Archbishop Charles Scicluna left Malta for Belgrade, Serbia, to participate in the Plenary Assembly of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE). This meeting will gather bishops from around 40 European countries to discuss the theme “Pilgrims of Hope – Towards a Synodal and Missionary Church”.
In Belgrade, the bishops will discuss how the Church in Europe, in preparation for the Jubilee of Hope to be celebrated next year, can be a source of hope. They will share their experiences and ideas on how the Church can proclaim the joy of the Gospel in a secular world while continuing to be a missionary Church. This is also in light of the second session of the Synod on Synodality which will be held at the Vatican this coming October.
The CCEE plenary assembly is being held in Belgrade to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the re-founding of the Diocese of Belgrade. The European Bishops’ meeting is the first celebration to mark this significant anniversary for the diocese.
The last CCEE plenary assembly took place last November in Malta, where the bishops discussed some of the current challenges facing the European continent and how European Churches can work together to overcome these challenges. This was the first time the Maltese Episcopal Conference hosted the assembly.
The plenary assembly concludes on Thursday, 27th June 2024.