BOSTON – Metropolitan Emmanuel of France in an exclusive interview with TNH said that the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church, which will be convened in Crete in June, will cost 2.5 million euros.
“All the churches will contribute because the Ecumenical Patriarchate cannot assume the entire financial obligation. We are grateful to all churches and most especially to the Archdiocese of America for the financial help and also the manpower in organizing the Great Synod” and he added “we are grateful to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America.”
Metropolitan Emmanuel is a prominent hierarch of the Patriarchate, a member of its Holy Synod and close confidant of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Emmanuel said that “the preparations of the Great Synod are well underway in Crete where a special committee has been established for the reception and welcoming of the Prelates of the Orthodox Churches. It is anticipated that the Synod will convey the spirit of the role of the Church to the people of 21st century. The idea of the Synod started in 1923 and 1930, but the organization started 55 years ago.”
Emmanuel explained that the agenda consists of six topics, including the Church’s mission in the contemporary world, the Orthodox Diaspora, the Autonomy and its proclamation, fasting in the contemporary world, the Church and its relations to the rest of the Christian world, the mystery of marriage and its obstacles.
But what do these topics offer today, and especially to the young? “The Synod will have one strong and united voice of the Orthodox Church. Even if nothing is decided, it is enough the fact that at last the 14 Autocephalous Orthodox Churches will come together to send a message to the World. Orthodoxy will speak with one voice.”
Commenting on the endearment of the unity of the Great Synod because of the continuous dispute between the two ancient patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem over the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Qatar, which was established by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Emmanuel believes that “prudence will prevail and a solution will be found. We all strive toward that end.” He explained that “this problem doesn’t only wound the relations of those two Patriarchates but the entire Orthodox Church.”
Emmanuel said that “the Synod will go ahead if the problems between those two Patriarchates are not resolved. We cannot pull back.” He also said that “we can’t speak to the people about reconciliation without to be able to achieve reconciliation among ourselves.”
Why hold the Synod in Crete? “As you know, it had been decided initially to convene in Constantinople,” he replied, “but due to political conditions and disputes between Russia and Turkey, Crete was chosen because it is the Canonical Jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.” When we interjected that Crete is part of the one, free, unified Greece, whose capital is Athens, he said “we are not dividing Greece, nor there is any problem with the integrity of Greece. Since the Ecumenical Patriarch presides and proposes it was very natural to propose a place belonging to the Canonical Jurisdiction of the Ecumenical patriarchate. We don’t have any problem at this moment with the Church of Greece”.
Emmanuel said “I cannot give a number at this time – I don’t have the totals in front of me,” regarding how much money the Archdiocese of America and Leadership 100 contributed toward the Synod. He also did not know exactly how much transportation and security – to which Greece will also contribute financially – ultimately will cost.
But how will it look to Greeks, whose country is suffering through crisis, with people hungry, students fainting in schools and pensions continuously cut, for a convention of metropolitans and patriarchs in Crete, having fancy dinners? “We are, above all, human” Emmanuel replied. “We see how much the economic crisis has hit not only Greece but all of Europe and the world, and that crisis will be discussed during the Synod. Do not think that we will be eating and drinking without thinking of the others. Our aim is the success of the Great Synod.”