Disputes grow over Pan-Orthodox Council

Senior Russian Orthodox officials have called for next year’s planned Pan-Orthodox Council, the first for over a millennium, to be held in Russia, not Istanbul, writes Jonathan Luxmoore.

“The decision to stage this council next year was taken in March 2014 by representatives of all local Orthodox churches,” said Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk,  Moscow Patriarchate secretary for inter-Orthodox relations. “We can only hypothesise about how  recent political circumstances may affect this event.” He said arrangements for a preparatory meeting could be complicated by the deterioration of Russian-Turkish ties following Turkey’s late-November downing of a Russian fighter jet.