VIOREL IONIȚĂ, Rev. Professor, Bucharest/Geneva
Studia Theologia Orthodoxa, 1 (2017), pp.5-16
ABSTRACT. In this paper the author emphasises the preparation, the proceedings
and the reception process of the Holy and Great Council, that is one of the most
complex radiographies of the Orthodox Church evolution out of a late Middle Ages
to the present postmodern challenges. All these challenges have shown that the
identity of the Orthodox Church is ensured through her faith transmitted through
the Orthodox worship, which is the written expression of the Holy Tradition.
Keywords: Holy and Great Council, participation, preparation, reception, Pan‐
Orthodox Conferences.
I. The Preparation, the proceedings and the reception process of the Holy
and Great Synod is one of the most complex radiographies of the Orthodox
Church evolution out of a late Middle Ages to the present postmodern challenges.
Preceded by changes in the life of the Orthodox Churches during the second half
of the nineteenth century, the preparation of this Synod began in the third
decade of the last century through a series of consultations between the local
Orthodox Churches, then emerged formally in 1961 through the first Pan‐
Orthodox Conference at Rhodes and entered the practical Preparation in 1976
at the first Pan‐Orthodox Pre‐Conciliar Conference. During this period of one and
a half century, the Orthodox Church went through unprecedented organizational
changes in the emergence of new Autocephalous Churches and elevating some
of them to the rank of Patriarchate.
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