With the addition of Estonia, the CCEE now includes the presidents of the 33 bishops’ conferences of Europe, as well as the archbishop of Luxembourg, the archbishop of the Principality of Monaco, the Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, the Bishop of Chişinău (Moldova), the Eparchial Bishop of Mukachevo and the Apostolic Administrator of Estonia. The President of the Bishops’ Conference of Kazakhstan and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem take part in CCEE activities as permanent guests.
“I am particularly pleased that the Church in Estonia, represented by the Apostolic Administrator, is joining the large family of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences. In this way, the small – albeit lively – Estonian Church will be able to bring its unique contribution to this Council’s activities, which was established to foster bishops’ collegial work and the synodal character of the Church in Europe; and also receive so much from this symphony of languages, cultures and peoples that effectively testifies to the universal character of Christ’s Church in our continent,” Bishop Jourdan commented, soon after the approval was granted.
