Under the presidency of Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, Exarch of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the Committee of Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the European Union (CROCEU) convened on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Orthodox Center Ambiorix in Brussels.
During the session, CROCEU members exchanged views on various topics related to the representation of the Orthodox Church before the institutions of the European Union. Special attention was given to the upcoming High-Level Meeting organized by the European Commission under Article 17 of the Lisbon Treaty, which provides for a regular and transparent dialogue between European institutions and Churches, philosophical associations, and non-confessional organizations.
The representatives also discussed their specific mission entrusted by their respective Orthodox Churches to represent them before the EU. To this end, the Orthodox liaison offices in Brussels were established, and in 2010 CROCEU was officially formed as the coordinating body for common Orthodox representation in the European Union.
The meeting further examined relations with other Christian and ecclesiastical representations in Brussels, including the Conference of European Churches (CEC), the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), and the Anglican Communion.
In a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding, CROCEU members reaffirmed their determination to promote Christian spiritual and moral values for the benefit of European society as a whole. The session also led to the development of specific plans for future activities of the Committee in response to the current challenges facing Europe.
Finally, the participants offered fervent prayers for peace in the Middle East, for the protection of civilians, and for the safeguarding of Christian communities in this long-suffering region.
Participants included representatives of various Orthodox jurisdictions before the European institutions:
- For the Ecumenical Patriarchate: Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, Fr. Konstantinos Kenanidis, and Fr. Pawel Cecha
- For the Patriarchate of Romania: Fr. Sorin Selaru and Fr. George Valcu
- For the Patriarchate of Bulgaria: Fr. Stogian Berbatov
- For the Church of Greece: Bishop Apostolos of Tanagra
