strength is not only measured in terms of the UOC-KP and UAOC, but also in terms of the inner conflict within the UOC-MP.

The only difference between the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP among those who want autocephaly is that the UOC-MP want it within a canonical jurisdiction.

As you would/should know, the UOC-MP Primate has already granted the right to his bishops and priests to not commemorate the Patriarch of Moscow in the (many) places where this is considered an outrage by the parishioners.

Canonical arguments notwithstanding (and I didn't know that the Moscow Patriarchate's establishment followed all the ancient rules either . . . one learns something every day), the Ukrainian Orthodox want their own Ukrainian Orthodox autocephalous Church with their own patriarchate. And yes, that really is a large chunk of Orthodox membership - Moscow will just have to get used to it.

This movement is now unstoppable and the MP knows it. Once Ukrainian Orthodoxy is a united autocephalous and canonical jurisdiction, I wonder if members of the UGCC will want to join it too . . . That is also something the UGCC leadership is wondering about, I have it on good authority.

The Moscow patriarchate belongs in Russia and for Russia. Certainly, the ROC can have its parishes in Ukraine. But it should give up the pretense of being a "UOC-MP." There are also Russian Orthodox in Ukraine who would likewise prefer their ROC period.

Ukraine is not Muscovy and vice-versa. It is time for world Orthodoxy to face up to that fact.

Canonicity will follow along sooner or later.

Alex

Ah, so now you are saying that Moscow is the "mother church" of Kyiv? Let us say we shall agree to strongly disagree!

And the UOC-KP has broken communion with its "mother church" (excuse me while I cough for a bit). It has, in fact, done nothing that other Orthodox patriarchates have done in the past.

Yet Moscow shows no signs of acknowledging what has become a process of "self-autocephalization" in Ukraine.

Alex

I'd have to research the historicies of each, but Georgia is certainly an exceptional case, see:

"The Origin and Development of the Ecclesiastical Autocephaly of Georgia" by Tarchnišvili, Michael

Greek Orthodox Theological Review. Spring/Summer2001, Vol. 46 Issue 1/2, p89-111. 23p.

Discusses the origin and development of the Georgian church. Information on a letter of patriarch John of Antioch to the metropolitan Maruta of Tagrit; Relationship of the church with Armenian and Syrian churches; List of archbishops who have led the Georgian church up to the formation of the catholicate; Highlights of Georgian chronicles.
ISSN:
0017-3894
Accession Number:
13354429

An update from the MP via Phil Lawler at Catholic World News:

Earlier this week I wrote about the prospects for a pan-Orthodox council: an unprecedented meeting of all the world’s Orthodox churches. Whether the ambitious plan for such a meeting is successful could be decided by a preparatory session next week, and it’s noteworthy that Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill himself will be attending that session. Perhaps even more noteworthy (for those who are following closely), the delegation from Moscow will include Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev, who has expressed serious misgivings about the pan-Orthodox council. The participation of the Russian Orthodox Church—by far the largest of the world’s Orthodox bodies—is critical to the success of any worldwide Orthodox council. Next week’s meeting could be a make-or-break session. - See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/the-city-gates.cfm?id=1220#sthash.S3KOx3QL.dpuf

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH KIRILL TO TAKE PART IN SYNAXIS OF PRIMATES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN CHAMBÉSY

Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
20.01.2016
https://mospat.ru/en/2016/01/20/news126983/

In compliance with a pan-Orthodox decision, the Synaxis of the Primates and representatives of all Local Orthodox Churches will begin its work at the Orthodox Centre of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Chambésy, Switzerland, on 22 January 2016. The participants in the week-long meeting will discuss the preparation of the Pan-Orthodox Council.

The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church will include His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; and archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR vice-chairman.

The Russian Orthodox Church has always taken and continues to take an active part in the Pre-Council process, notwithstanding a number of difficulties pertaining to the preparation of the Pan-Orthodox Council. Since the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church needs to participate personally in the Synaxis over the whole period of its work, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will not be able to lead the opening ceremony of the Christmas Readings on January 25.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill is expected to take part in the Christmas parliamentary meetings, due to be held at the Council of the Federation on January 29.

