Διεθνές Επιστημονικό Συνέδριο Η Αγία και Μεγάλη Σύνοδος της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας (2016–2026): Αξιολόγηση και Προοπτικές

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE

The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church

(2016–2026): Assessment and Prospects

5–8 October 2026

Chantilly, France

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Monday, 5 October 2026

17:00–19:00: Opening

Welcome on behalf of the Organizing Committee: His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon

Opening Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Session I

Chair: His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

1. His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna (Ecumenical Patriarchate), “The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church: Its Legacy for Orthodoxy and the Role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate”.
2. His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Cameroon (Patriarchate of Alexandria), “The Missionary Dimension of the Holy and Great Council”.
3. His Eminence Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias (Church of Greece), “Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as President of the Holy and Great Council”.
4. Archon Jean-François Colosimo (Éditions du Cerf), “Primacy and Kenosis: The Conciliar Ministry of the Ecumenical Throne”.

Discussion – Dinner

Tuesday, 6 October 2026

08:00–08:30: Breakfast

08:30: Matins

09:30–11:00: Session II: Encyclical – Message

Chair: His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, Orthodox Co-Chair of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

1. His Grace Bishop Maxim (Patriarchate of Serbia), “Metropolitan John of Pergamon and the Holy and Great Council: Theological Vision and Conciliar Contribution”.
2. Reverend Professor Dr Hyacinthe Destivelle OP (Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas – Angelicum, Rome), “The Encyclical and the Message of the Holy and Great Council: A Roman Catholic Reading”.
3. Professor Dr Emeritus Konstantinos Delikostantis (Ecumenical Patriarchate; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), “The Encyclical and the Message of the Holy and Great Council”.

11:00: Break

11:30–13:00: Session III: The Orthodox Diaspora

Chair: His Eminence Metropolitan Kyrillos of Krini, Patriarchal Exarch of Malta (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

1. His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Ecumenical Patriarchate), “The Formation and Development of the Conciliar Document ‘The Orthodox Diaspora’”.
2. Reverend Protopresbyter Professor Dr Viorel Ioniță (Patriarchate of Romania), “The practical implementation of The Synodal Document on The Orthodox Diaspora”.
3. Reverend Archpriest Professor Dr Alexander Rentel (St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York, USA), “Church Unity and not Jurisdictionalism as the Ultimate Goal”.

13:00–14:00: Lunch

15:00–16:30: Session IV: Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World

Chair: His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, President of the Conference of European Churches (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

1. Reverend Professor Dr Michel Fédou SJ (Facultés Loyola Paris), “The Roman Catholic Reception of the Conciliar Document ‘Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World’”.
2. Rt Reverend Christopher Hill (Bishop Emeritus, Church of England), “Common issues in the Council’s text on relations with the rest of the Christian world with other Christian Churches”.
3. Professor Dr Stylianos Tsompanidis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), “‘Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World’: A Milestone in Orthodox Ecumenical Witness – Legacy and Prospects Ten Years On”.
4. Dr Andrej Jeftić (World Council of Churches), “Fullness and Fellowship: A WCC Reading of the Holy and Great Council, Ten Years On”.

16:30: Break

17:00–18:30: Session V: Autonomy and the Means by Which it is Proclaimed

Chair: Professor Emmanouil Karageorgoudis, Dean of the School of Theology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

1. His Eminence Metropolitan Gregorios of Peristeri (Church of Greece; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), “Conciliar Autonomy: Affirming Ecclesial Otherness and Ecclesial Communion Together”.
2. Dr Jelisei Heikkilä (Church of Finland), “The Canonical Autonomy of the Orthodox Church of Finland: History and the Document of the Council of Crete”.
3. Mr Tauri Tölpt (Church of Estonia), “The Autonomy of the Orthodox Church of Estonia: Development and Peculiarities”.
4. Dr Alexander Smotchevski (Patriarchate of Bulgaria), “From Pre-Conciliar Preparation to Conciliar Approval: The Formation of the Document ‘Autonomy and the Means by Which it is Proclaimed’ of the Holy and Great Council (Crete 2016)”.

