Abp. Chrysostomos leaves an invitation to Synaxis of Primates unanswered

Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justinian and All Cyprus. Photo: romfea.gr

The Head of the Church of Cyprus, Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justinian and All Cyprus, did not answer the invitation to the Council of Primates, which he’d received from Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III. This was reported by the Greek online edition Romfea.gr.

“I thought it reasonable not to respond. I did not consider this a serious act. I have not considered this since I received this question from my friend the Patriarch,” Archbishop Chrysostomos III commented on his decision.

According to the Head of the Church of Cyprus, "only the Ecumenical Patriarch and no one else has the right to convene a Pan-Orthodox Council of Primates."

Recall that on November 21, 2019, when Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem was awarded the Prize of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples, he invited the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches to discuss “the issue of maintaining our unity in Eucharistic communion”. Arguing that such a Council can only be convened by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the Head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, said he would not participate in the work of the Council of Primates.

On December 28, 2019, Antioch Patriarch John X received a letter from Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem with an invitation to the Council of Primates of Orthodox Churches, planned in Jordan to resolve the “Ukrainian issue”, and reaffirmed the position of the Holy Synod of his Church, which had previously advocated the need for a meeting of the Heads of Local Orthodox Churches for a joint solution of Orthodox issues.

The Head of the Albanian Church, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, also called for an early convocation of the Council on the issue of the OCU.

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