A consultation took place in Durres, Albania on 3-7 October 2019,
bringing together Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox women involved
in the work of the World Council of Churches since the 10th WCC Assembly
in Busan (Korea) in 2013. The Orthodox women participating in the
Consultation were members of the WCC governing bodies, commissioners or
advisors within WCC programmes, resource persons and WCC female staff.
They shared their ecumenical experiences and discussed the Orthodox
women’s agenda towards the 11th WCC Assembly to be held in Karlsruhe
(Germany) in 2021.
Participants attended the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Resurrection
of Christ Orthodox Cathedral of Tirana and had an official hearing from
His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania.
Anastasios discussed extensively with them the role of contemporary
women in the Church by sharing insights from the liturgical life in the
Orthodox Church of Albania where women have very active roles.
Ruth Mathen, from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the
Christian Conference of Asia, reflected that Orthodox women, situated in
their uniquely different and independent communities and contexts, have
developed over time their own resources and toolkits to confront the
challenges they face. Prof. Dimitra Koukoura, representing the
Ecumenical Patriarchate and a WCC Central Committee member, expressed
appreciation as well. Margarita Nelyubova, representing the Moscow
Patriarchate, also a WCC Central Committee member, expressed
appreciation for the opportunity the women had to map their way forward
with regard to joint witness and service in the WCC, and also on further
inter-Orthodox cooperation.