1.
GV EXT. TILT DOWN CHURCH
0.08

2.
GV ARCHBISHOP IERONYMOS SEATED AT HEAD OF MEETING OF CLERGY PAN TO CLERGY
0.22

3.
MV ARCHBISHOP IERONYMOS WRITING
0.27

4.
SV CLERGY LOOKING AT DOCUMENTS (3 SHOTS)
0.43



Initials LN/VS/BOB/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE TWELVE BISHOPS AND MAKE UP THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH TODAY (THURSDAY, 12 MARCH) ISSUED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING A DECISION OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH TO ENTER INTO COMMUNION WITH ROMAN CATHOLICS.

LAST MONTH THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ANNOUNCED IT HAD ORDERED ITS PRIESTS NOT TO REFUSE TO ADMINISTER HOLY SACRAMENTS TO ROMAN CATHOLICS. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND ORTHODOX CHURCHES HAVE BEEN DIVIDED SINCE THE "GREAT SCHISM" OF 1054 WHEN THEY EXCOMMUNICATED EACH OTHER. IN 1965, AT THE INITIATIVE OF PATRIARCH ATHENAGORAS OF CONSTANTINOPLE (ISTANBUL) THE EXCOMMUNICATIONS WERE ANNULLED. PATRIARCH ATHENAGORAS HAS NO JURISDICTION OVER THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES ALTHOUGH HE ENJOYS PRIMACY OVER THEM. ALSO KNOWN AS THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH, HE IS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF MOVES TOWARDS UNITY OF THE ORTHODOX AND ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

IN TODAY'S STATEMENT THE GREEK CHURCH'S EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (THE HOLY SYNOD) UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED AN EARLIER STATEMENT BY THEIR PRIMATE ARCHBISHOP ??? DECLARING THE RUSSIAN DECISION TO BE CONTRARY TO CANON LAW.

THEY ALSO SAID THIS DECISION COULD LEAD TO A DIVISION OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES. THE GREEK CHURCH HAS LONG BEEN CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVE ORTHODOX CHURCHES AND HAS ALWAYS INSISTED ON PRESERVING ITS TRADITIONS.

SUNDAY, MARCH 15 HAS BEEN DECLARED A DAY OF PRAYER IN GREEK ORTHODOX MONASTERIES FOR "THE UNITY OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES AND THE PRESERVATION OF THE PRECIOUS BASIS OF ORTHODOXY".