Alberto Melloni

Alberto Melloni, a Catholic historian from the University of Bologna, offers a historical and analytical study of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, held in Crete in June 2016. The article traces the long pre-conciliar process, from its origins in the mid-twentieth century to its actual convocation, identifying the various ecclesial and institutional actors who shaped its preparation. It then describes the proceedings of the Council itself, its work and its outcomes, before offering a synthetic assessment. The main contribution of this piece lies in the external perspective of a Catholic specialist in conciliar affairs, capable of situating this event within a broader ecumenical and historiographical framework. The article thus constitutes a documented account of a decisive moment for the ecclesiology and unity of contemporary Orthodoxy.