On June 13, 2016, at its extraordinary
session, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church considered the
situation, which has arisen because of the refusal of a number of Local
Orthodox Churches to participate in the Holy and Great Council of the
Orthodox Church. The Council was planned to be held from June 18 to 26,
2016, on the Island of Crete.
As a result of the
discussion, the Holy Synod adopted a statement on this problem to be
sent to the Primates of Local Orthodox Churches (Minutes No. 40).
Considering
the position taken by the Patriarchates of Antioch, Georgia, Serbia and
Bulgaria and taking into account the ground necessary for convening the
Holy and Great Council, namely, the existence of ‘the consent of their
Beatitudes the Primates of the universally recognized Local
autocephalous Churches’ (Organizational and Working Procedure of the
Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, Article 1), the Holy
Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church noted that such consent is
obviously absent.
According to the Synod members, the
only possible way out in this case lies in the continuation of
preparations for the Holy and Great Council and subsequent achievement
of pan-Orthodox agreement on its holding at a different date.
In
connection with the above, the Holy Synod
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