The historic Council of Orthodox Bishops, presided by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, was held 19-26 June 2016 at the Orthodox Academy in Crete. Since 787 AD, this was the first Council of Orthodox Bishops and the Oriental Orthodox Churches were invited as observers. Archbishop Gomitas Ohanian represented the Holy See of Cilicia. On the topic the mission of the Orthodox Church today, the Synod recommended to continue ecumenical dialogue and strengthen relations with Christianity.