Metropolitans Emmanuel and Ilarion Address Theological Institute on Pan-Orthodox Council

This June's Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church was the topic of a seminar at Sts.Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies,Moscow on 11 March.Leading the discussion were His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France,Ecumenical Patriarchate;and His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk,Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department of External Church Relatind rector of the Institute.Other participants included Metropolitan Arseniy of Istra,Patriarchal first vicar for Moscow;Bishop Feofilakt of Dmitrov,abbot of St.Andrew's Monastery,Moscow;Archimandrite Alexander Pihach,representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate;Mr.Andrei Shiskov,secretary of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission;Archimandrite Seraphim Shemyatovsky,representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to the Moscow Patriarchate;and Mr.Vladimir Katasurov,head of the Chair of Philosophy at the Institute.*
The Council will show the unity of Orthodoxy to the world,Metropolitan Emmanuel said.One of the most important items on the agenda will be the situation in the Middle East and the plight of Christian communities in the region,now facing elimination.It is a humanitarian tragedy,a tragedy of the historical and civilization scale.This situation was the central item on the agenda of the recent meeting between Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Pope Francis in Havana,Cuba,Metropolitan Emmanuel pointed out.*
As to the Orthodox Church's social and demographic context today,Metropolitan Emmanuel noted that the number of people professing the Orthodox faith has increased dramatically in the past century.According to a survey by the College des Bernardins,the number of Orthodox Christians in the world has increased from 124,923,000 in the early 20th century to 274,447,000 in 2010.*
For his part,Metropolitan Ilarion said the preparation of the Council lasted 55 years.It is a very long period.One may ask why it took so long to prepare the Council.We can present many reasons for that,both intra-church and geopolitical.However,the fact that the date of the Council is approaching makes us think that Divine Providence guided our Church in such a way that the Pan-Orthodox Council was not convened earlier,but is to be held now.
This also obtained for the meeting of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Pope of Rome.The meeting was scheduled for 1997;its venue and date were fixed;yet the meeting did not take place.Later frequent attempts were made to resume the preparatory process,but at last the meeting between the Primates was held.We see the Divine Providence showing us the right time and venue for such historic meetings.*
Quite likely,we will not make some epoch-making decisions that will resound throughout the world.Yet,we will make our decisions to conform with the centuries-old teaching of the Holy Orthodox Church and the aspirations of our believers.These will be decisions disputed by no one,Metropolitan Ilarion told the seminar attendees.*
In his encyclical for Holy and Great Lent,His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey,Ecumenical Patriarchate,asked his flock to pray during this period for the Council.This is a historic event in the life of our Church and we should all pray for its success.Its success not only means reaching agreements on various ecclesiastical issues,but also showing that Christ gave His life for "the life of the world."Let us pray for the Holy and Great Council.Let us pray for His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew,whose mission in the service of Orthodox Unity is essential for the mystery of communion.By our common prayer we all become participants in this spiritual kairos as a way of glorifying our loving God.
May this Holy and Great Lent bring you many blessings,love,humility,patience and all of the virtues that we need for our salvation,and may we journey together to our Lord's glorious Resurrection with joy,praying for each other and those in need,Metropolitan Evangelos concluded.



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