Pan-Orthodox gathering in Instanbul

A solemn, festal part of the gathering began with the Vigil service and akathist to Most Holy Mother of God which was celebrated by Patriarch Theodor of Alexandria and with the participation of the primates of the Orthodox Churches, at the church of Holy Archangels on Bosphorus, in the Istanbul’s quarter of Mega Revma, full of believers from Istanbul and Greece.

The working is about to be finished with today’s morning session. The message of the Orthodox patriarchs and other primates of Orthodox Churches to the church and whole public will be solemnly announced during the Holy Liturgy on Sunday of Orthodoxy at the Cathedral church of Saint George on the Phanar.

Despite the state of emergency or even the difficult situation in many parts of the world inhabited by Orthodox believers, all Churches are represented by their Primates. The exception is the Patriarchate of Antioch, which first hierarch is justifiably absent due to the situation in Syria, but he is represented by the delegation of the highest rank.

Discussions included mainly two topics – the situation of the Orthodox Church in the world, and external and internal circumstances on which the success of its evangelical mission relies, and preparations for the convening of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Churches. They were concluded with the full harmony about all vital issues, which they are going to be presented in the message of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches from this meeting.