A Call to Mercy for
All of God’s Creatures

An Eastern Orthodox Voice for Animal Life


Working Alongside

Establishment & Blessings

The Foundation

Est. 2017

In 2017, Dr. Christina Nellist received the official blessing of Archbishop Gregorios and Metropolitan Kallistos Ware to found the Pan-Orthodox Concern for Animals (P.O.C.A.) charity and website.

On 10th October, P.O.C.A. registered with the UK Charity Commission under # 1175072.

Our first aim was to create this website to advertise the existence of the group. Initially, we did not have ‘membership’ or ‘newsletters’ because the use of social media is the most efficient and cost effective way of keeping our friends informed on the many issues involved in the subject of animal suffering. 

However, now that we have established ourselves across the Orthodox and Non-Orthodox world, we now wish to establish representatives in different countries who will send us reports of the situation for animals within their regions. These reports will be collated into a newsletter for our members. 

Read more about P.O.C.A. in Biographies and What We Do

Our Mission 🕊️

Our Mission is the advancement of Christian respect and responsibility for the animal creation with special reference to Eastern Orthodox teachings – ancient and modern, reducing the suffering of animals and their environments, and how these teachings are relevant to contemporary animal and environmental issues.

Our Aim 🕯️

Our Aim is to promote Christ’s loving compassionate care for all of His creatures and to advance the Patristic teachings that we as Image are to replicate Christ’s love and compassion for all of His created beings. We also aim to inform our readers that this subject is not new and has been discussed both in the Bible and by the early Church Fathers.

Our Outreach 🌿

We disseminate news/articles/interviews on compassionate care and relationships with animals and their environments from across the Orthodox world, together with articles and research on a wide range of contemporary animal and environmental issues. Current issues are also engaged with on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

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Seminal Volumes

Building the scholarly foundation
for Orthodox animal theology

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Active Campaigns

Promoting animal welfare
through public engagement

Milestones in Our Journey

2018

Defining an Orthodox Theology for Animals

Commissioned Icon: Christ Breaking the Bonds of Suffering, by renowned iconographer Aidan Hart, shows the theological heart of our mission. The scene depicts Christ blessing and liberating “the tiger and chicken from their cages and the dog from its chains”. Our icon stands as a reminder that “Christ has come to set not just humanity free, but all creation”. (Click image to enlarge).

Landmark Publication: Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Animal Suffering: Ancient Voices in Modern Theology (Cambridge Scholars Publishing) by Dr. Christina Nellist argues that animal abuse or misuse goes against God’s Will, and indifference to animal suffering results in negative consequences for human salvation. This book analyses Biblical and Patristic teachings, together with new social science research and contemporary science. (Click image to enlarge).

2019

Church Blessing & International Summit

Archiepiscopal Blessing: Newly appointed Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain adds his official blessing in continuing P.O.C.A.’s mission.

Halki Summit III in Turkey: P.O.C.A. represents the voice for animal creation at this prestigious summit hosted by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

2021

Academic & Cultural Impact

Major Publications: Dr. Christina Nellist has edited two volumes that explore the interconnectedness of all creatures. The first, Historical Perspectives, Ecological Integrity and Justice, examines how we arrived at such an unstable world while offering sustainable solutions to our global crisis. The second, Integrated Theology, Governance and Justice, delves into the challenges of climate change. (Click image to enlarge).

The Face of God Documentary: P.O.C.A. serves as the animal theology advisor for the documentary The Face of God, an Orthodox film on climate change.

2023

International Engagement

Middle East Climate Symposium: Dr. Christina Nellist is the Orthodox voice at the Ecumenical Perspectives on Climate Justice Symposium, in Lebanon 2023, organised by the Middle East Council of Churches, in cooperation with the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME). Her lecture was entitled: ‘The Industrial Animal Food Production Model and its Impact on Climate Change: How we can protect Humans, Animals and the Environment.’

2024

Leadership Growth

New Chair Appointed: Dr. Nikolaos Asproulis (centre), a leading figure in the field of animal theology and systematic thought is introduced as the new Chair of P.O.C.A.

2025

Theological Dialogue & Outreach

Inaugural Webinar: P.O.C.A. launches its first global webinar, “Discussions” with Met. Kallistos of Diokleia on Care for Animals and the Environment bringing together an international panel of Orthodox experts to explore compassionate care for animals.

read biographies


P.O.C.A.’s peer-reviewed research on animal suffering is published in the Greek Orthodox Theological Review, the Journal of Eastern Orthodox Theology, and other prominent academic journals

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