PAT. OF ALEXANDRIA CALLS UPON ALL LOCAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES TO PARTICIPATE IN PAN-ORTHODOX COUNCIL

Paroslavie ^ | June 14, 2016

[Kolokotronis]

Theodoros II, the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, appealed to all Local Orthodox Churches to participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council on Crete, reports Sedmitsa.ru, with reference to Romfea.

In an interview given to radio station 98.4, Patriarch Theodoros regarded as an historical Church Council that which is to take place in June 2016 on the island of Crete. The Alexandrian Patriarch stated that “the Orthodox Church should be far from political, national, and racial affiliations.

“It’s impossible to imagine that it would be possible in the last minutes to not come to the Church Council, in line with personal aspirations and dissatisfactions related to primacy in the diptychs and the role of the coordinator, fulfilled by the Patriarch of Constantinople, although the decision was earlier made unanimously!” Patriarch Theodoros said.

The primate of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church believes that the Bulgarian Church will not change its decision, in contrast with the other three Local Churches, which didn’t say “no” in such a categorical fashion.

According to Patriarch Theodoros, the primates of those Churches which are putting forth such worldly issues as the primacy of honor, “should get up from their richly ornate thrones and visit Africa, to understand the meaning of the poor and humble children of Christ.”

[Kolokotronis]

“According to Patriarch Theodoros, the primates of those Churches which are putting forth such worldly issues as the primacy of honor, “should get up from their richly ornate thrones and visit Africa, to understand the meaning of the poor and humble children of Christ.”

Good advice for all the crowned heads!

[MHGinTN]

Ecumenism gotta take root somewhere.

[Claud]

Seriously.

What is Bulgaria’s issue exactly?

[Kolokotronis]

“What is Bulgaria’s issue exactly?”

Seriously, the Bulgarian Church is an ecclesiastical joke. Beyond that, the Bulgarians have never gotten past being condemned for Phyletism at the Holy and Great pan-Orthodox Synod at Constantinople in 1872.Maybe they are expecting some other shoe to drop. It is of course also possible that the Bulgarians’ paymasters at the Moscow Patriarchate (a/k/a the Third Rome) have given them their marching orders.

[NRx]

Thanks for posting this.

[NRx]

Here is a partial list of some documents pertaining to the Council including objections and criticisms. The much maligned Bulgarians are included.

Antiochian Orthodox Church

- On the Coming Great and Holy Council by Met. Georges Khodr

-The Orthodox Churches' Accelerating Crises: The Fractiousness of the Orthodox Churches and the Agenda of the Holy Spirit by Carol Saba

-The "Great and Holy" Council: An Analysis, Questions, and Impressions: A Letter to His Beatitude, Our Father Patriarch John X and the Members of the Holy Synod of Antioch regarding the Great Council by Archimandrite Touma Bitar

-Statement of the Secretariat of the Holy Synod of Antioch on Decision of Ecumenical Patriarchate

- Antiochian Orthodox Church will not participate in Pan-Orthodox Council until issues are resolved - Antiochian Secretariat

Bulgarian Orthodox Church

-Bulgarian Orthodox Church: Outside the Orthodox Church "there are no other churches, only heresies and schisms"

-Patriarchate of Bulgaria: On the Pan-Orthodox Synod and the Appearance of Heresy as a Gift from God so that Orthodoxy can be proclaimed by Dr. Desislava Panayotova

-Metropolitan Gabriel of Lovech and all clergy of his diocese oppose document of the Pan-Orthodox Council

-Bulgarian Orthodox Church withdraws from Pan-Orthodox Council in Crete

-Statement of the Chancellery of the Bulgarian Holy Synod Concerning the Pan-Orthodox Council

Cypriot Orthodox Church

-Metropolitan of Limassol: "What unity are we talking about? Those who departed from the Church are heretics and schismatics"

Ecumenical Patriarchate

-Ecumenical Patriarch: “The Holy and Great Synod is of direct and vital interest both for the Orthodox, and for the rest of the Christian world”

