St. Innocent Orthodox Church Z Founded in 1967 Z Patriarchal Parishes Z 23300 W. Chicago _ Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-538-1142 _ Fax: 313-538-8126 Church Website: www.stinnocentchurch.com _ E-Mail: [email protected] St. Innocent Monastic Community: 9452 Hazelton, Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-535-9080 PASTOR: Rt. Rev. Mitered Archpriest ROMAN STAR _ Cell: 313-319-0590 Dean, Central States Deanery, Patriarchal Parishes JUNE 12, 2016 ASSISTANT PRIEST: Rev. DANEIL SHIRAK _ 313-295-3073 EPISTLE: Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 (#44) DEACON: Rev. Dn. Michael Comerford GOSPEL: St. John 17:1-13 (#56) SUBDEACON: Dr. Joshua Genig TONE: 6 ATTACHED: Sister Ioanna CHOIR DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Star Hatfield READERS: Robert Joseph Latsko & George Hanoian

Z FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL Z Z AFTERFEAST of the ASCENSION — The 7th Sunday of Pascha Z

_ 9:15AM — HOURS & AKATHIST/CANON FOR THE RESURRECTION; CONFESSIONS _ _ 10am — DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM _

COMMEMORATED TODAY: Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. Afterfeast of Ascension. Ven. Onuphrius the Great (4th c.) and Ven. Peter of Mt. Athos (734). Finding of the Relics (1649) and the second glorification (1909) of Rt. Blv. Anna of . Ven. Arsenius, Abbot of Konevits (1447). Ven. Onuphry, Abbot of Mal’sk (—1492). Ven. Bassian and Jonah of Pertomsk (Solovétsky Monastery—1561).

FOR THE REPOSE OF: Estelle & Joseph Star; Anna & John Witkowski; Michael Sr. & Margaret Rusko; Mary, Andrew, Daniel, Michael & Lottie Yakuber; Ross & Margaret Falsetti; Helen, John & Carole Andrayko; Peter & Theresa Harvilla; Betty Martell; Frances & Todd Smoly; Peter Glover; Irene Adams; Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua deVyver, David Horka; Michael Rusko; Anna Lichagina, Yelena & Zinaïda Korniyevskaya; Joseph Nossal; Michelle Tucker; Todd Comerford. MEMORY ETERNAL! All our departed fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers & godfathers

FOR THE HEALTH OF: Archimandrite Seraphim; Priest Daneil, Matushka Debra & Corrina Shirak; Deacon Michael, Matushka Mary Ellen & Julius Comerford; Matushka Mary Donahue; Subdeacon Joshua & Abigail Genig; Reader Robert Latsko, Reader George & Betty Hanoian, Rose Nossal, Mary Glover, Nancy Cupp, Vasiliki Stamoulis, Gerald Martell, Azbehat, Donald Yakuber, Carl deVyver, Jo Anne Nicholas, Joan Rusko, Daria, Joseph Nossal, Ed Manier, Martha Genig; Jennifer (Madias)& sick unborn child; Marianna Wess & unborn child. ALSO FOR: Jason Truskowski, who celebrates his birthday Tomorrow, Monday, 13 June Vasiliki Stamoulis (recovering from surgery on Tuesday, June 7th) Anna Genig (recovering from sickness) All our living fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers & godfathers Fr. Roman, the Spiritual Father of our parish Š MAY GOD GRANT THEM MANY YEARS! Š

SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEK (Regular fasting on Wednesday & Friday) Saturday 6/18 10am PENTECOST SOUL SATURDAY MEMORIAL DIVINE LITURGY for the departed 4pm GREAT VESPERS FOR PENTECOST & CONFESSIONS Sunday 6/19 Great Feast of Pentecost (Troitse/Trinity Sunday) 9:15am Hours & Canon/Akathist & Confessions 10am DIVINE LITURGY & Pentecost Vespers with Kneeling Prayers; Followed by Coffee Hour

Z CHRIST HAS ASCENDED! Z TRULY HE HAS ASCENDED! Z GLORIFY HIM! Z CANDLES FOR LAST SUNDAY, 5 JUNE YEARLY CHURCH VIGIL LAMPS: Royal Doors Lamp: In Memory of Husband, Joseph; Son, Kenneth; parents, Michael & Margaret Rusko, & John & Martha Nossal, by Rose Nossal Altar Candelabra: In Memory of Parents, Nicholas and Susan Yakuber, by son, Donald Yakuber Altar Candles (2): In Memory of Irene Adams, by Goddaughter, Rose Ann Everhardt Iconostasis Lamps: In Memory of Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; Robert David H; & Health of brother, Carl, by Sister Ioanna Candles on the Solea: In Memory of Peter & Theresa Harvilla, Norman & Monica Holst, & Ricky Ellis, by Jason & Debra Truskowski Table of Oblation Lamp: In Memory of Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, Sr. & sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko, Jr. Reliquary-Icon Lamps: Sts. Innocent, Tikhon & Herman: Health of Joseph/Sue; Robert/Diane; Pat/John; Joseph B., Jared, Jay; Rachelle/Aaron, Gabriel; Tricia, Lindsey; & In Memory of sisters, Anna, Margaret, Theresa & Irene; & brothers, John, Edwin & Michael by Rose Nossal Reliquary-Icon Lamps: Sts. Elizabeth & Raphael: Health of the Genig and the Just Families, by Subdeacon