ORTHODOX SYNOD TO TAKE PLACE DESPITE NEW PULLOUT, BY RUSSIA

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.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN'S SPIRITUAL SEAT ISSUES CALLS FOR UNITY

 bigstory.ap.org

 PATRICK QUINN

CAIRO (AP) — The spiritual seat of the world's Orthodox Christians on Friday issued a call for unity ahead of the first ever meeting of the faith's 14 independent churches that is expected to discuss the churches' common future and efforts to heal the nearly 1,000-year rift with the Roman Catholics.