-Ecumenical Patriarchate Provides Resources for Holy and Great Council

-Message from His All-Holiness on the Holy and Great Council

-The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Issue of Qatar

-Constantinople refuses to discuss proposals of local Churches

Georgian Orthodox Church

-VIDEO: Georgian Orthodox Church rejects document on ecumenism drafted for the Great Council, 2016

-Georgian Church Responds to Ecumenical Patriarchate Cleric's Accusations

-Meeting of the Holy Synod of the Church of Georgia on the Upcoming Council

-Georgian Orthodox Church will not take part in Pan-Orthodox Council

-Georgian Patriarch explains why they will not participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council

Greek Orthodox Church

-Letter to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece on the texts proposed for approval by the upcoming Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church by Met. Hierotheos Vlachos

-Letter to the Holy Synod of Greece Concerning Preparations for the Upcoming Great and Holy Council by Met. Hierotheos Vlachos

-Third Letter to the Holy Synod of Greece Concerning the Draft Documents Prepared for the Upcoming Pan-Orthodox Council by Met. Hierotheos Vlachos

-Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpatkos: Hierarchs of Greek Church united in their position on eve of Pan-Orthodox Council

-Metropolitan of New Smyrna: "It cannot be considered a pan-Orthodox council in which not every bishop participates"

- On the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church by Met. Nikolaos of Mesogaias

-Metropolitan Germanos of Eleia on Documents of the Upcoming Pan-Orthodox Council

-Greece: Another hierarch appeals to the Holy Synod concerning the Pan-Orthodox Council

-Greek priest and theologian speaks out against draft document of Pan-Orthodox Council

-Conference dedicated to the problems of the Pan-Orthodox Council held in Greece

-Observations on the Text Prepared for the Pan-Orthodox Council: “Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World” by Dr. Demetrios Tselengides

-A Second Intervention-Confession of Faith: On the Document "Organization and Working Procedure of the Holy and Great Council" by Dr. Demetrios Tselengides

-Can a Conference of Orthodox Bishops Impart Ecclesiality to the Heterodox?: The Challenge of the Upcoming Great Council by Dr. Demetrios Tselengides

- A word about the "common cup" and the steps to unity of Orthodoxy with Heterodoxy by Fr. Peter Heers

-From the Second Vatican Council (1965) to the Pan-Orthodox Council (2016): Signposts on the Way to Crete by Fr. Peter Heers

-The Recognition of the Baptism of the Heterodox as the Basis for a New Ecclesiology (In Step with Vatican II): A paper delivered at the Theological-Academic Conference "The Great and Holy Council: Great Preparation without Expectations," March 23, 2016 in Piraeus, Greece by Fr. Peter Heers

-Conclusions of the Theological-Academic Conference: The Holy and Great Council: With Great Preparation but Without Expectations

-VIDEO: Fr. Theodore Zisis on the Upcoming Great and Holy Council, Part 1

-VIDEO: Fr. Theodore Zisis on the Upcoming Great and Holy Council, Part 2

-VIDEO: Fr. Theodore Zisis on the Upcoming Great and Holy Council, Parts 3 and 4

Jerusalem Orthodox Church

-The Pan-Orthodox Council: the Patriarch of Jerusalem expresses his willingness to make concessions to the Church of Antioch

Romanian Orthodox Church

-Patriarch Daniel: “The Future Pan-Orthodox Synod represents an Important Historical Event for the Development of Conciliarity on a Pan-Orthodox Level”

- Appeal to the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church concerning Pan-Orthodox Council

Russian Orthodox Church

-Draft documents of the future Pan-Orthodox Council in their present form do not violate the purity of the Orthodox faith, the ROC Council of Bishops states

-Patriarch Kirill: Any unilateral actions in granting autocephaly should be excluded

-Patriarch Kirill: There was no question of any union of the Orthodox Church with the non-Orthodox

-In course of preparations for Pan-Orthodox Council, most of Russian Orthodox Church’s proposals approved

