A step towards solution of the dispute
between Fanari and Church of Greece
In Athens, March 1st 2004


The Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in its 147th Session convened today, Monday the 1st March 2004, with His Beatitude Christodoulos, Archbishop of Athens & all Greece presiding over this first meeting for this month.

His Beatitude informed the Conciliar Hierarchs about the most recent developments in the matter which has arisen during the past eight months in the relationship between the Church of Greece and the Patriarchate. From the beginning firmly committed to the solution of the crisis through sober and brotherly dialogue, the Archbishop reported in detail on the last three missions of the Eminent Metropolitans Anthimos of Alexandroupolis and Panteleimon of Beroea & Naousa to the Ecumencial Patriarchate (2.2.2004, 11.2.2004 and 27.2.2004). These missions were realized through the initiative of His Beatitude and the assent of His All-Holiness.

The result of the most recent mission was the initial acceptance by the Patriarch and Patriarchal Synod of a draft of a text originating from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which had undergone revisions by the Archbishop. His Eminence Anthimos, Metropolitan of Alexandroupolis, was called from the Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and was present together with His Eminence Panteleimon, Metropolitan of Beroea & Naousa; he informed the Council both orally and in writing relative to the decisions which were finally taken by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, to which the afore-mentioned draft was introduced for final evaluation, approved it unanimously and will send it with documentation to His All-Holiness. In this proposal the Church of Greece a) reiterates that it confirms the status quo of the New Regions, and b) sends the list of candidates for the Hierarchy, in view of filling the vacancies in the Sacred Dioceses of Thessalonica, Eleftheroupolis, and Serbia & Kozane, in order for him to exercise his rights.

Finally, the Standing Holy Synod discussed and took decisions relative to current administrative matters.

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