Moscow Patriarchate sends Metropolitan Hilarion, Foreign Minister, to the July 7 prayer for the Middle East - Pope Francis to receive delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Vatican.
Vatican City (kath.net/KAP) Pope Francis received a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on Thursday in the Vatican. The Pope confirmed that Patriarch Bartholomew I will take part in the July 7 peace prayer in southern Italy's Bari. Francis invited the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches to the meeting.
According to information provided by Kathpress, the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Cyril I will not attend the Middle East prayer meeting in Bari, but the head of the Moscow Foreign Office, Metropolitan Hilarion will. According to the program published by the Vatican, the lighting of a light in Baris Basilica San Nicola and a prayer of peace at the port are envisaged. Subsequently, the church leaders will talk at a non-public meeting.
Vatican Press Secretary Greg Burke announced the meeting in late April as a "day of reflection and prayer in the face of the dramatic situation in the Middle East." He referred above all to the situation of the Christians. The choice of the port city of Bari is linked to its historic role as a bridge to the Orient. In addition, there are the relics of the sainted bishop Nicholas (4th century), who is also highly revered in the Eastern Church.
In his brief address to the Ecumenical Patriarchate's delegation on Thursday, the Pope criticized that in many traditionally Christian countries the faith is weakening, so that it no longer influences the decisions of individuals and politicians. Instead, "disrespect for human dignity, idolization of money, violence, the absolute dominance of science and technology and the ruthless exploitation of natural resources" spread. The churches would have to face this tragic reality.
Therefore, Francis welcomed and affirmed the growing collaboration of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Catholic Church. "It is comforting for me to see how the common points of view are translated into concrete work together with my beloved brother Bartholomew," said Francis with reference to the recent joint events of the two churches.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate's delegation was led by Archbishop Job Geta of Telmissos, co-chair of the International Commission for the Official Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
Bartholomew is indeed the ecumenical patriarch from Constantinople. In reality, the Orthodox Church is run by the Russians. There are little to no Christians in Turkey and the patriarch is just a figurehead. The problem with Russian Orthodoxy is that since the revolution, it has been just a tool of an atheistic government with all of its major figures forced to work for the KGB. Putin claims that he has been enlightened.
ReplyDelete'O quam bonum et iucundum ubi habitare frates in Unum' to say nothing of 'Ut Unum sint.'
ReplyDeleteTranslation please, some of us aren't Latin scholars!
ReplyDelete"How good and wonderful where brothers live in harmony.' (Psalm 133: 1).
ReplyDelete"Ut Unum sint" ('That they may be one') an Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II in May 1995 on Ecumenism that supports the Vatican II's decree Unitatis Redintegratio.
ReplyDeleteEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is greatly despised by Mt Athos Monastery and many Greeks. They simply don´t trust him unlike the previous Patriarch whom they admired and died suddenly. What has he done for the Middle Eastern Christians? Little or nothing.
Whereas the Russian Orthodox Church has reached out and helped many. If it wasn´t for Putin there would be any Christians left in the Middle East.