A Delegation from the Anglican Communion was received by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, 9-11 May 2005, in Istanbul, in the framework of the continuation of the informal talks between the two Churches. Members of the Delegation were the Rt. Rend Mark Dyer, Anglican co-Chair of the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue, and the Revd Cannons Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Gregory Cameron, Deputy Secretary and Director of Ecumenical Affairs of the Anglican Communion, and Hugh Wybrew, Member of the Anglican-Orthodox Commission.

The above distinguished visitors were met at the airport of Istanbul by a patriarchal representative, and were received by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in audience. During their stay, the Delegation was guided to the holy shrines and sites of the City, and had a meeting with the Orthodox Commission, consisted of His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon, Member of the Academy of Athens and Orthodox Co-Chair of the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue, The V. Revd Archimandrite Dr. Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, Chief Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the Revd Deacon Neophytos, Secretary of the Commission.

During the informal talks each side was updated on the internal affairs and developments of the other, the course of the dialogue with the Roman Catholic and Old Catholic Churches, and the relationship of the other side with the projects of the World Council of Churches. In the end, the Committee reflected on the course of the Dialogue between the Anglican and the Orthodox Churches and expressed the common desire for the Dialogue to be continued in the spirit of mutual understanding and respect, which is being gradually cultivated between the two Churches.

From the Office Of the Chief Secretariat
24 May 2005