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Orthodox Christians' global gathering unravels as five churches pull out
Source: The Guardian
Orthodox Christians' global gathering unravels as five churches pull out
After 55 years of planning, the historic holy and great council of
14 Orthodox churches in Crete may collapse over power struggle
Harriet Sherwood Religion correspondent
Tuesday 14 June 2016 14.51 BST
After an interlude of more than a millennium, 55 years of careful planning, and within days of its opening, the first global gathering of Orthodox churches since the year 787 is teetering on the brink of collapse amid dissent and power struggles.
The historic “holy and great council” of the world’s 14 self-governing Orthodox churches, due to begin in Crete on Sunday, may not go ahead after five pulled out.
The unravelling of the week-long Pan-Orthodox Council, which has been in preparation since 1961, began with Bulgaria saying earlier this month it wanted a postponement, citing disagreements over the agenda.
On Monday, the Russian Orthodox church – the largest and richest – announced it would not attend the meeting, dealing what may be a fatal blow to the gathering.
The council was called by the ecumenical patriarch, Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the “first among equals” of leaders of the global Orthodox churches, which collectively represent 300 million people. In the past 1,000 years there have been smaller council meetings, but none on the scale of the Crete gathering.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
After 55 years of planning, the historic holy and great council of
14 Orthodox churches in Crete may collapse over power struggle
Harriet Sherwood Religion correspondent
Tuesday 14 June 2016 14.51 BST
After an interlude of more than a millennium, 55 years of careful planning, and within days of its opening, the first global gathering of Orthodox churches since the year 787 is teetering on the brink of collapse amid dissent and power struggles.
The historic “holy and great council” of the world’s 14 self-governing Orthodox churches, due to begin in Crete on Sunday, may not go ahead after five pulled out.
The unravelling of the week-long Pan-Orthodox Council, which has been in preparation since 1961, began with Bulgaria saying earlier this month it wanted a postponement, citing disagreements over the agenda.
On Monday, the Russian Orthodox church – the largest and richest – announced it would not attend the meeting, dealing what may be a fatal blow to the gathering.
The council was called by the ecumenical patriarch, Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the “first among equals” of leaders of the global Orthodox churches, which collectively represent 300 million people. In the past 1,000 years there have been smaller council meetings, but none on the scale of the Crete gathering.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/14/orthodox-church-gathering-unravels-five-pull-out
3 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
--imm
SPLITTERS!!
