The day began with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Katholikon of the Monastery of Petraki, officiated by Metropolitan Epiphanius of Mantineia and Kynouria. At 9:00 a.m., the official opening service of the Synod took place in the Holy Synod’s Grand Session Hall. Following the reading of the roll call of attending hierarchs, a quorum was confirmed.
The Synodal Press Committee was then appointed, comprising Metropolitans Ierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios, Panteleimon of Maronia and Komotini, and Timotheos of Thessaliotis and Fanariofersala.
In his opening address, Archbishop Ieronymos highlighted that from the apostolic era, the theological and doctrinal unity of the Church—as well as the orderly governance of ecclesiastical life—have remained central aims. These goals became especially pressing in the fourth century, following the end of persecutions by the Roman Empire and the Church’s recognition as a “tolerated religion.” Within this historical context, the landmark Council of Nicaea in 325 AD was convened, serving as a foundational event for doctrinal teaching and canonical order.
The Archbishop stressed the central theological achievement of the Council: the affirmation of the consubstantiality of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. This doctrine, he noted, remains highly relevant today in response to both historic and modern Arian-influenced heresies—such as those propagated by Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, atheists—and to heterodox theological approaches from the West that attempt to influence Orthodox theology and disturb its Trinitarian integrity.
He further emphasized that the Council’s decisions extended beyond doctrine to include significant canonical contributions, particularly the establishment of the Paschal Canon, which remains a vital element of the Church’s liturgical calendar.
Concluding his address, Archbishop Ieronymos stated: “The 1700th anniversary reminds us of Orthodoxy’s timeless struggle against distortions, misunderstandings, and deviations. The Council stands as a major ecclesiastical bastion against heresies. In times of crisis, relativism, and cultural upheaval, the ‘faith of Nicaea’ secures our faith as a shared experience and confession, protecting the Church from the whims of individualism and fleeting ideological trends. The ‘faith of Nicaea’ is not a relic of the past, but a model for both the present and the future.”
Metropolitan Seraphim of Karystia and Skyros, serving as Vice President of the Hierarchy, offered a response on behalf of the assembled bishops.
The session continued with a keynote presentation by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, titled: “The Reception of the Theology and Work of the First Ecumenical Council within the Tradition of the Orthodox Church.”
In his remarks, Metropolitan Chrysostomos emphasized that the commemoration of the Council’s 1700th anniversary brings to the forefront the importance of synodality in the life of the Church. He noted that the Orthodox Church has both a responsibility and an opportunity to offer theological and ecclesiological insight to other Christian confessions concerning the meaning and purpose of synodality, especially in addressing contemporary anthropological challenges.
“The First Ecumenical Council must always remain our reference point—not merely in celebratory terms, but as a living ecclesial model. Only then can we fully affirm its significance and necessity in practice,” he concluded.
Archbishop Ieronymos and the Synodal members expressed their gratitude to Metropolitan Chrysostomos for his thoughtful and comprehensive address, bringing the commemorative session to a close.