Pope: Prayerful hopes for
greater experience of unity
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| Pope Francis with members of the Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.(Vatican Media) |
On the eve of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope
Francis receives the traditional delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarch of
Constantinople.
By Christopher Wells
Pope Francis on Thursday received members of a delegation
representing the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I, the primus inter
pares (first among equals) of the heads of the autocephalous churches
the make up the Eastern Orthodox Church.
At the audience, Pope Francis welcomed the delegation as a
“a sign of the growth of communion between the Catholic Church and the
Ecumenical Patriarch,” while also recalling “the common roots of our sister
Churches.”
The Holy Father spoke in his address about a “gradual
dimming of the light of faith” in many traditionally Christian societies,
marked by “contempt for the dignity of the human person, the idolatry of money,
the spread of violence, a totalizing view of science and technology, [and] the
reckless exploitation of natural resources.” Quoting Bartholomew, Pope Francis
said we must reject the “cynical phrase ‘there is no alternative.’” Rather,
“our Churches can create new possibilities of transformation for our world.”
He continued, “It is comforting for me to realize that this
convergence of views with my beloved brother Bartholomew is being translated
into a concrete common effort.” Among those common efforts, he noted
initiatives aimed at combating modern forms of slavery, protecting creation,
and promoting peace. The Pope also looked forward to a meeting with the Heads
of Churches and Christian Communities of the Middle East, which the Ecumenical
Patriarch will also be attending.
“It is my prayerful hope,” Pope Francis said, “that there
will be increased opportunities for us Catholics and Orthodox at all levels to
work together, pray together and proclaim together the one Gospel of Jesus
Christ received from the apostolic preaching, in order to experience ever fully
in our shared journey the unity that by God’s grace already joins us.”
The now customary audience is taking place in the context of
the mutual exchange of delegations for the feasts of the heavenly patrons of
respective Churches: the visit of the Orthodox delegation to Rome for the feast
of Sts Peter and Paul being reciprocated with a Catholic delegation to
Constantinople (modern Istanbul) for the feast of St Andrew at the end of
November. The delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarch is being led by Archbishop
Job of Telmissos, the co-president of the Joint International Commission for
Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, who
is accompanied by Theodoretos, Bishop of Nazianzos, and Deacon Alexander
Koutsis.
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