« At the Pan-Orthodox Assembly of Hierarchs in Great Britain Archbishop Elisey was elected Chairman of the Pastoral and Inter-Orthodox Commissions »

On 21^st June, Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh took part in the Pan-Orthodox Assembly of Bishops with responsibility in the British Isles, which was held at Thyateira House, the centre of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Constantinople). The Assembly operates in accordance with the decision reached at the 4^th Pre-conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference Meeting at Chambésy (Switzerland) in 2009.

The following hierarchs were present:

Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Constantinople);

Metropolitan Youhanna of Western and Central Europe (Patriarchate of Antioch);

Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh (Patriarchate of Moscow);

Bishop Dositej of Great Britain and Scandinavia (Patriarchate of Serbia);

Archbishop Iossif of Western and Southern Europe (Patriarchate of Romania);

Bishop Zenon of Dmanisi and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Georgia);

Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia);

Archbishop Anatoly of Kerch (Diocese of Sourozh, Patriarchate of Moscow);

Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia (Archdiocese of Thyateira, Patriarchate of Constantinople);

Bishop Chrysostomos of Kyanea (Archdiocese of Thyateira, Patriarchate of Constantinople);

Bishop Athanasios of Tropaeou (Archdiocese of Thyateira, Patriarchate of Constantinople).

The Assembly noted the importance of the meeting which is the first Inter-Orthodox Episcopal Assembly in the British Isles. The hierarchs discussed the organisation of the work and set up an Executive Committee, with Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira as President, Metropolitan Youhanna of Western and Central Europe and Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh as Vice-presidents, Bishop Dositej of Great Britain and Scandinavia as Treasurer, and Archbishop Iossif of Western and Southern Europe as General Secretary. Bishop Zenon of Dmanisi and Great Britain, Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain and Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia were also appointed Members of the Executive Committee. The Secretariat of the Committee is made up of Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou (Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Protopresbyter Samir Gholam (Patriarchate of Antioch).

Three Commissions were set up:

1.  Theological Commission, with Metropolitan Kallistos as Chairman will for the time-being  deal with liturgical, canonical and ecumenical questions, and with the preparation of an agreed list of Saints of the British Isles.
2. Pastoral and Inter-Orthodox Commission with Archbishop Elisey as Chairman will deal with Inter-Orthodox relations and with the organisation of Pan-Orthodox events.
3. Educational Commission with Archbishop Gregorios as Chairman will be concerned, among other things, with chaplains to universities, catechetical work and publications.

Each diocese will appoint a representative from either the clergy or the laity for each commission.

In the course of the meeting, the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church mentioned in particular the need to attract young people to the Church. They also touched pastoral problems arising in connection with marriage, and canonical issues involving the transfer of clergy from one diocese to another. 

It was decided that a further Episcopal Assembly meeting would be held in December 2010.

At the end of the meeting, Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira invited the members of the Assembly to a festal meal at Thyateira House.