On 20 and 21 February 2017, the Joint Committee of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) met in Paris to reflect on 45 years of ecumenical cooperation between the two organisations and to explore new ways of cooperating.

The current socio-political climate – marked by instability and a lack of hope – informed many of the discussions in Paris. Representatives expressed a diversity of perspectives on our current context, including the future of Europe, social and political challenges, economic uncertainty and the myriad questions associated with widespread migration. The exchange was representative of the variety of perspectives found within European churches and indeed the continent as a whole. Continue reading →

Fribourg University (Switzerland) was chosen by the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church for the commemoration of the first anniversary of the first encounter between the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of Moscow. Last year, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill met at “José Martí” International Airport in Havana (Cuba) on 12 February 2016 and signed a common declaration. This year, Cardinal Kurt Koch (President of  Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk (Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Orthodox Church of Russia) came to Fribourg (Switzerland) to reflect on the challenges and perspectives of that ecumenical meeting. Continue reading →

On 8-11 February 2017, His Holiness Abune Matthias Asratetshion Kokebu I, Patriarch of Ethiopia, Archbishop of Axum, Echegue of the See of St. Tekle Haimanot, Primate of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church made an official visit to the World Council of Churches that included a visit of the Ecumenical Centre, meeting with the leadership of the WCC, meeting with the Orthodox staff members, meeting with the African staff, a visit of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey and a meeting with its faculty and students, a visit of the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy and a meeting with the leadership, faculty and students of its Postgraduate Institute of Orthodox Theology, a public conference at the Ecumenical Center of the WCC, and a Liturgy at the Ecumenical Centre Chapel. Continue reading →

1. We, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, and Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of All England, co-sponsored a special international Forum on Modern Slavery titled “Sins Before Our Eyes” at the Phanar from February 6-7, 2017. The Forum, originally proposed during the official visit by the Ecumenical Patriarch to Lambeth Palace in November 2015, was a high-level gathering of distinguished scholars, practitioners and policymakers from around the world, invited to discuss the contemporary problem of human exploitation. The Forum also takes place within the context of 2017: The Year of the Sanctity of Childhood, as declared by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

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“Lord, free the captives. Remember those in mines, in exile, in harsh labor, and in every kind of affliction, necessity, or distress . . . For You, Lord, are the helper of the helpless, the hope of the hopeless, and the savior of the afflicted.” (From the Liturgy of St. Basil)

Under the auspices of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, a Forum on Modern Slavery, co-sponsored by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of England took place in Istanbul from February 6–7, 2017. The Forum grew out of a conversation between His All-Holiness and His Grace Archbishop Justin of Canterbury during the formal Patriarchal visit to Lambeth Palace from November 2–4, 2015, which was in response to Archbishop Justin’s first visit to the Phanar from January 13–14, 2014. Continue reading →

On 26 January 2017, the World Council of Churches honoured its deputy general secretary, Mr. Georges Lemopoulos, upon his retirement after his 30 years of faithful service to the council and the ecumenical movement. Lemopoulos served also as Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 2008 to 2015.

Georges Lemopoulos served under five different WCC general secretaries, attended five general assemblies, 22 central and 52 executive committee meetings, numerous special ecumenical gatherings and worked in a range of different capacities within the council (from intern to staff member to deputy general secretary). His unique experience gave him the capacity of a highly critical and thoughtful approach to all WCC issues, always evaluating the present in the light of the past and of the future, strengthening the fellowship of churches and their vision. Continue reading →