Orthodox clergy committee gets down to work at EU

A committee of Orthodox clergy from the EU countries has started work at the European Union. The committee is widely expected to open up new prospects for enhancing European cultural values. According to the Russian Orthodox Church representative in the EU, Archpriest Anatoliy Ilyin, the dialogue between the political community and the church should also give Orthodoxy a say in political decision-making. The initiative to set up such a committee belongs to Metropolitan Ilarion, who heads the Foreign Relations Department in the Moscow Patriarchate, and Metropolitan Immanuil, who represents the Constantinople Patriarchate.