Joshua & Abigail Genig Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Seraphim & St. Alexis: In Memory of Ross & Margaret Falsetti, by daughters, Rose Ann Everhardt & Margie Martell Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Hilarion & Sts. Alexandra & Martha (AVAILABLE) Reliquary-Icon Lamps: St. Nestor & St. Gerontius (AVAILABLE) IN MEMORY OF (MEMORY ETERNAL!) Joseph & Estelle Star, by son Father Roman and family Paul & Alexandra Yupco, Basil & Ellen Starinshak, by grandson, Father Roman and family John & Anna Witkowski, by daughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Samuel & Mary Kupec, by granddaughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, and sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko My husband, Joe; my sisters, Margaret & Ross Falsetti, Anna & Mike Elaschat, Theresa & Pete Harvilla, Irene, & brothers, Michael, John & Edwin Rusko; niece, Rose Mary & Dean Hough; Joe’s brothers, Raymond & Walter Nossal, & sisters, Theresa, Florence & Helen Nossal, by Rose Nossal ++ + Pete & Theresa Harvilla, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Truskowski + + + My husband, Michael Rusko, by Joan Rusko Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; David H; Nina I; Marion P; Fr. Photius; Mo. Benedicta; Archm. Roman; Olive, by Sister Ioanna Thelma Ratcliff, Louis Pitts, Gloria Robinson, Reginald Bell, Lessie Favor, Lois Hamby, by Manier Family FOR THE HEALTH OF: (MANY YEARS!) Elizabeth & Lawrence, Caitlin & Zachary, by parents & grandparents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Gregory & Tamiko Star, by parents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Children, Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren; Monk Fr. Sdn. Tikhon (Dade); by Rose Nossal Father Roman & Matushka & family; Sister Ioanna; John Andrayko; Nancy; Mary G; Jo Anne N; Grandson Joey (in the Navy Reserves) & all people in the Armed Forces; & all the people of St. Innocent Church, by Rose Nossal My Mom, Jaime Truskowski, by Kay Truskowski + + + Family & Friends, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay T. Brother, Greg & Donna; nephew, Gregory & Liz; & nephew, Alex, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay + + + Ed Manier, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Archimandrites Nafanail, Gregory & Seraphim; Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie; Fr. Lawrence & fam; Fr. Laurence & fam; Fr. Daneil & fam; Dcn. Michael & fam; Mat. Mary D; Carl; Sdn Fr. Tikhon; Sdn Andrew; Sdn Joshua, Abigail & children; Rdr Robert; Robert M; David Samuel, Sky & Avi; Jo Anne/Nick; Athanasius; John A; Ed/Tiffany; Kim & fam; Vasiliki; Rose; Emil; Billy/Fonda; Donald Y; Marianna & unborn baby, by Sr Ioanna + + + John Andrayko (May God watch over him), by Rose Nossal + + + Rose Nossal, by John Andrayko Zachary Minnick (Graduation from HS today), by Grandparents, Fr. Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Carrie Jefferson (Heart Attack, 5/30), by daughter Tamiko & husband, Greg Star Leia, Mike Reece & Baby; Joan & Bob Jurczynszyn; Paul Stelmaszek; Pete, Jacob, Claire, Matt & Krista Stelmaszek; Levi Troyer, Damon& Briann Saylor; Toni & Richard Bussen; Liz Tomachewski & Andrea Faust, by Becky Jurczyszyn + + + Manier children & grandchildren & all Manier family, by Ed & Tiffany + + + Jennifer Kelley (breast cancer); Donna Williams (MS); Brittany Truitt (personal issues), by Manier family; Salvation of: Brittany Truitt, Edward Manier Jr., Rebecca Manier, Bronte Manier, Breanna Manier, by Tiffany & Ed PROSPHORA FOR TODAY IS OFFERED BY: John Andrayko In Memory Eternal of: sister, Carole Andrayko (6/5); parents, Helen (10/24) & John Andrayko, Sr. (1/28); and all other departed family, friends & loved ones; and For the Health of: John Andrayko, Fr. Roman & Matushka Rose Marie; Rose Nossal; Fr. Daneil & all parishioners. ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) COCC DRAWING FOR TIGERS GAME SUITE, 20 TICKETS, BUFFET & MORE. Please help the COCC finance its DOOR weekly Radio Hour and other educational and charitable work by buying a ticket for the Tigers game suite raffle. With a maximum of 150 tickets sold, the odds of winning are very high. $100 per ticket. Buy a “group” ticket with 2, 4 or 5 people to split the cost. Tigers vs. Houston Astros, Sat. July 30th, 7pm. (Abigail & Sdn. Josh Genig went 2 years ago thru a winning ticket at their former church.) See Fr. Roman for tickets. Flyer & Details at: http://coccdetroit.com/files/Flyers/cocc/2016/COCC-TigersSuiteRaffle2016.pdf 2) MANY ON-GOING THANKS to John Andrayko and Rdr. George Hanoian for mowing & weed-wacking the lawn every week; and to those who regularly maintain the beautiful the church flower gardens; and trim & weed bushes/plants along the front. Volunteers needed. 