The Moscow Patriarchate Council to change format of inter-Orthodox events

28 June 2008, 14:27

Moscow, June 28, Interfax - The Bishops' Council proposed to change the principles of arranging inter-Orthodox meetings.

Thus, the Council believes it necessary to insist on representation of autonomous and self-governed Churches of the Moscow Patriarchate (the Ukrainian Church, the Japanese Church, the Latvian Church, the Estonian Church, the Moldavian Church, the Chinese Church, and the Russian Church Abroad) in all such meetings.

The Council, which is being held in Moscow these days, decided that the Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America should also take part in the meetings.

Such initiative was caused by the position of the Constantinople Patriarchate as it believes that inter-Orthodox events can be attended by representatives of the so-called Estonian Apostolic Church generally unrecognized as an autonomous or independent Church.

The Moscow Patriarchate delegation was forced to leave the session of the Mixed Orthodox-Catholic Theological Commission held in Ravenna in October 2007 as representatives of "Estonian Apostolic Church" were among its participants. The Constantinople Patriarchate established this structure in 1996 on the canonical territory of the Russian Church.

A new conflict has been kindled between the Moscow and the Constantinople Patriarchates this June as the latter invited representatives of this uncanonical Estonian structure to participate in work of the Inter-Orthodox commission on Rhodes. Further to this step, the Russian Church delegation had to leave the session.

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