Wednesday, 7 October 2026

08:00–08:30: Breakfast

08:30: Matins

09:30–11:00: Session VI: The Sacrament of Marriage and its Impediments

Chair: Reverend Protopresbyter Alexis Struve (Metropolis of France)

1. Very Reverend Grand Ecclesiarch Dr Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office (Ecumenical Patriarchate; St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney, Australia; Faculty of Law, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), “The Second Marriage of Clergy: From the Holy and Great Council to the Holy and Sacred Synod.”
2. Professor Dr Julija Vidovic (St Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute, Paris), “From Acribia to Oikonomia: The Pastoral Reception of the Sacrament of Marriage Ten Years after the Holy and Great Council”.
3. Professor Dr Eirini Christinaki (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), “Canonical Issues Concerning Mixed and Inter-Christian Marriages from an Orthodox Perspective: Assessing the Legislative Lacuna Ten Years after the Holy and Great Council of Crete”.

11:00: Break

11:30–13:00: Session VII: The Importance of Fasting and Its Observance Today

Chair: His Eminence Metropolitan George of Guinea and Exarch of Mauritius and Réunion (Patriarchate of Alexandria)

1. Mother Hypantia, Abbess (Monastery of Solan, France), “The Forbidden Fruit: The Genesis of Freedom and the Death of Death”.
2. Reverend Protopresbyter Professor Dr Chrysostomos Nassis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), “The Endless Refinement of the Perfect:” Ascetical Discipline of Fasting and the Holy and Great Council.
3. Reverend Hieromonk Dr Nicholas (Sakharov) (Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Essex, United Kingdom), “Further Theological Perspectives on the Holy and Great Council’s Teaching on Fasting in the Orthodox Church”.
4. Very Reverend Archimandrite Tychon, Abbot of Stavronikita Monastery (Mount Athos), “Fasting in the Tradition of Mount Athos and the Holy and Great Council”.

13:00–14:00: Lunch

15:00–16:30: Session VIII: The Mission of the Orthodox Church in Today’s World

Chair: His Eminence Metropolitan Theodoros of Seleucia, Professor at the Patriarchal University Ecclesiastical Academy of Crete (Ecumenical Patriarchate)

1. Dr William Vendley (Religions for Peace), “Shared Sacred Flourishing and the Tenth-year Commemoration of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church.”
2. His Eminence Metropolitan Vasilios of Constantia (Church of Cyprus), “Political Theology according to the Documents of the Holy and Great Council”.
3. His Eminence Metropolitan John of Varna (Patriarchate of Bulgaria), “The Mission of the Orthodox Church: relevance of the Council message from Crete and challenges to the Church witness today”.
4. Reverend Protopresbyter Dr Michael Tița (Patriarchate of Romania), “The Document of the Mission of the Orthodox Church in Today’s World – a renewed commitment for today and in the future”.

16:30: Break

17:00–18:30: Session IX: For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church

Chair: Reverend Archdeacon Professor Dr John Chryssavgis (Huffington Ecumenical Institute)

1. Reverend Protopresbyter Dr Nicolas Kazarian (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America), “For the Life of the World – and the Social Ethos of the Holy and Great Council”.
2. Reverend Dr Dietmar Schon OP (Institute for Eastern Churches of the Diocese of Regensburg, Germany), “For the Life of the World” – An Approach from a Roman-Catholic Perspective.
3. Professor Dr Stephanie Dietrich (VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway; World Council of Churches), “Ecumenical perspectives on ‘For the Life of the World: Towards a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church’”.

Thursday, 8 October 2026

08:00–08:30: Breakfast

08:30: Matins

09:30–11:00: Closing Session

Round Table: Assessment – Prospects

Chair: His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon 

1. His Beatitude Archbishop John of Tirana and All Albania
2. His Eminence Metropolitan Job of Pisidia (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
3. Reverend Archdeacon Professor Dr John Chryssavgis Chryssavgis (Huffington Ecumenical Institute)
4. Professor Dr Emeritus Theodoros Giagkou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
5. Mr Carol Saba (Patriarchate of Antioch)