[Unam Sanctam]

Thanks for pointing that out. I will join the Pope in his intention for unity of the "two lungs" of the Church, east and west.

[mdmathis6]

Perhaps they should unify...but which is to defer in humility to the other...west or east...This demonstration of power is occuring under Orthodox auspices not Roman.

[Aliska]

I started another thread on this subject last night, but this one has better pictures. In what I posted there is a link to an article in the British Catholic weekly, "The Tablet".

The article is either the same or similar to Holy Fire sets Orthodox rivalry ablaze in Jerusalem

wherein it is stated:

Pope Gregory IX banned Roman Catholics from participating in the ceremony in 1238.

I wonder if the ban was ever lifted or rescinded and if it is binding through the centuries.

Also ""In this worst situation I had to use my emergency light, a cigarette lighter," he later admitted." The article tells of a dispute between the Greek and Armenian patriarch wherein the Greek blew out the Armenian's candle . . .

What was he doing with a lighter?

[Lion in Winter]

NOT me. I think the OC are doing just fine on their own.

My Latin American/Cuban RC son-in-law, says he thinks that the RC church has failed to bring Europeans BACK into the fold. He says the Church sex scandals have been poorly handled as well. I agree with him.

Both of us are very disappointed in the Pope. I had hoped he would have been able to bring France and Germany BACK to Christianity.

The Pope needs to do a lot more in his own backyard/vineyard. If not this Pope then the next one. Probably too late, unfortunately.