Patriarch Bartholomew on the Council in Crete: "Despite the refusal of a number of Churches to participate, the unity of Orthodoxy has not been compromised"

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople delivered a speech at an international academic conference in France marking the tenth anniversary of the 2016 Council of Crete. According to the Orthodoxia News Agency ( ), in his address, the head of the Phanar emphasized that the Council demonstrated the power of theology as the “iron core” of the Church, capable of interpreting the Gospel in today’s changing world.

Bartholomew noted that, despite the last-minute refusal of several Churches (the Churches of Antioch, Russia, Bulgaria, and Georgia) to participate in the event, the conciliarity of Orthodoxy remained intact. According to him, the attempt to cast doubt on the Council’s legitimacy had no ecclesiastical or canonical basis and merely put the functioning of the conciliar spirit to the test.

The Patriarch emphasized that the Church must remain open to dialogue with culture and society, avoiding both the extremes of secularization and fruitless introversion. He particularly highlighted the importance of youth, stating that the Church is called to offer young people not merely assistance, but “the truth of life in Christ.”

In concluding his address, the patriarch expressed his confidence that the legacy of the Council of Crete continues to live on through theological analysis and the practical application of its decisions in the life of the local Churches. Conference participants also discussed the importance of the Council’s recently published minutes, which make the process of conciliar discussions more transparent and accessible for study.