Serge Chapnin

This article examines the aftermath of the Pan-Orthodox Council of Crete (2016) through the lens of tensions between the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow. Falling within the category of analytical commentary, it seeks to explain the reasons for the Russian Orthodox Church's non-participation in this council and to assess the ecclesiological consequences of this absence. The author demonstrates that conciliarity, as understood and practiced within the Russian Church, remains problematic, and that the boycott of the Council reveals deep divergences regarding the very nature of conciliar authority in contemporary Orthodoxy. The article's contribution lies in its critical analysis of inter-Orthodox dynamics, shedding light on the structural and ecclesiological obstacles that undermine the unity of world Orthodoxy and call into question the normative scope of the Council of Crete.