The Assembly of Orthodox Bishops in Benelux held its 30th meeting on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Orthodox Archdiocese in Brussels, under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
During the meeting, the bishops agreed to establish a Joint Commission for Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Belgium. The initiative aims to foster ecumenical cooperation and promote mutual understanding between the two Christian traditions in Western Europe.
The bishops announced in a press release that, as part of this collaborative effort, a joint official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople was scheduled for November 2025.
Representatives from the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Moscow, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia participated in the meeting. Assistant Bishop Marc of Neamț represented the Romanian Orthodox Church as the delegate of Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe.
The bishops also discussed the possibility of undertaking pilgrimages to Orthodox countries, including a confirmed pilgrimage to Romania in 2026 and Serbia in 2027.
In addition, the Assembly addressed the ongoing challenges in gaining official recognition for Orthodox parishes across various Belgian regions.
A significant concern was raised about the shortage of qualified Orthodox religion teachers in the region. The Assembly extended an invitation to those interested in teaching Orthodox religious education to contact the educational committee for training and certification opportunities.
Photo: orthodoxia.be
