CONSTANTINOPLE PATRIARCHATE POSTPONES SYNOD SESSION ON "UKRAINIAN QUESTION" UNTIL OCTOBER
Interfax-Religiia, 22 August 2018
The session of the synod of the Constantinople patriarchate at which, according to news media reports, the question of granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church might be considered has been moved from September to October, the internet publication LV.ua reports, with reference to its own sources within the church.
The report notes that this session was supposed to be held on 10 September, and there was a high likelihood that it would be at this session that the Ukrainian church question would be resolved, although "now its resolution must wait at least until October." The tentative new dates for the synod are also given: 9-11 October.
At the same time, as had been planned previously, on 1 to 3 September there will be in Istanbul a Synaxis—a meeting of all bishops of Constantinople led by Patriarch Bartholomew, who on the day before, 31 August, will meet in Istanbul with Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill.
The portal writes that yet earlier there will be a scheduled synod, but the Ukrainian question is not expected for discussion at it.
In expert church circles it is thought that at the Synaxis—a meeting of Constantinople bishops—in all likelihood the questions of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian and Macedonian churches will be discussed, although the decision on these questions is the prerogative not of the Synaxis but of the synod.
It is also noted that if the sessions of the synod are conducted more or less regularly, then the Synaxis is assembled quite rarely (the last time was three years ago). (tr. by PDS, posted 23 August 2018)
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