Greek Metropolitan: the Council can’t be Pan-Orthodox if not all Bishops Vote

Metropolitan Simeon of Nea Smyrni protested against the fact that at the Pan-Orthodox Council not all bishops will have the right to vote. He said this in his claim to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, reports Romfea.

"The Council can’t be regarded Holy and Pan-Orthodox if not all the bishops, but only the Primates of Local Churches, even with impressive delegations, take part in it. Reducing the number of participating bishops diminishes the authority of the Council," said Metropolitan Simeon.

In his opinion, the fact that at the Council only one voice presenting the Church will be taken into account, but not the voices of all the bishops, is at odds with the democratic Orthodoxy.

The Primate regretted that the forthcoming Council will not consider such important issues of Christianity as the question of diptychs, autocephalous status and the way of its proclamation, the calendar issue.

He also claimed that he wasn’t willing to participate in the delegation of 24 bishops who will accompany Archbishop Jerome and represent the Church of Greece at the Pan-Orthodox Council.

According to him, the delegates should be elected at the Council of Bishops of the Church of Greece by secret ballot.

Earlier criticism of issues related to the Pan-Orthodox Council was voiced by the representatives of Cyprus, Georgia, Greek and Bulgarian Churches.

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