Pope to Patriarch: We Need Unity Faster (Benedict XVI Tells Alexy II the Times Urge Haste)

ZNA ^ | October 6, 2008 | Inmaculada Álvarez

[NYer]

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 6, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI sent a personal message to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II saying that modern times call for a hastening of the journey toward Christian unity.

The Sept. 22 message was hand-delivered to Alexy II by the archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, on an official visit to Moscow at the invitation of the patriarch. The cardinal gave the message to the patriarch in a meeting that lasted a little more than an hour last Thursday.

"I have a deep affection for all the Orthodox brethren, and I am particularly close to them in these most recent days when conflict has caused significant suffering to peoples so dear to me," the Holy Father said. "I never cease to offer daily prayers for peace, asking the Lord that the appeals of Your Holiness to resolve all hostility for the good of the nations may be heeded."

He added: "Faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ is a bond that unites hearts in a profound way and invites us all to strengthen our commitment to manifest to the world a shared witness of living together respectfully and peacefully.

"Our times, marked so often by conflict and grief, make it even more necessary to hasten the journey toward the full unity of all the disciples of Christ, so that the joyous message of salvation may be spread to all humanity."

Getting closer

Cardinal Sepe told Vatican Radio on the day of his meeting with Alexy II that the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are growing ever closer, "as the patriarch himself emphasized with emotion."

"The impression is that a very important step has been taken to create a climate of closeness and mutual respect, of fraternity and friendship," he added.

Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, president of the Italian bishops' ecumenism commission, who was also present in the meeting with Alexy II, said that the process of growing closer should proceed with meetings between the various pastors of both Churches.

On the path to unity, the bishop added, "meetings between experts are no longer sufficient." Rather, ecumenism "is a coming together of the Churches."

And, Bishop Paglia affirmed, ecumenism is more and more "a demand of contemporary society."

"The harmony between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church is ever more evident," he said, referring to the challenges presented to all Christians in Europe and contemporary society. "Certain limits and challenges can only be faced from a perspective of unity."

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On the Net:

Benedict XVI's letter: www.zenit.org/article-23823?l=english

[NYer]

Catholic - Orthodox ping!

[Desdemona]

And we can start by making the calendars the same.

[FormerLib]

Glad to hear that you'll be finally dropping that Gregorian nonsense that leads to the Resurrection occurring before Passover!

[Desdemona]

Anything to have decently warm weather on Palm Sunday. It was COLD and windy last year all Holy Week. Half the choir was sick last year for the Triduum - including me and I was the lead voice on my part for the Allegri Miserere.

Seriously, there is no reason not to align the calendars. It was brought up once before and the cardinals in Italy said that the people would never go for it. Huh? Easter and Mardi Gras ALWAYS during decent weather? Huh? No more snow for Easter? Huh? What did they mean we wouldn't go for it? Works for me.

[Kolokotronis]

Orthodox ping for comment. Personally, I like FL’s!

[eleni121]

So what do you think??? Will it happen sooner rather than later...

[FormerLib]

I believe there will be some attempts at reunification, but that each will fail due to a number of sine qua non points from each side.

The best short-term outcome would be those social elements where the two Churches stand fully united: pro-life, anti-abortion, charity, defense of traditional marriage, etc.

[baa39]

I don’t know the precise theology of Mary in the Orthodox Church (Theotokos), how it compares with the Four Marian Dogmas, but from the little I’ve experienced it seems the Orthodox may have more devotion to the Blessed Mother than Roman Catholics (!?!), well, at least in the USA. I wonder if anyone who knows more could comment?

[kosta50]

I don’t know the precise theology of Mary in the Orthodox Church (Theotokos), how it compares with the Four Marian Dogmas

What are Four Marian Dogmas?

The Orthodox Church has two dogmas regarding Mary, base don the first Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church (first millennium).

The dogmas are (1) Mary is Theotokos, the Birth-giver of God and (2) she is a virgin.