-Patriarch Kirill: We do not call the forthcoming Pan-Orthodox Council ecumenical

-Message of the Council of Bishops to clergy, monastics and all faithful members of ROC

-Seminar on Pan-Orthodox Council takes place at Ss Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies

-Conference on the forthcoming Pan-Orthodox Council at St. Tikhon's University

-Fr. George Maximov offers theological reflection on document of June Pan-Orthodox Council

- Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches

-The Holy Synod of Bishops Deliberates on Problems Arising in Preparation for the Pan-Orthodox Council

-If problems on way to Pan-Orthodox Council are not resolved, it is better postponed - Metropolitan Hilarion

-ROCOR HOLY SYNOD on Pan-Orthodox Council Texts: Communication of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to the Clerics and Faithful—13 April 2016.

-Russian Orthodox Church likely not to attend Pan-Orthodox Council

-Russian Orthodox Church won't take part in work on Pan-Orthodox Council message — source

-Emergency meeting of Holy Synod of Russian Orthodox Church to take place on Monday

-Russian Church insists on postponing the Pan-Orthodox Council

-On the situation caused by the refusal of several Local Orthodox Churches to participate in the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church

-Pan-Orthodox Council will not be legitimate if held without some Churches - Metropolitan Hilarion

-Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: Voices of the Churches should not be disregarded

-VIDEO: ‘Unity cannot be imposed on churches’ – Russian Orthodox Church spokesman to RT

Serbian Orthodox Church

-Serbian Orthodox Holy Synod seeks postponement of Pan-Orthodox Council

-Serbian Church to participate in Pan-Orthodox Council

-Delegation of Serbian Orthodox Church will go to Crete, but could leave the Council

Ukrainian Orthodox Chuch

- Address of the brothers of the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra and of the Holy Spirit skete of the Lavra in connection with the forthcoming Pan-Orthodox Council

-Statement of the Press Service of the Diocese of Odessa

-To find the role of the Church in the modern world, without compromising our principles. UOC primate on the tasks of the Pan-Orthodox Council

Mt. Athos

-Holy Monasteries of Mt. Athos repond to documents prepared for Pan-Orthodox Council

-Monks of Karakallou write concerning June Council documents

-Athonite Monks on the Pan-Orthodox Council by Athanasios Zoitakis

Synaxis of the Primates

-Keynote Address By His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew To the Synaxis of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches (Geneva 22-01-2016)

-Homily By His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew During the Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Paul (Chambésy-Geneva, January 24, 2016)

-Speech of His Beatitude Theophilos of Jerusalem at the Beginning of the Deliberations of the Primates

-Patriarch Kirill addresses the Synaxis of Primates of Local Orthodox Churches

- Address of Serbian Patriarch at the Synaxis of the primates of Local Orthodox Churches in Geneva

- Pan-Orthodox Council not to address Ukraine issue, transition to unified calendar

-Primates of Orthodox Churches for reorganization of global economy

- Official announcement of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches

Documents to be Considered at the Council

- Pan-Orthodox Council: Organization and Working Procedure of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church

- Pan-Orthodox Council: Autonomy and the Means of Proclaiming It

- Pan-Orthodox Council: Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World

- Pan-Orthodox Council: The Importance of Fasting and Its Observance Today

- Pan-Orthodox Council: The Mission of the Orthodox Church in Today's World

- Pan-Orthodox Council: The Sacrament of Marriage and Its Impediments

Articles on the Pan-Orthodox Council

-The issue of Orthodox Diaspora to be considered at the Pan-Orthodox Council

-The Holy and Great Council: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff by Evagelos Sotiropoulos

-The Holy and Great Council and the Hidden Work of God by Fr. Stephen Freeman

-Crisis Around the Council: On What Does Constantinople Diplomacy Depend? by Andrei Rogozinski

-Pan-Orthodox Alarm by Vyacheslav Nikonov

-Primates, or Popes? Is there an attempt, on account of the Great Synod, to vest the Primates with Papal power? by  Protopresbyter Anastasios Gotsopoulos