Orthodox Council moved from Turkey to Greece over Russia crisis

A historical meeting bringing together representatives of 300 million Orthodox Christians, which had been due to be held in Istanbul this year after centuries away, has been shifted to the Greek island of Crete. The move came after the RussianOrthodox Church indicated that it did not want to come to Turkey due to the crisis between the two countries over the downing of a Russian jet that violated the Turkish-Syrian border last year, GreekOrthodox Patriarch Bartholomew told a group of journalists on April 18.

The Pan-Orthodox Council, or the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church as it is officially referred to, will be held in Crete on June 17-27. The first Pan-Orthodox Council is highly anticipated, as it has been planned ever since 1961. 

The Patriarch explained that the last equivalent of such a Council, the "Ecumenical Council," was held in Nicaea (?znik in today's Turkey) in the year 787, centuries before the Eastern and Western Churches were split in the Schism of 1054.  

"Then there were only four churches. Now in Orthodoxy we have 14 churches, led by us in Istanbul. This is going to be their first joint meeting," Patriarch Bartholomew said. Other Churches from east and west, including the Catholic Church in the Vatican, will be sending observers to the Crete Council.

In a 2014 conference in Istanbul, it was agreed to hold the Council at the Hagia Irene church-museum in Istanbul, which was built before the neighboring Hagia Sophia in the 4th century, and which was also the first house of the Orthodox Patriarchate. However, Patriarchate officials say they received a message in late December 2015 that said Patriarch Kirill of the RussianOrthodox Church in Moscow did not find it appropriate to hold the Council meeting in...