Non-canonical Сhurches shouldn't participate in the Orthodox-Anglican dialogue - Russian Church

23 May 2008, 16:37

Istanbul, May 23, Interfax - Representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European International Organizations Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and all Austria again stated that non-canonical Churches can't participate in inter-Christian dialogue, the representation's press-service has told Interfax-Religion.

At the session of the Supervisory Committee for the Orthodox-Anglican dialogue in Istanbul, Bishop Hilarion reminded about the Ravenna incident in October 2007 that took place during the work of the Mixed Orthodox-Catholic Commission. The Moscow Patriarchate's delegation left the meeting as among its participants were representatives of the so-called Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church set up by the Constantinople Patriarchate in 1996 in the canonical territory of the Russian Church without the latter's approval.

Bishop Hilarion stressed that in compliance with the decision of the Bishops' Council 2000, the Russian Orthodox Church can't participate in a dialogue together with representatives of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church and warned the participants of the Orthodox-Anglican session against "Ravenna scenario."

Among Orthodox participants in the Istanbul session also were Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokletia (the Constantinople Patriarchate) and Metropolitan Nifon of Targovishte (the Romanian Patriarchate) while the Anglicans were presented by Bishop Mark Dyer, Rev. Jonathan Goodall and Gregory Cameron.

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