Fraternal Delegates to the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (4-29 October 2023)

According to the practice of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Fraternal Delegates from the different Churches and Ecclesial Communities will participate in the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme "For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission", whose first session will be held in the Vatican from 4 to 29 October.

In order to have a broader representation, representatives from the four major Christian traditions have been invited: three from the Orthodox Church, three from the Oriental Orthodox Churches, three from the Mainline Protestant Churches, and three from the Free Churches.

According to the tradition of the Synod, the Fraternal Delegates are not only observers, but are invited to participate in the discussions, particularly in the Minor Circles. In addition, the Fraternal Delegates have been invited to the spiritual retreat in preparation for the Synod, from 1 to 3 October.

The list of the 12 Fraternal Delegates who will participate in the first session of the XVI General Assembly is as follows:

ORTHODOX CHURCH

-          Ecumenical Patriarchate

His Eminence JOB (Getcha), Metropolitan of Pisidia, Co-President of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church

-          Serbian Orthodox Church

His Excellency NEKTARIJE (Samardžić), Bishop of Jegar, Vicar of His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

-          Romanian Orthodox Church

His Eminence IOSIF, Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe

ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES

-          Coptic Orthodox Church

His Excellency BARNABA, Bishop of Turin and Rome (Italy)

-          Armenian Apostolic Church - See of Etchmiadzin

His Eminence Khajag BARSAMIAN, Archbishop, Representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church (See of Etchmiadzin) to the Holy See

-          Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

His Eminence Geevarghese MAR BARNABAS, Metropolitan of the Diocese of Sulthan Bathery, Member of the Episcopal Synod

PROTESTANT COMMUNIONS

-          Anglican Communion

His Excellency Martin WARNER, Bishop of Chichester, Co-Chairman of the English-Welsh Anglican-Roman Catholic Committee

-          World Methodist Council

Rev. Dr. Jong Chun PARK, President of the World Methodist Council

-          World Communion of Reformed Churches

Rev. Dr. Hanns LESSING, Executive General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches

EVANGELICAL-PENTECOSTALS

- World Baptist Alliance

Dr. Elizabeth NEWMAN, President of the Doctrinal and Christian Unity Commission of the World Baptist Alliance, Co-President of the Baptist-Catholic International Dialogue

- World Pentecostal Fellowship

Rev. Dr. Opoku ONYINAH, former President of the Church of Pentecost, Ghana

- Disciples of Christ

Rev. Paul S. TCHE, General Secretary of the World Communion of Disciples of Christ (DECC)