Dr. Dimitrios Keramidas: A Pan-Orthodox Synod should be seated at Phanar

Patriarch Kirill and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: vaticannews.va

Dimitris Keramidas, a Dr of Theology and a Lecturer at St. Thomas Aquinas University (Angelicum) in Rome, has proposed the creation of a Phanar-seated Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which would include representatives from the Local Orthodox Churches.

According to him, such a body could facilitate inter-Orthodox dialogue and strengthen unity among the Churches.

Keramidas underscored that the “first” (i.e., bishops and Primates) in the Church must embody a consciousness of unity, a deep sense of ecclesial ministry and self-offering, and a spirit of understanding and cooperation with the “many.”

Their leadership should not “reinforce a 'partial' identity – such as those shaped by national Orthodox Churches – but rather transcend such divisions, or call the Churches to do so, in order to express the universality of Christianity and the ecumenical nature of the ecclesial experience – the shared faith in the one and same Christ.”

He stated that “horizontal” relations among the Local Churches should be combined with a “vertical” primacy, which would be realized through a Synod. Such primacy, however, should be “one that does not negate the ontological equality of the Churches but instead fosters unity and a shared witness to the Gospel.”

Keramidas believes that structurally, this mechanism could take the form of a “permanent Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, seated at the Phanar, with the participation of representatives from the other Orthodox Churches, including those from the diaspora.”

In his view, such a body could address issues of autocephaly, liturgical renewal, and inter-Christian relations.

The theologian also pointed out that if the “first” Church holds special privileges – “coordination, presidency, and the right of appeal” – these “must always be exercised in consultation with the ‘many.’”

According to him, “the ongoing institutional presence of Orthodoxy through the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as demonstrated by the Synaxes of the Orthodox Primates, could serve as a counterbalance to national-ecclesiastical narratives.”

Such an approach, Keramidas argues, would "act as a means of bridging differences, fostering greater cohesion, and emphasizing the universal character of Orthodoxy rather than reinforcing localized perspectives.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch Bartholomew stated that the Ecumenical Patriarchate would not submit its decisions for review by other Churches.

Additionally, Patriarch Bartholomew, despite making repeated statements against ethnophyletism in the Church, urged Greeks to take pride in their heritage.

Furthermore, Archbishop Elpidophoros claimed that the head of the Phanar is a spiritual father for all people, whether they realize it or not.

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