3) KITCHEN & COFFEE HOUR NEEDS: Cases of bottled spring water (8 oz.), individual drinks for children, napkins, knives, forks & spoons. 4) MAKE SURE YOU READ (if you haven’t already read it) OUR LATEST NEW ARTICLE ON OUR WEBSITE, BY SDN. JOSHUA — “A JUDGMENT-FREE JESUS,” AT: http://stinnocentchurch.com/a_judgment_free_jesus.html 5) LISTEN EVERY SUNDAY TO THE COCC’S DETROIT’S OWN ORTHODOX RADIO HOUR [DOOR] ON WNZK 690-AM, 4-5 pm, or on your computer/smart-phone, live, at http://www.doorradio.org. This website also has an archive of all its previous programs. Excellent! COMMEMORATION OF THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL That falls on the 7th Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday between the Ascension & Pentecost — June 12, 2016 On the seventh Sunday of Pascha, we commemorate the holy God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council. The Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council has been celebrated by the Church of Christ from ancient times. The Lord Jesus Christ left the Church a great promise, “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mt. 16:18). Although the Church of Christ on earth will pass through difficult struggles with the Enemy of salvation, it will emerge victorious. The holy martyrs bore witness to the truth of the Savior’s words, enduring suffering and death for confessing Christ, but the persecutor’s sword is shattered by the Cross of Christ. Persecution of Christians ceased during the fourth century, but heresies arose within the Church itself. One of the most pernicious of these heresies was Arianism. Arius, a priest of Alexandria, was a man of immense pride and ambition. In denying the divine nature of Jesus Christ and His equality with God the Father, Arius falsely taught that the Savior is not consubstantial with the Father, but is only a created being. A local Council, convened with Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria presiding, condemned the false teachings of Arius. However, Arius would not submit to the authority of the Church. He wrote to many bishops, denouncing the decrees of the local Council. He spread his false teaching throughout the East, receiving support from certain Eastern bishops. Investigating these dissensions, the holy emperor Constantine (May 21) consulted Bishop Hosius of Cordova (Aug. 27), who assured him that the heresy of Arius was directed against the most fundamental dogma of Christ’s Church, and so he decided to convene an Ecumenical Council. In 325, 318 bishops representing Christian Churches from various lands gathered together at Nicea. Among the assembled bishops were many confessors who had suffered during the persecutions, and who bore the marks of torture upon their bodies. Also participating in the Council were several great luminaries of the Church: St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia (December 6 and May 9), St Spyridon, Bishop of Tremithos (December 12), and others venerated by the Church as holy Fathers. With Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria came his deacon, Athanasius (center figure in icon) (who later became Patriarch of Alexandria (May 2 and January 18). He is called “the Great,” for he was a zealous champion for the purity of Orthodoxy. In the Sixth Ode of the Canon for today’s Feast, he is referred to as “the thirteenth Apostle.” The emperor Constantine presided over the sessions of the Council. In his speech, responding to the welcome by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, he said, “God has helped me cast down the impious might of the persecutors, but more distressful for me than any blood spilled in battle is for a soldier, is the internal strife in the Church of God, for it is more ruinous.” Arius, with seventeen bishops among his supporters, remained arrogant, but his teaching was repudiated and he was excommunicated from the Church. In his speech, the holy deacon Athanasius conclusively refuted the blasphemous opinions of Arius. The heresiarch Arius is depicted in iconography sitting on Satan’s knees, or in the mouth of the Beast of the Deep (Rev. 13). The Fathers of the Council declined to accept a Symbol of Faith (Creed) proposed by the Arians. Instead, they affirmed the Orthodox Symbol of Faith. St Constantine asked the Council to insert into the text of the Symbol of Faith the word “consubstantial,” which