Department for External Church Relations
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Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church take part in the second meeting of the Pan-Orthodox Secretariat for the Preparation of the Holy and Great Council
On 18-20 May 2016, the second session of the Pan-Orthodox Secretariat for the Preparation of the Holy and Great Council took place on the island of Crete. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, taking part in the meeting were archpriest Nikolai Balashov, vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, a member of the Secretariat; Rev. Alexander Volkov, head of the Patriarchal Press Service, an advisor of the Secretariat; and Rev. Anatoly Churyakov, DECR staff member. The participants in the meeting chaired by Metropolitan Jeremiah of Switzerland (Patriarchate of Constantinople), coordinator of the Secretariat, visited the venue of the Council, the Orthodox Academy of Crete, and saw how the preparation work was being carried out.
On the feast day of Pentecost, the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches are expected to celebrate together the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Great Martyr Menas in the archdiocese of Crete. On the eve of the feast, the evening service will be celebrated at the Church of the Holy Apostle Titus. The members of the Secretariat visited the churches and put forward their proposals concerning the organization of the divine services on the feast day.
Discussed at the meetings that took place in Heraklion and later at the Orthodox Academy of Crete were the preparation and the organization of the Holy and Great Council, whose sessions will begin on June 20, the Day of the Holy Spirit. The representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches also raised some matters of protocol and working procedure, discussed in detail how the official website of the Council will work, and formulated principles of accreditation and work of the press during the Council.
While in Crete, the representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches met with Archbishop Irenaeus of Crete at the Agaraphos Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.
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