Moscow, Apr. 16, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow plans to convene all the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church for a council in June, the KAI news agency reports.
The council-- to be held at the Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, June 24- 29-- will focus primarily on Church unity. The Orthodox bishops will be asked to confirm an "act of canonical communion" bringing the Moscow patriarchate together with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Also on the agenda for the June meeting will be the canonization of new saints.
The canon law of the Russian Orthodox Church dictates that a council of bishops should be held at least once every 4 years. The last such council was in 2004.