he had heard in the speeches of the bishops. The Fathers of the Council unanimously accepted this suggestion. In the Nicene Creed, the holy Fathers set forth and confirmed the Apostolic teachings about Christ’s divine nature. The heresy of Arius was exposed and repudiated as an error of haughty reason. After resolving this chief dogmatic question, the Council also issued Twelve Canons on questions of churchly administration and discipline. Also decided was the date for the celebration of Holy Pascha. By decision of the Council, Holy Pascha should not be celebrated by Christians on the same day with the Jewish Passover, but on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox (which occurred on March 22 in 325). The First Ecumenical Council is also commemorated on May 29. THE FATHERS OF NICEA: WHY SHOULD I CARE? “Reflections in Christ” by Fr. Lawrence Farley Those for whom ancient history is irrelevant and who equate “old” with “out-dated” (or better yet, “medieval” with “barbarically primitive”) will have trouble appreciating the Fathers of the First Council of Nicea, since they met and produced their work well over a thousand years ago, in 325 AD. How could a creed so old be remotely relevant today? Accordingly, some churches have produced their own creeds, such as the United Church of Canada, which produced its own creed for alternative use in 1968. It is a cautionary tale, for it began “Man is not alone; he lives in God’s world” and they soon enough found that political correctness demanded its alteration to “We are not alone; we live in God’s world”. Among other things, the Fathers of Nicea declared the full divinity of Jesus of Nazareth by saying that He was homoousios with the Father—of the same essence as Him. Later attempts to create consensus would suggest that maybe it could be said that Jesus was homoiousios with the Father—“of like essence.” After all, it has been pointed out, it only involves the difference of one letter, and a tiny one at that. Why fight over a single iota, a single “i”? Who would care? Why should any sensible person get worked up over whether the pre-incarnate Word was homoousios with the Father or homoiousios? The ruckus of Nicea and afterward only went to prove how miserable and contentious those Christians were. A moment’s thought however will reveal the nonsense of saying that Jesus was homoiousios with the Father. He was of “like essence”? What could that possibly mean? That He was divine-ish? God in an honorary kind of way? Sort of God? Almost God? Anyone not obviously drunk and who thinks for a second will realize that the distance between God and His creation is infinite, so that one is either absolutely God or not God at all. The eternal Creator, without beginning or limit, stands on one side of an ontological abyss, and all creation stands on the other side. One can’t be a little bit God any more than one can be a little bit pregnant. Like pregnancy, divinity is an all or nothing kind of thing—either one is completely divine or not divine at all. Either Jesus was God and homoousios with the Father or He was created and of a completely different essence than the Father. Even Arius, the villain of the Nicene piece, got that much. But still one may ask: why should we care? Sure, we confess His divinity, but what does it really matter? This is why it matters: salvation consists in giving one’s life, heart, and soul to God, living and dying for Him down to one’s last breath and one’s last drop of blood. The issue is: may we give such loyalty, allegiance, love, and commitment to Jesus of Nazareth, or not? If He is not truly God, then giving Him such allegiance would be idolatry. No one sensibly would live and die so totally for a mere celebrity. And if the Nicene Fathers were wrong and Jesus is simply just an ancient celebrity, we ought not to give Him our lives. Our admiration, perhaps, but not lives and our worship. But in fact the Fathers of Nicea were right, and Jesus of Nazareth is God in the flesh—Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, homoousios with the Father. It is through Him that all things were made, and to Him that all things shall return with bowed knee. It is our salvation that we bow the knee in love to Him even now before that final end, and confess that the road to His city runs through our heart. ORTHODOX CHURCH NEWS