On January 25, the opening day of the Christmas Readings, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna will officiate at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow upon the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church conveys his blessing to all the participants in the Christmas Readings, a public forum of Church-wide importance.

What are the Christmas Readings and why do they take place on Jan 25?

Given the political ramifications involved with the ROC not participating - this is rather a stroke of PR genius on the part of the MP.

I'm happy the Patriarch of Moscow appears to have accepted my earlier suggestion here to improve his public relations/communications department!

Tomassus, thank you for this article by that great journalist, Phil Lawler!

Alex

This is troubling and worth the read. http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=6b2c705bf61d6edb1d5e0549d&id=4fed084a07&e=880ed8b00f

THE HOLY AND GREAT SYNOD WILL TAKE PLACE IN CRETE IN JUNE 2016

Опубликовать анонс в Livejournal

Source: Mystagogy

January 24, 2016

The Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church will meet in June this year, according to the Athens News Agency-Macedonian Press Agency (ANA-MPA).

A decision was made as the Primates are gathered in a Synaxis at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambesy, Geneva, whose work is done under the presidency of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Of course, for the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church to meet in June, during the period of Pentecost (06/19/2016), the Primates in Geneva must definitely choose the themes and regulations.

The decision to convene the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church in Crete, rather than at the headquarters (Constantinople) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was dictated by the "exceptional objective circumstances" (i.e. the recent Russo-Turkish crisis), which basically prevents the Moscow Patriarch Kyrill and his delegation from visiting the City. That is why this Synaxis of Primates is meeting in Geneva and not in the Phanar, as originally planned.

The gathering in Geneva involves eleven of the fourteen Primates, with their delegations. Three are missing: Patriarch John of Antioch, Metropolitan Savvas of Warsaw and All Poland for health reason, and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece for personal reasons. The work of the Synaxis will continue until January 28th.

The convocation, "barring the unexpected," of the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church this year in Constantinople was decided in March 2014 at the Synaxis of the Primates, which had gathered at the Phanar.

The themes of the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church includes the following ten topics:

1. The Orthodox Diaspora.

2. The manner in which Autocephaly is assigned.

3. The manner of the administration of Autonomy in semi-independent Churches within the limits of Autocephalous Churches, such as the Orthodox Church of Finland under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

4. The Diptychs. This is the order of the Autocephalous Churches, according to honor and ranking, by which the Primates are commemorated. The order of the Churches may change. (For example, the Church of Cyprus, although it is one of the most ancient and was recognized by the Third Ecumenical Synod in Ephesus in 431, is tenth in the order, having been surpassed by Patriarchates, which have been granted Autocephaly in recent times by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and not by an Ecumenical Synod.)

5. The issue of a common Calendar. Some Orthodox Churches still use the Old Julian Calendar (such as the Patriarchate of Russia and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, etc.), while others have adopted the Revised Julian Calendar (such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the Churches of Cyprus, Greece, Albania, etc.). The Synod should promote a common practice.

6. Canonical marriage impediments, especially in the case of Inter-Christian marriages.

7. Fasting. Ex. Should the canons for fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays be changed?

8. The relationship of the Orthodox Churches with the rest of the Christian world.

9. Orthodoxy and the Ecumenical Movement.

10. The contribution of local Orthodox Churches in the prevalence of Christian ideals of peace, freedom, brotherhood and love among people and removing racial and other discrimination.

Of the ten issues, only eight have been approved by Pre-Synodal Pan-Orthodox Conferences, while the two concerning Autocephaly and the Diptychs have not yet been approved. Together with this the regulations for the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church must be discussed these days in Geneva and the final decisions are critical. Some Churches are asking to postpone the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in his introductory speech at the opening session of the Synaxis in Geneva, stressed that "the great responsibility belongs to us now, without further delay, to convert this vision [of the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church] into a reality."

Mystagogy

25 / 01 / 2016

Many years to His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch of New Rome!!

Alex