Metropolitan Hilarion on June 12 stated "Today we are faced with the prospect of the convening of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. Around the council they were many disputes, misunderstandings. And tomorrow at the meeting of the Holy Synod to decide whether our church to participate in this Council or not." These disputes arose after the Patriarch of Moscow circulated a letter to the autocephalous churches with "grave concerns" which included the agreed seating arrangements. |
On June 13 the Patriarch of Moscow convene a so-called "Emergency Meeting" to consider whether it should renege on its commitments over the last few years.
"At the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in St. Daniel's Monastery in Moscow under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill began an emergency session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church."
The Patriarch opened the meeting saying "Thank you once again to urgently gathered to discuss the very difficult questions related to what is happening today around the convening of a Pan-Orthodox Council."
The Patriarch, according to the official patriarchal website "Enters all sorts of information... I found it necessary to invite you to make a final decision on the position of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Pan-Orthodox Council ".
We pray that the Moscow Patriarch puts Orthodoxy first. Sets aside the geopolitical motivations and fantasies of a 'Third Rome' and leads his flock into the 21st century with the proper Orthodox Phronema. And that he takes the opportunity to promote UNITY of self inflicted marginalism which this region of the world has become famed for.
"At the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in St. Daniel's Monastery in Moscow under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill began an emergency session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church."
The Patriarch opened the meeting saying "Thank you once again to urgently gathered to discuss the very difficult questions related to what is happening today around the convening of a Pan-Orthodox Council."
The Patriarch, according to the official patriarchal website "Enters all sorts of information... I found it necessary to invite you to make a final decision on the position of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Pan-Orthodox Council ".
We pray that the Moscow Patriarch puts Orthodoxy first. Sets aside the geopolitical motivations and fantasies of a 'Third Rome' and leads his flock into the 21st century with the proper Orthodox Phronema. And that he takes the opportunity to promote UNITY of self inflicted marginalism which this region of the world has become famed for.