A historic eight-day gathering of Orthodox Christian Churches opened on the Greek island of Crete yesterday, despite the absence of four denominations -- including the Russians -- the BBC website reports today (June 20, 2016).
The Russians decided to stay away after the churches of Antioch, Bulgaria, and Georgia refused to take part due to disputes about the meeting. Fourteen Orthodox denominations representing over 300 million faithful had been invited to the gathering.
The disagreements ranged from seating plans to efforts to reconcile with the Vatican. The Christian Church split into two major divisions -- the Roman Catholic Church or Western Church and the Greek Orthodox Church or Eastern Church -- in the year 1054 in what is known historically as the "Great Schism."
Russia also fears that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople -- who is honored as "first among equals" regarding Orthodox patriarchs -- will give support to the Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church, fueling what one Russian state newspaper has called "a simmering religious war." However, Patriarch Bartholomew declared today that Ukrainian Orthodox Church autocephaly (independent church rule from Russia) will not be part of the Council's discussion.
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