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A New Whole-Orthodox Meeting at the Isle of Rodos ( 12.01.2009 )

A new inter-religious and inter-orthodox meeting will take place in the months to come at the Isle of Rodos, according to the Greek news agency “Romfea”. Accordingly, the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew has an ambition to make this island a “Centre of Orthodoxy.” It is clamed so in his sermon which he made on the island during the visit of the heads and representatives of the local Orthodox Churches, regarding the “Year of Holy Apostle Paul”.   

The Isle of Rodos is not for the first time a centre of inter-religious and inter-orthodox activities. A vast number of whole-orthodox consultations for preparation of an Ecumenical Assembly of the Orthodox Church has been performed at the beginning of the 60-ties. Later on, in the 70-ties those consultations continued as “whole-orthodox pre-assembling” and all the documents for the coming whole-orthodox Assembly were prepared on such consultations. 

However, the political changes in Eastern Europe, weakening of the influence of the Russian Church, strengthening of the role of the Constantinople Ecumenuical Patriarchate and some other factors produced conflicts between Moscow and Carigrad, Moscow and Bucharest etc. The result was the cessation of the process of preparation the whole-orthodox Assembly, which didn’t exist for more than a thousand years.   

In the last two years, reports “Romfea”, on island Rodos took place meetings for preparation for the General Assembly of the Conference of European Churches (one held in Sibiu, Romania in 2007) and in June 2008 additional consultation of the representatives of Orthodox Churches for the meeting of the Heads of the Churches in October 2008.

Indeed, there is no other place in Europe, where whole-orthodox activities has been performed.

Patriarch Bartholomew from the Patriarchate since October 2008 has started with plans for convening a next Ecumenical Assembly in Phanar (without precising the exact date).

Most likely, Rodos will be the place for such a meeting.

A vast number of consultations in which the details would be precised, and many “hot issues”, which divide the Orthodox world in the moment, will have to be discussed.

The Rodos Diocese is already inspecting the possibilities to organise in its territory this long-waiting Ecumenical Assembly. In accordance, the Rodos Metropolitan Cyril, claimed that the works on the building a “Diocese Centre” on the island will be accelerated, as he received the “green light” from the Patriarch Bartholomew, and the rising of a new church dedicated to Annunciation, as well.

 

 

Source: Romfea, Dveribg.net