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His Holiness Patriarch Alexy is to take part in the meeting of Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches

9.10.2008 · Архив 2005-2009, Религиозная ситуация на Украине, События  

A meeting of Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches is to take place in Istanbul on October 10-11. It was initiated by the Constantinople Patriarchate, which had declared 2008 the Year of Apostle Paul.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia will take part in the closing meeting of Primates on October 11, as well as in the joint celebration of the Divine Liturgy by the participants of the meeting in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in the Phanar.

On the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy the Russian Orthodox Church will be represented at the session of the meeting on October 10 by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations.

On October 11, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova and Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia will arrive in Istanbul as members of the Moscow Patriarchate delegation headed by Patriarch Alexy.

After the conclusion of the meeting of Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches in Istanbul a symposium dedicated to Apostle Paul’s heritage will be opened. Its participants are going to visit places connected with the missionary activities of the “apostle of nations” including Smyrna (Izmir), Ethesus, Pergia (Antalya), Rhodes and Iraklion.

Patriarch Alexy will return to Moscow on Sunday, October 12. The Russian Orthodox Church will be represented by Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova at the subsequent events connected with the symposium.

In his message of May 7, 2008, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople advised His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia of his intention to hold the meeting of Primates and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches in connection with Apostle Paul’s Year proclaimed by the Church of Constantinople. He invited the Primate of the Russian Church to participate in this meeting with an accompanying delegation.

In his reply letter of June 3, 2008 Patriarch Alexy expressed gratitude for the received invitation. His Holiness also expressed hope that the Constantinople Church should take into account the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate does not recognize the church institution of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Estonia as an autonomous Orthodox Church.

The creation of proper conditions enabling the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in the meeting of Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches was discussed, in particular during the talks between His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia. The talks took place on July 27 in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

The talks between Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, that took place on October 1 in Istanbul were also dedicated to the discussion of questions connected with the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in this meeting. A personal message of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia was delivered to the Primate of the Constantinople Church.

Agreement has been reached that the participants of the upcoming meeting will include Primates of the Autocephalous Local Orthodox Churches with the indisputable canonical status. The final document of the meeting will bear only their signatures and those of their plenipotentiary representatives.