The Dialogue between the Church of the G.O.C. of Greece and the Orthodox Ecclesiastical Community of Those in Resistance
Thirteenth Joint Statement
Thursday, February 7/20, 2014, the Thirteenth Joint Deliberation of the Committees for Dialogue Between the Church of the G.O.C. of Greece and the Orthodox Ecclesiastical Community in Resistance took place in the in the Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina in Phylē, Attica.
All of the appointed members of both committees were present, save His Grace, Bishop Ambrose of Methone who was out of the country.
During the Deliberation, those present discussed the draft of a joint document dealing with historical and ecclesiological matters, entitled The True Orthodox Church in Opposition to the Heresy of Ecumenism: Dogmatic and Canonical Issues, making additions and revisions, and the draft was finalized. Therefore, the discussion concerning ecclesiology has been finished.
In addition, they discussed other issues of a pastoral nature, concerning which they agreed on the following:
a. The issue of Holy Communion is an issue which is regulated by each person’s Spiritual Father. Those who receive the Immaculate Mysteries must be living in repentance, confessing regularly and appropriately prepared. Part of the preparation is fasting; the length of which is established by each person’s Spiritual Father taking into consideration each person’s spiritual state. Those who receive the Immaculate Mysteries must be members of the Genuine Orthodox Church.
b. They confirmed the common conviction concerning the great worth of the inspired Book of Revelation, indeed in our days when the syncretistic apostasy is spread far and wide.
c. They certified the acceptance and veneration of all types of icons which have been accepted by the Church until the 1924 schism.
d. They confirmed that the new-found persons who are alleged to be saints after the 1924 schism and lived in communion with the Ecumenists and Sergianists are not honored as Saints by Genuine Orthodoxy.
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Both Committees came to realize the fortunate completion of the work presented to them. Furthermore, the cooperation of the two sides will continue through the Committees’ Secretariats so that they can address and finalize those things which remain for the compilation of some other documents. Simultaneously, the Dialogue will continue between Committees made up of different personnel, in order to discuss issues of a canonical and practical nature.
It was agreed that he next Joint Deliberation made up of the present personnel, which will be of a procedural nature in order to sign the Common Conclusions of the present Dialogue, will take place on within the 2nd week of the Fast in the hall of church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Daphne, Athens.
From the Joint Secretariat of the Committees for Dialogue.
Daphne, Athens – Phylē
February 14/27, 2014
Translated from the Greek
