WCC NEWS: WCC interim general secretary meets with Patriarch Bartholomew I

The Ecumenical Patriarch with the WCC interim general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan
Sauca, Chambesy, Geneva, June 2020, Photo: Xanthi Morfi/WCC

World Council of Churches interim general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca met earlier this week with Patriarch Bartholomew I at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Geneva, to discuss preparations leading up to the WCC 11th Assembly, which will occur in 2022. They explored together how to strengthen relationships within the ecumenical movement, and augment the role of the Orthodox churches.

Patriarch Bartholomew convened greetings and blessings to Sauca, who is the first Orthodox serving in this leading role.

They also discussed at the meeting ways to foster the next generation of the leaders in the ecumenical movement and the role of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey.

Present at the meeting were Metropolitans Athenagoras of Belgium and Maximos of Switzerland, and Archbishop Job of Telmessos. Between 23-25 June, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was convened for its regular meeting of the current month.

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Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania.

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