Istanbul, January 9, 2016
According to the Romfea agency, Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople says that there can be no justification for nonparticipation by any Local Orthodox Churches in the coming Pan-Orthodox Council.
Romfea has also reported the Council’s previously planned venue of Istanbul, may be changed because representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church will probably not be able to come to Phanar after the Russian government recommended Russian citizens to refrain from going to Turkey due to the strain in relations between the Russian Federation and Turkey, reports Pravlife.org with reference to Sedmitza.ru.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece, primate of the Church of Greece, will not be able to participate at the Council because he is currently at variance with primate of the Church of Constantinople Bartholomew I.
There are also problems with participation by representatives of the Orthodox Church of Antioch in the Council inasmuch as Eucharistic communion between the Patriarchate of Antioch and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was broken off due to the problem of Qatar. The Jerusalem Patriarchate has opened a church in Qatar, which traditionally falls under the canonical jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch. After Jerusalem did not responded to Antioch’s requests to remedy the situation, Antioch broke off communion with Jerusalem.
As a Greek Orthodox myself with a great deal of reverence for the
Ecumenical Patriarchate and the City of Constantinople (Constantine
Paleologos is a great hero of mine and I have his Icon hanging in my
house) I believe this Council should not be held under the present
circumstances.
Although I am Greek, I firmly believe Moscow is the Third Rome.
Russia is the largest Orthodox country and for centuries has
been protecting Eastern Christians. Russia is the only great power
that cares for Christians in the East and Moscow should be praised
for seeking to defend the Christians of Syria.
The Church of Constantinople is First Among Equals with primacy of
honor. No one disputes this. The accusation that the Russians are
trying to take over is a western tactic aimed at dividing the Greeks
from the Russians. Read the books "The Orthodox Church and
Independent Greece 1821-1852" by Charles Frazee and "Orthodoxy and
the West" by Christos Yannaras to see how the West has undermined
the independence of Greece by attempting to destroy Greek-Russian
relations.
Many heroes of the Greek War of Independence such as Theodoros
Kolokotronis who was the leader of the Pro Russian Party in Greece
were imprisoned by the German King that was installed in Greece
by the Western powers. The Orthodox need brotherhood and unity
under the leadership of Russia which is defending Christianity
from genocide in the Middle East.
Ted
Kyrie eleison...