HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL DOCUMENT

Draft Synodical Document

Τρίτη 8 Οκτωβρίου 2019

CHURCH OF GREECE HOLY SYNOD TO HOLD EXTRAORDINARY MEETING TO DISCUSS AUTOCEPHALY FOR ORTHODOX CHURCH IN UKRAINE


The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, which is holding its regularly scheduled meeting commencing today, has called for an extraordinary meeting on Saturday, October 12, 2019, to discuss autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

Reports indicate that its primate, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and all Greece, will lead the autocephaly recognition. Support for the Ecumenical Patriarchate on this issue from the Church of Greece has long been rumored, despite ongoing pressure on Greek hierarchs from the Moscow Patriarchate.
If the Church of Greece does officially recognize the canonical status of the new Orthodox Church in Ukraine, it may open the door for other local churches to do the same, which may put Moscow in a difficult spot (for example, will they automatically cut communion with the Church of Greece on Saturday if a positive recognition decision is made?).
Saturday will be the next pivotal step in the ongoing challenge for the Orthodox Church as it relates to autocephaly in Ukraine.