CWN - Pope Francis has named the two top officials of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity as his delegates to attend the Pan-Orthodox Council.
Cardinal Kurt Koch and Bishop Brian Farrell-- the president and secretary, respectively, of the Pontifical Council-- will travel to Crete for the opening of the gathering, which is scheduled for June 19. The high-level delegation shows that the Pope considers the Orthodox gathering a "supremely important" event, Bishop Farrell told the Catholic News Service.
(Disputes among the Orthodox churches have raised questions about the level of attendance at the meeting in Crete, and the possibility that the gathering might be postponed. See today's separate CWN news story.)
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