The Shepherd, August 2008
NEWS SECTION
PATRIARCHS MEET IN KIEV
HIS ALL-HOLINESS Œcumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I of Constantinople and His Holiness Patriarch Aleksii II of Moscow and All Russia jointly conducted an open-air service in Kiev on Sunday 27th July 2008, marking 1020 years since Christianity was adopted in Kievan Rus.’ The festive service was held near the monument to St Vladimir. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko greeted the two church leaders near a large scarlet platform, set up for the occasion. Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev, Archbishop Hieronymos of Greece, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania and representatives of other local Orthodox Churches concelebrated with the two Patriarchs. The choir of the Kiev Theologian Academy and a Greek choir sang. The service was broadcast live by all Ukrainian national channels. After the service, the Patriarchs had a meeting during which the church situation in the Ukraine was discussed. The two parties agreed to work on improving relations between the two churches and recognized bilateral responsibility for “Orthodox unity and common Orthodox testimony to the world,” the Patriarch of Constantinople said. “We agreed to resolve all controversies between our churches through discussion and dialogue,” said Patriarch Aleksii II, adding that an agreement to discuss controversies by delegations of the two churches so as to work out decisions “that would meet our interests” was reached. Presently both Patriarchs have separate jurisdictions operating in Ukraine.
PATRIARCHATE SYNOD IN ROMANIA ADDRESSES ITS HIERARCHS’ TRANSGRESSIONS
INTERFAX reported on 11th July that the Romanian Orthodox Holy Synod did not take any action against Metropolitan Nicolae of Banat who had communed with Uniats and Bishop Sofronie of Oradea who had blessed water on Theophany together with a Greek-Catholic hierarch. “‘The Holy Synod condemns non-canonical actions of the both hierarchs which concerned the Church. But the Holy Synod considered their repentance as the fist sign of their reformation,’ a communiques of the Romanian Patriarchate press-service reads as it is published on its official website, the Interfax-Religion has reported. The Synod points out that it is inadmissible for all hierarchs, priests, deacons, monks and laymen of the Romanian Orthodox Church ‘to commune in other Christian Church,’ while all Orthodox clerics cannot ‘conduct sacraments with clerics of other cults.’ ‘Those who will not follow this decision will be excommuned by the Orthodox Church and subjected to canonical sanctions appropriate for their position in the Church,’ the Synod’s decision notes. Thus, clerics will be defrocked and laymen will be excommuned, the text reads” (errors in English as in original). The hierarchs must have had their reasons for not enforcing these strictures on the two hierarchs whose deplorable actions led to this resolution, but it is good to learn that they have made their position clear.
MOSCOW & THE VATICAN
ACCORDING to a posting by Zenit on 4th July, “Relations with the Russian Orthodox Church are progressing, but its main obstacle is a lack of desire for unity.” “Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, in Rome last week to receive the pallium from Benedict XVI, spoke to L’Osservatore Romano about the relations between the two Churches. He said that ‘on too many occasions, one perceives the concern to defend one’s plot or wanting to maintain a distance.’ ‘Certainly there are some knots that have not managed to be undone, and so are transformed into obstacles,’ the prelate said. ‘If there is no real desire to move toward full unity, dialogue becomes difficult. Where there is a real desire, on the contrary, dialogue can be engaged in with honesty, sincerity and always in truth.’ Nevertheless, Catholics and Orthodox in Moscow are making efforts to collaborate, he affirmed. ‘We try to carry out concrete forms of collaboration between the Churches, but also to engage in sincere friendship. Above all, we try to walk in the same direction,’ the prelate said. Archbishop Pezzi affirmed that his relationship with Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow is warm and cordial.… ‘I remember, for example, that after the Christmas liturgy -- it isn’t a secret -- the patriarch greeted me publicly and stressed our common concern to care for God’s flock. These were significant words.’ ‘However, he did not have words for me alone. [He] greeted and raised a prayer for Benedict XVI.’” Archbishop Pezzi was assigned to Moscow in September of last year. Of course, no right minded person would object to the representatives of the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic promoting good and friendly relations, but it is clear from the Patriarch’s ill-conceived, “significant” remark, quoted above, that the R.C. Archbishop Pezzi has correctly discerned that the reluctance of the Patriarchate to engage enthusiastically in ecumenical dialogue and activity has more to do with “defending one’s plot,” than with proclaiming the Orthodox Faith.
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