The 4th European Orthodox-Catholic Forum completes its work in Minsk
On 5 June 2014, the 4th European Orthodox-Catholic Forum on ‘Religion and Cultural Pluralism: Challenges for the Christian Churches in Europe’ completed its work in Minsk. Taking part in the forum were Orthodox and Catholic hierarchs, clergymen and laymen from twenty-one European countries.
On the last day of their work, the delegates adopted a final statement on the results of the reports delivered at the forum.
In the preamble, they expressed gratitude to the Byelorussian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Catholic archdiocese of Minsk and Mogilev, the government of Belarus and the local authorities for hospitality and excellent organization of the forum.
It was noted that the topic of the forum was chosen in response to the requests from Christian communities of Europe sine they encounter the consequences of changes in culture and ethics on the continent.
The co-chairmen of the forum, Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Ecumenical Patriarchate) and Cardinal Péter Erdö, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, sent a letter to President Alexander Lukashenko of the Republic of Belarus, in which they thanked him on behalf of all participants for an opportunity to hold the forum in Minsk and for the honour he did them by granting them a lengthy audience.
The participants resolved that the 5th forum will be held on the problems of migration in Paris in the autumn of 2016.
