4th Pre-Conciliar All-Orthodox Conference Starts
A beginning of the 4th All-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference in Chambesy near Geneva was marked with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy which was led by Metropolitan John of Pergamum on Sunday, on the Feast of Pentecost, at the church of St. Paul The Apostle of the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
A theme of diasporas, about which is going to be discussed, is the seven out of ten themes mentioned in a catalogue of themes of a future Great Assembly of the Orthodox Church. The other three themes left are: a question of ways of proclamation of autocephaly and autonomy, as well as the question of a dyptich, which is a rang of honorary precedence within the Orthodox Church.
The Holy Synod of Bishops brought the decision that Their Graces Bishops Irinej of Bachka and retired Atanasije of Zahumlje and Hercegovina followed by priests Gaja Gajic and Vukashin Milicevic,as a consultant, present the Serbian Orthodox Church.
After the Holy liturgy and holiday evening service, Metropolitan John of Pergamum spoke to the present people and those who take part in consultations recalling the blessing of the Holy Spirit for all the gathered and reminded of the Holy Trinity character of the Church and constitutional action of the Holy Spirit in building and preserving the unity of One, Holy, Collegiate and Apostolic Church.
A working task of this conference is analysis, eventually a progress and, finally, accepting the suggestions of preparation comissions (1990. and 1993.) on ways of organising life and mission of the Orthodox Church in areas in which Orthodoxy acts in conditions of diaspora.