(1) PETITION AGAINST SCHOOL BOARD’S TAKE-OVER OF CHURCH PROPERTY Orthodox Christian News, May 29, 2016 — The community of Ss. Peter and Paul Serbian Orthodox Church in Oakville, Ontario has been shaken by the alarming news that all ten acres of their parish church is going to be taken away by the Halton District School Board for the purpose of building a high school. The community of Ss. Peter and Paul Serbian Orthodox Church, the spiritual, cultural, and social gathering place for over 750 families in Oakville has been at their current location since 1980. The parish is also the first Orthodox place of worship in their region, ministering to Romanian, Coptic, Russian and Greek Orthodox families. Although the community has offered a portion of their property, so they might remain at their current location, the school board is not budging. They want all ten acres. Forcing them to sell the property would be the end of their parish because, as the city has made clear to them, there are no viable properties to offer in exchange. Source: http://myocn.net/petition-school-board-take-church-property/ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + (2) LUKASHENKO PROPOSES ARRANGEMENT OF MEETING BETWEEN PONTIFF AND PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW FOR SAKE OF PEACE IN DONBASS Minsk, May 23, Interfax — It is time the Pope of Rome visited Belarus and met with the Patriarch of the on Belarusian soil, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said. "I suggested it was time the Pontiff came to Belarus and met our citizens together with our patriarch. I am sure that more than one million people would like to see that handshake not in faraway Cuba, at an airport, but on land in the center of Europe which, thank God, has been spared the cataclysms [the Pontiff has also emphasized this] that happened in the post- Soviet republics and East European countries after the breakdown of the USSR," the BelTA news agency quoted Lukashenko as saying after he had met with Pope Francis in the Vatican. According to the Belarusian president, the Pontiff asked him about the situation in the region, especially in the context of the Ukraine conflict. "I spelled out my position and said that the current condition, the situation in eastern Ukraine required new initiatives, preferably spiritual," the Belarusian leader said. In the opinion of Lukashenko, a meeting between the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church could help the peacemaking process. "In this case, I have invited them to Belarus. We should invite clerics from Europe, Ukraine, and ours. They should sit down, talk and pray for peace together in front of millions of pilgrims," the president said. "I believe this could be a good initiative in furtherance of the Minsk agreements," Lukashenko said. The meeting lasted for about 40 minutes, during 25 of which the president and the pope spoke one on one. The parties exchanged gifts in the presence of members of the official delegations. The Belarusian head of state presented the pope with a copy of the Cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk, made using a unique wood-carving technique; a mockup of a carriage made according to the same technology; and a holographic icon. The icon combines history and modernity, the president said. For his part, Pope Francis gave the president three documents that he wrote on the subject of the Gospels, environment protection, and family. Lukashenko said he will familiarize himself with their content and hand them over to the presidential library. Another gift from the pope was an artistic impression of an olive tree, the symbol of peace. In this respect, the pope particularly emphasized the peaceful mission Belarus has assumed. "Minsk can be a place of peace," he said. (3) ITALIAN BISHOP BECOMES NEW VATICAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA Moscow, May 30, Interfax — Vatican named its new ambassador to Russia on Saturday. "The new nuncio is the Italian Archbishop Celestino Migliore who previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to Poland," Cultural Attache for the Vatican Embassy to Russia Giovanna Parravicini told Interfax-Religion. Migliore's predecessor, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, was transferred to Geneva at the beginning of 2016 as Vatican's permanent representative to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. He was nuncio to Russia for five years, from February 2011. In December 2009, Russia and the Holy See established full-format diplomatic relations. One of the brightest pages in the relationship between both states, the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, was the first meeting between a Pope and a Moscow Patriarch, which took place in Havana in February 2016. Such a meeting had been on the Churches' joint agenda for around 20 years. One of the central topics on the agenda of the Russia-Vatican relationship is protecting Christians worldwide, including in the Middle East, and defending the traditional Christian values. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + (4) CHURCH OF MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE SET ON FIRE IN KIEV Moscow, May 24, Interfax — The Church of Transfiguration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Kiev has been vandalized. The incident occurred on Sunday night. A group of unidentified individuals broke the doors to enter the church. Then they set the church on fire from the inside and outside and fled, the press service of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church reports. Seeing the church ablaze, local residents alerted the police. The building survived, although the fire damaged its walls. An investigation has been launched. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + (5) TWO MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE CHURCHES BURGLED IN WESTERN UKRAINE Moscow, May 26, Interfax — Two churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in the territory of the Rovno Region in Ukraine have been burgled, the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate said on Thursday. The crimes were committed in the Sarny District in the early hours of May 25. According to the priests' reports, donations for injured servicemen and disabled children were stolen from St. Michael's Church of the village of Bolshoye Verbnoye; and in the Church of the Resurrection in the village of Maloye Verbnoye the church's cash register was looted and a safe stolen. An investigation is currently underway. A total of 20 acts of vandalism, arson and burglaries of churches have been committed in the Rovno Region in the past year, the report on the website said. No perpetrators have been found. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + (6) IF PROBLEMS ON WAY TO PAN-ORTHODOX COUNCIL ARE NOT RESOLVED, IT IS BETTER POSTPONED - METROPOLITAN HILARION Moscow, June 7, Interfax — There is no sense in holding the Pan-Orthodox Council without taking into account the opinions of all of the local churches, the Moscow Patriarchate believes. "We proposed that the Patriarch of Constantinople hold a conference before the Council to tackle all the issues due to which Churches are now refusing to participate one after another. If these issues are resolved, then the Council will take place. If they are not, then it's probably best to postpone it," head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion said in an interview with Russia-24 channel. He said it is important for the Russian Church that the Council that is due to be held on Crete, in the middle of June, "would become a factor of unity and like-mindedness, so that there would be no unpleasant surprises for the Orthodox Christian Churches at the Council." "Decisions at the Council should be made by a consensus that is unanimous. What does that mean for us? It means not simply the agreement of everyone present in the hall to some one statement or another, some one document or another. For us it means that all Churches should express agreement with it," the hierarch said. A few days ago the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate suggested holding an emergency Pan-Orthodox conference before the Council on June 10 at the latest. It pointed out that the non-participation of at least one local Church in it makes the Council impossible. It also said that several Churches and monasteries of Athos proposed amendments to the draft documents of the Council that are in tone with the proposals of the Russian Church, and "require fundamental consideration with the purpose of finding Pan-Orthodox consensus." Meanwhile, the Patriarchate of Constantinople that is responsible for coordinating preparations for the Council on Monday declined the proposal on the discussion of problems obstructing the convocation of the Council. A Pan-Orthodox Council has not been convened for over one thousand years and has been prepared for over half a century. Council participants are supposed to discuss such issues as the relations of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian world, fasting, marriage, church missions in the world today, and the guidance of Orthodox Christians in the diaspora. The future Council is not Ecumenical by its status. Unlike ancient Ecumenical Councils it is not meant to tackle issues of dogmatic nature or make any innovations in canonical arrangements or liturgical life.