With the invitation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Primates of all the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches gathered from March 6-9, 2014, for a Sacred Synaxis in Constantinople. In this Synaxis was discussed about the problems that faces Orthodoxy today, and was taken a position on various crises, both in Syria and Ukraine, as well as were discussed various liturgical and ecclesiastical issues, putting emphasis on unity among all our churches.
The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania was represented by Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania Anastasios, accompanied by the Bishop of Korça, His Eminence John, and the Bishop of Gjirokastra, His Eminence Demetrius.
Primates meeting concluded that the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church shall be convened by the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople, in 2016. For this, in September 2014 will begin its work a special Pan-Orthodox Council, which will operate up to Easter 2015. All the decisions, as for the work of the Pan-Orthodox Synod, and for its preparatory stages will be taken by unanimity.
The last day of the meeting, on March 9, on Sunday of Orthodoxy, was celebrated in the Patriarchal Church “Saint George” in the Phanar, with the con-celebrations of all the Primates. This bright con-celebration was led by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, together with the Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria; Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem; Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill; Patriarch of Serbia Irinej; Patriarch Daniel of Romania; Neophyte of Bulgaria; Ilia II of Georgia; and Archbishops: Chrysostomos of Cyprus; Archbishop Ieronymos of Greece; Archbishop Sava of Poland; and Archbishop Anastasios of Albania.
After the reading of the Holy Gospel, the chairman of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate read by amvony the Message of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches. Archbishop Anastasios was the chairman of the committee which drafted the joint Message of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches (click on www.patriarchate.org/documents/synaxis-2014-message; as well as in http://www.ec-patr.org/docdisplay.php?lang=gr&id=1873&tla=gr).
Afterwards took place the holy memorial for the rest of the souls of those who fought for the faith.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy was conducted the litany of the icons around the courtyard of the Patriarchate and than from the balcony of the Patriarchal Headquarters, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Orthodox Primates blessed the believers.
The Message of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches will be published in the coming days.
