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By Patrick Quinn and Derek Gatopoulos, Big Story,
Ecumenical Patriarchate Press Office
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox
Christians on Wednesday said a historic meeting of church leaders — the
first in more than a millennium — will take place on the Greek island of
Crete despite a pullout by Russia.
Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who ranks as "the
first among equals," said he hopes the Russian church and three others
who have chosen not to come will change their minds.
The weeklong Holy and Great Council, which is to begin on Sunday, was
meant to bring together the leaders of the 14 independent Orthodox
churches to promote unity among the world's 300 million Orthodox
Christians.
Defying pressure from the Russians, the Serbian Orthodox Church
announced it would take part in the historic meeting, but added it would
pull out if "all questions, problems and differences" among the
different Orthodox churches, including the ones which will not be
present, "are not taken into account."
The gathering on Crete has been 55 years in preparation and planning.
"I hope the churches, even at the last minute, revise their decisions
and honor their signatures and come to Crete," Bartholomew said as he
arrived on the island.
He was referring to a unanimous decision by all the churches at a
January meeting in Geneva to meet in Crete and discuss the mission and
role of the Orthodox Church and its global flock, issues relating to the
function of the churches and relations with other Christian faiths.
Unity of the Orthodox churches is considered a key prerequisite to any
reconciliation with the Vatican.
"The decision burdens those churches and their primates, because just
five months ago in Geneva during a meeting of the Orthodox primates we
decided and signed to come to Crete in June to carry out this vision we
have had for many years," he said.
On Tuesday, the Russian Orthodox Church said it was waiting for the
Ecumenical Patriarchate to respond to its proposal to delay the meeting
in order to settle differences that have prompted the other churches to
declare they will not participate.
A spokesman for Bartholomew said it was not in the patriarch's hands
to declare a postponement, saying he did not have the authority to
revoke a joint decision taken by all the 14 leaders in January.
"The ecumenical patriarch can't change a unanimous decision taken by
all the churches," the Rev. John Chryssavgis told The Associated Press.
"Bartholomew is not the pope, he can't just decide."
Unlike the Roman Catholics, the Orthodox churches are independent and
have their own leadership. For example, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is
head of the world's largest Orthodox Church, with about 100 million
faithful, but is considered equal to other patriarchs regardless of the
size of their flock
Orthodox church leaders haven't held such a meeting since the year
787, when the last of the seven councils recognized by both Orthodox and
Catholics was held. The "great schism" then split the Roman Catholics
and the Orthodox in 1054 amid disputes over the Vatican's power.
The idea for the synod first emerged in the 1920s but preparations
began in 1961. Many preparatory meetings have been held since, the last
in Geneva.
Chryssavgis said the other churches attending have been puzzled about what had changed in five months to prompt the pullouts.
"All 14 decided to come, nothing has changed but their minds," he said.
He added that the churches attending the council could decide on a
postponement when they gather Sunday, but that if they decide to
proceed, any decisions they make are binding on all the churches. He
likened it to the United Nations Security Council.
"If you want to vote, you have to be there," he said.
___Quinn reported from Cairo. AP writer Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia contributed