Other things regarding her are pretty much what many believers believe but are not necessarily official teachings of the Church.

[kosta50]

So what do you think??? Will it happen sooner rather than later...

We need to have to agree to come to the VIII Ecumenical Council first.

This Pope, more than any other Pope in recent memory, may actually get the Orthodox to come to such a Synod, since one does not have to be in communion, to rehash our differences. I just can't see how we can establish communion unless the Church re-unites theologically pre-Schsim, which seems insurmountable even for an Ecumenical Council, and historical precedence tells us that now it is even more difficult then before the Vatican I and the dogma of Immaculate Conception.

[Kolokotronis]

“So what do you think??? Will it happen sooner rather than later...”

Later, much much later if ever. The pronouncement of papal infallibility at Vatican I makes it all but impossible for any kind of reunion which would look like the pre-Schism Church. But there might be some chance that we will work together as FL suggests.

[Desdemona]

The pronouncement of papal infallibility at Vatican I

This is one that keeps coming up. Papal infallibility is only in ex cathedra cases of faith and morals and has only been used once. And in that case it was to officially make dogma a Traditional teaching. Yes, it was a Mary teaching, but it was nothing new. Why the sticking point? Historically, the bishop of Rome (now known as the pope) has settled such arguments (see the Council of Carthage).

[FormerLib]

Historically, the bishop of Rome (now known as the pope) has settled such arguments (see the Council of Carthage).

But only by collegial agreement of the other Patriarchs, never with authority over them.

But bad dogma remains bad dogma, it would have to be removed.

[newberger]

Why the sticking point?

Simply because we don't believe that it is true.

[kosta50]

Which Council of Carthage?

[kronos77]

The issue could get resolved. Both Julian and Gregorian calendars are oudtated by Milankovitch calendar. The Revised Julian calendar was proposed for adoption by the Orthodox churches at a synod in Constantinople in May 1923. The synod synchronized the new calendar with the Gregorian calendar by specifying that the next 1 October of the Julian calendar would be 14 October in the Revised Julian calendar, thus dropping thirteen days. It then adopted a leap year rule that differs from that of the Gregorian calendar: Years evenly divisible by four are leap years, except that years evenly divisible by 100 are not leap years, unless they leave a remainder of 200 or 600 when divided by 900, then they are leap years. This means that the two calendars will first differ in 2800, which will be a leap year in the Gregorian calendar, but a common year in the Revised Julian calendar. This leap year rule was proposed by the Serbian scientist Milutin Milanković, an astronomical delegate to the synod representing the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.[1] Milanković selected this rule, which produces an average year length of 365.242222… days, because it was within two seconds of the then current length of the mean tropical year. However, the current vernal equinox year is slightly longer, about half-way between the two lengths, so for a few thousand years the Revised Julian calendar will do a marginally worse job than the Gregorian calendar at keeping the vernal equinox on March 21; it will be on March 22 more often than the Gregorian calendar will put it on March 20. However the Revised Julian calendar is more accurate regarding the length of the mean tropical year when compared to Gregorian calendar. But the length of a day is increasing by about 1.7 milliseconds per century (see tidal acceleration), so the number of days per year decreases by about 0.0001 each millennium. This means that in the long run, the Revised Julian calendar will also be inaccurate even if the mean tropical year is the basis.

[kronos77]

Now speaking, purely as a laik, Blessed Mother is very respected in Serbia, and Balkans.
Per example, even some local Muslim communities are visiting churches devoted to her.
Serbs most often use word “Bogorodica”, translated as “The one that gave birth to God”, word is used as all most a nickname for Blessed Mother, and it would sound on English as “Godbirther”.
Many scientists claim that it is reminiscence of polytheism, and that she took over the place of Hera, Diana and Athena. but that is way out of my league, as Iw said, I'm a laik.

[Desdemona]

So long as there’s not snow on Easter, I’m good.