Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople stated that the historic gathering of church leaders in Crete will take place tomorrow regardless of the absences.
Russia is the fourth Orthodox church to say that it will not attend the gathering intended to bring together leaders of 14 independent Orthodox churches to promote unity among the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians.
Vartholomaios, who is based in Istanbul, said he hoped the Russian church and three others would change their mind.
“This great event is overshadowed by the decision of certain churches not to attend,” Bartholomew said from Hania.
“The responsibility for their decisions will burden their churches,” he said.
“I hoped that even at the last minute, they would review their decisions, respect their signatures and be present here, on Crete, since all the heads of all Orthodox churches had previously signaled their willingness to attend the event at a meeting in Geneva in January.”
The meeting, dubbed the Holy and Great Council, is scheduled to last a week.
The Holy and Great Council, was to become the first meeting of all Orthodox leaders since the year 787, but with the Russian Orthodox Church and three other churches staying away its pan-Orthodox aura has faded.