Ecumenical Patriarch meets Church of Crete delegation, agreement on adherence to Church canons

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received a delegation of the Holy Provincial Synod of the Church of Crete at the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Thursday, September 24, 2026, for a two-hour meeting focusing on ecclesiastical matters concerning the Church of Crete.

The delegation was led by Archbishop Eugenios of Crete and included Metropolitan Gerasimos of Petra and Cherronisos and Metropolitan Prodromos of Rethymno and Avlopotamos.

They were accompanied by Stavros Arnaoutakis, Regional Governor of Crete and Archon Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Giorgos Marinakis, Mayor of Rethymno and President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Crete.

Also participating in the meeting were Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia and Metropolitan Gregory of Ankara, along with Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios, Director of the Private Patriarchal Office, and Deacon Oikoumenios, Undersecretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod.

During the two-hour meeting, the participants discussed matters concerning the ecclesiastical provinces of the Ecumenical Throne in Crete.

According to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, both sides expressed agreement on the importance of faithfully observing the Holy…