Pope Francis gives Patriarch Kirill birthday gift of
relic
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has given Patriarch Kirill of
Moscow a relic of St. Francis of Assisi, to mark the Russian Orthodox leader’s
70th birthday.
The President of the Pontifical
Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch, conveyed the
present to Patriarch Kirill at an audience granted him at the Patriarchal
residence on Tuesday.
A statement from the Moscow Patriarchate on the
meeting is below
************************************
On 22 November 2016, at the Patriarchal residence in St
Daniel’s Monastery, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met
with the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity,
Kurt Cardinal Koch.
The Russian Orthodox Church was also represented by
Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s
Department for External Church Relations; Archbishop Amvrosy of Peterhof,
rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy; Archimandrite Philaret
(Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman; and Rev. Alexy Dikarev, a staff member of the
DECR Secretariat for Inter-Christian Relations.
Cardinal Koch was accompanied by Archbishop Celestino
Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation, and Rev. Hyacinthe
Destivelle, a staff member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill greeted the high guests and
thanked them for attending the celebrations marking his 70th birthday.
“I regard it as a good gesture of the Roman Catholic Church and as yet another
opportunity to exchange opinions on our current agenda,” the Primate of the
Russian Church said.
Patriarch Kirill mentioned his meeting with Pope Francis in
Havana, saying in particular, “I think, that meeting, held in the atmosphere of
sincerity and fraternity, was very meaningful. It is highly important that our
common concern over the sufferings of Christians in today’s world, particularly
in the Middle East and North Africa, was at the core of our meeting.”
As His Holiness noted, the common concern and support to the
suffering Christians expressed during that meeting had found a positive
response in the world community. “It was after our meeting that the problem of
the genocide of Christians in the Middle East was raised at high levels in
various countries, and this issue became a major item on the political agenda,”
Patriarch Kirill said, “Soon after our meeting, an agreement was reached in
Munich, stipulating a ceasefire between the government forces and the
opposition in Syria. It also evoked a positive response among those who have a
sincere compassion for the suffering and dying people in the Middle East.”
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church noted with regret
the aggravation of the situation in Syria and Iraq, caused “not only by the
hostilities in Aleppo and Mosul, but also by the ongoing sufferings of people.”
As His Holiness said, “The actions of the existing coalitions still lack proper
coordination, necessary for combating terrorism successfully. I am convinced
that only joint coordinated actions aimed at achieving specific goals can really
help defeat terrorism.”
“After that meeting in Havana, our joint Orthodox-Catholic
groups made the right steps both in Syria and Lebanon,” His Holiness continued,
“It was an important visit that helped representatives of our two Churches form
a clear view of the situation in Syria and Lebanon and lay the foundation for
our future collaborative work aimed, among other things, at providing aid to
people.” Patriarch Kirill noted that, as a result of the joint visit of the
Orthodox-Catholic delegation from Russia on 7 April 2016, its members had begun
to draw up a list of churches and other religious buildings destroyed during
the hostilities. “We hope that the war will end and that people will live in
peace again,” His Holiness added, “An issue will be raised of restoring Syria.
For us, Christians, it will also be important that churches should be restored
and people could return to their normal religious life. We are willing to
continue our joint work with the Roman Catholic Church, with its representatives,
and to do all within our power to cease sufferings and help people live in
peace again.”
The Declaration singed in Havana also revealed the common
approach to the Ukrainian issue, the Primate of the Russian Church emphasized.
“Not long ago, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of
independence of the Ukrainian state, the Pope of Rome and I sent our respective
messages,” His Holiness said and noted the closeness of the two Churches’
positions on this issue. “Both the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman
Catholic Church are committed to the peacebuilding mission. The Churches must
be peacemakers, not the players in a most serious civil conflict,” Patriarch
Kirill emphasized.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also noted the progress in
cultural cooperation between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches,
saying in particular, “The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
that you head held the 2nd meeting of the joint working group
for cultural cooperation between our Churches, and the both sides have
continued to carry out various cultural projects. We hope that on December 11,
a joint concert of the Sretensky Monastery Choir, the Synodal Choir of the
Russian Orthodox Church and the Choir of the Sistine Chapel will take place at
the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs. On November 25, a
remarkable exhibition of the Vatican’s masterpieces will open at the Tretyakov
Gallery with the participation of Mr. Giuseppe Bertello, Governor of Vatican
City. It is a significant cultural event and, at the same time, an important
factor for the development of our bilateral relations.”
Speaking on the inter-Christian contacts in the sphere of
theological education, the Primate of the Russian Church rated highly the work
of the Summer Institute for Representatives of the Roman Catholic Church,
organized by Ss Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate
Studies. “It is my conviction that the development of our good relations in
various spheres will also help promote the relationships between our peoples
and overcome conflicts, as well as coordinate our activities aimed at defending
people, their right to life and dignity,” His Holiness said in conclusion.
Cardinal Kurt Koch thanked the Primate of the Russian
Orthodox Church for the warm welcome and read out a message of greetings from
Pope Francis on Patriarch Kirill’s 70th birthday. The letter
reads, in particular, “I wish to convey to Your Holiness, my beloved brother in
Christ, the assurance of my personal best wishes and fervent prayers on the
occasion of your seventieth birthday. I thank the Lord for the abundant
blessings that he has bestowed upon you in your life and in your ministry as
Pastor of the Russian Orthodox Church. I am especially grateful for your
personal contribution to the rapprochement between our Churches and I recall
with great emotion our historic meeting in Havana.”
DECR Communication Service
Photo by the Patriarchal Press Service
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét