Posted on 11/27/2019 3:42:37 PM PST by NRx
On November 12, Patriarch Bartholomew participated in the Vespers service at the Catholic Abbey of Our Lady of St. Rémy in Rochefort, Belgium, together with Archimandrite Alexios, the abbot of Xenophontos Monastery, and Hieromonk Theophilos of Pantocrator Monastery, both on Mt. Athos.
According to a new report from the Union of Orthodox Journalists, during his trip to Mt. Athos the previous month, Pat. Bartholomew attempted to convince several Athonite abbots and monks that there are no dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and that reunion with the Catholic church is inevitable.
Pat. Bartholomew expressed his personal convictions during a private talk at Pantocrator Monastery with the brethren and guests of the monastery, including other Athonite abbots. Eyewitnesses report that Pat. Bartholomew’s security did not allow anyone to record the conversation.
In his opinion, the division that now exists between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is merely a matter of historical events, not dogmatic differences.
Catholics “are just as Christian as we are,” Pat. Bartholomew emphasized, adding that the recent gift of the relics of St. Peter from Pope Francis is proof of the Catholic church’s nearness to Orthodoxy.
According to the UOJ’s sources, Pantocrator abbot Archimandrite Gabriel, Xenophontos abbot Archimandrite Alexios, Vatopedia abbot Archimandrite Ephraim, the brethren of several monasteries, and other guests were all present for the talk.
Most of the brethren were at a loss, hearing Pat. Bartholomew’s ecumenistic arguments, though none present objected. Some of those present reportedly began to weep when Pat. Bartholomew said that reunion with the Catholic church is inevitable.
Recall that Xenophontos and Pantocrator Monasteries have been the most receptive to the Ukrainian schismatics. Abbot Alexios of Xenophontos concelebrated in the enthronement of Epiphany Dumenko as primate of the OCU, and Pantocrator was the first monastery where schismatics served Liturgy on Mt. Athos.
At a recent meeting in Constantinople with representatives of Tbilisi University, Pat. Bartholomew said that dialogue with other Christians, especially Catholics, is one of the priorities of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The Patriarch evidently has not meet Pope Che and has cadre of butt boinkers.
They like the new gay-abortion-idol-friendly Church?
So, Francis has bribed the Greek Orthodox.
Another notch on his post for getting some sort of agreement with someone hard to deal with (like the Chinese Communist government and Kirill of the Russian Orthodox church)?
The Russians had cordial relations with BXVI. But nobody in the ROC has any interest in restoring communion with Rome.
If John Paul II was still with us, I would view this in a positive light. I’ve always greatly admired the Orthodox.
But with a communist in the Vatican ...
In his opinion, the division that now exists between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is merely a matter of historical events, not dogmatic differences.
I can’t believe this is true. It’s impossible, no?
It would precipitate a major schism. But he has already done that, so maybe he just doesn’t care. If he actually said this, then he is a heretic and the sooner he goes to Rome the better.
Those poor monks! I read a couple more versions of the story. Said some of them were crying when he said what he said. Didn’t say why they were crying, but one can imagine.
Sometimes I think about leaving the RCC for the Orthodox. Better that they stay separate than be corrupted. Of course there are scandals in Orthodoxy, but I am wondering if the Lavender Mafia has entirely taken over the RC hierarchy, if there is any chance for a good priest to rise in the ranks and clean house.
Or are the good ones relegated to parish work while the complicit cynics sit in the mansions and steer the Church through the wide gate?
I would always take any marriage proposal from another when they provide me with bone fragments reputed to be from an Apostle, but were never deemed to be authentic:
“The bronze case contains nine of the bone fragments discovered during excavations of the necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica that began in the 1940s.
In the 1960s, archaeologist Margherita Guarducci published a paper asserting that she had found St. Peter’s bones near the site identified as his tomb.
While no pope has ever declared the bones to be authentic, St. Paul VI announced in 1968 that the “relics” of St. Peter had been “identified in a way which we can hold to be convincing.”
https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/07/pope-gives-relics-of-st-peter-to-orthodox-patriarch/
I feel at peace over all of these developments.
I am glad true colors are shown clearly for all to see.
There is little to debate, no confusion, a clear choice.
I do wonder what kind of hell the patriarch of Alexandria was put through to make him go along with these schemes
Funny, it’s kind of like the Trump accusation, somebody heard something second hand. I’m sure the Moscow Sretensky Monastery had no reason to fib.
It’s a serious accusation. If the Russians did invent this, it will come back on them. I am certain the EP would be (rightly) indignant at being slandered and will speedily deny the alleged remarks. He should have no difficulty getting corroborating witnesses.
The problem will be if he does not deny the comments.
Well the EP Has heard of John 17.
I guess Bartholomew, like all those poor benighted creationist church fathers, is just “a man of his time.”
Please see post 18.
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