Posted on 11/29/2006 4:47:14 PM PST by NYer
The visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate is the main reason for the Pope’s trip to Turkey on the Feast Day of Saint Andrew. A joint statement is expected tomorrow. Istanbul is under tight security.
Istanbul (AsiaNews) – Magnificent Greek chants, embraces, statements about mutual commitment to continue working for full unity filled the meeting which Benedict XVI called a moment “of good will and ecclesiastic meaning”.
At the end of the second day of his visit to Turkey, Benedict XVI arrived in the Phanar district, seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the first “in honour” amongst Orthodox patriarchate. It is the eve of the Feast Day of Saint Andrew, patron saint of the Eastern Churches.
The meeting with Bartholomew I is the main purpose for the Pope’s visit. And right after flying in from Izmir, Benedict XVI goes straight away to the Patriarchate.
There is an imposing deployment of police at the airport and along the road. The 22-kilometre route is closed off to all traffic: an empty freeway in the heart of the city with a police car at each intersection, police officers everywhere, and an armoured vehicle as part of the convoy.
Along the Golden Horn, impossibly crowded at this time of the day, lighted fishmonger stalls are empty, clients are missing. People waiting for the ferry come forward guardedly to edge of the road, more out of curiosity than anything else.
Al-Qaeda’s threats are too recent to have had any impact on the tight security. For now as the Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said, they don’t worry the Pope or his entourage.
Upon arrival in the Phanar, the small Church of Saint George—without its dome because under Ottoman rule only mosques could have domes, and without any cross at the entrance because it is a religious symbol—is illuminated as it were a feast day. Inside the gold of the icons, the walls and the magnificent patriarch’s throne are bright and shine.
Bartholomew and Benedict already know each other and have met before, but the Pope’s visit to Istanbul, where the Pontiff will meet the Patriarch three times, is an expression of their shared desire to pursue the ecumenical journey.
Bartholomew made this point reminding popes and patriarchs of their responsibility along the path of reconciliation. Benedict XVI echoed it when explaining that his visit to the patriarchate is part of the journey to strengthen “the impetus towards mutual understanding and the quest of full unity.”
Earlier, the Pope mentioned “the momentous events that have sustained our commitment to work for the full unity of Catholics and Orthodox. I wish above all to recall the courageous decision to remove the memory of the anathemas of 1054,” taken in a joint declaration by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, and “written in a spirit of rediscovered love”.
“Signs of this love,” the Pope said, “have been evident in numerous declarations of shared commitment and many meaningful gestures.”
During the ceremony, a celebration of Vespers in all but name, seven antiphons were sung. Two were dedicated to Peter and Paul, patron saints of the Church of Rome and the Church of Saint Andrew. The fifth was composed for Pope Paul VI’s visit and expressed the joy of the Church of Constantinople in receiving the one who sits in the Seat of Peter. A passage from Zachariah, which calls upon the peoples of the East and the West to come together in Jerusalem, is read.
Afterwards Bartholomew and Benedict XVI held a private meeting inside the small compound surrounded by a maze of streets in a district that is relatively close to the heart of Istanbul.
The Pope and Patriarch will meet again tomorrow for the solemn celebration of Saint Andrew in the Church of Saint George and are scheduled to sign a joint declaration. Nothing ground-breaking is expected from the statement, nor is it expected to be a giant leap along the ecumenical path, but it is certainly another step forward, especially in light of the work by the re-established joint commission that is dealing with Catholic-Orthodox theological issues. Just a few weeks ago in fact, the same commission meeting in Belgrade touched upon the fundamental issue of the Petrine primacy.
"Pat wouldn't wear it."
Its not Greek.
Ah, no. The Holy Father will sit (or stand) in the Cathedral as an honored guest, but he will NOT concelebrate. Has the schism be healed and no one told me?
-Theo
They're called flabellae.
He alwso quite correctly noticed that mere 40 years have brought us so much closer than the previous one thousand years, a great speed indeed in Church terms. Just the fact that we recgonize One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in us is a true step forward.
It was really touching to watch both of them next to each other. The Pope stood, of course, to the right, and was always half a step ahead of the Patriarch — always first, symbolically and otherwise.
When the Pope came to visit America, the first in the greeting party was the representative of the Echumenical Patriarchate, a small detail that probably went unnoticed at that time. This goes back to the Council of Chalcedon, that established that the Ecumenichal Patriarch shall ahve equal privileges but be second in honor to the Bishop of Old Rome.
Brothers and sisters, this is truly a historic event.
The reading of Zechariah 8:7 in the Cathedral of St. George tonight said it all:
There is hope.
What exactly is mean by "a certain communion in sacris, and so in the Eucharist"? Thanks.
-A8
-A8
Maybe somebody will take it out and dust it off . . .
Someday it will happen. (Most likely not during our lifetimes, though.)
I agree. "Behold, your king comes to you, humble, and riding on the colt of an ass."
Like an allegory on the banks of the Nile. I'd be inspired to Languish, but I have to sort some laundry and roust half a dozen kids out of bed.
(Say hi to Lydia for me!)
That girl ... I should have her doing the laundry, until she grows some sense!
. . . she's remarkably well-preserved, though.
A good diet works wonders :-).
From a Web site:
"What the Orthodox Church teaches on Abortion:
Jeremiah 1:5 quotes God as saying to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you."
The Didache, the teachings of the 12 Apostles derived directly from Jesus Christ says: "You shall not murder a child by abortion nor shall you kill a newborn."
What Patriarch Bartholomew teaches on Abortion:
“Although the Orthodox Church believes the soul enters the body at conception and, generally speaking, respects human life and the continuation of the pregnancy,” Bartholomew said, the church also “respects the liberty and freedom of all human persons and all Christian couples. . . .We are not allowed to enter the bedrooms of the Christian couples,” he also said. “We cannot generalize. There are many reasons for a couple to go toward abortion.” (San Francisco Chronicle-7/20/90 p.A1)"
http://www.patriarchbartholomew.net/san_francisco_chronicle.htm
Oh, dear.
An excellent question. You are right on both counts. Ordinarily, the Orthodox would not allow the Pope (or any other Catholic Bishop or Priest) to concelebrate with them, for the same reason the Pope cannot accept to concelebrate with them: we are not yet in communion and what that means is that we can't share from the same Sacrificed Meal until such communion exists and that will come to pass the day we solemnly agree that we hold a common faith.
The matter of communion in sacris means that the Catholic Church will not withhold the Eucharist from Orthodox Christians under ordinary circumstances -- meaning in the U.S., that if an Orthodox Christian joins the communion line at Mass, he will be given Holy Communion no questions asked. However, the individual Orthodox Christian must follow the directives of his own Orthodox jurisdiction, which ordinarily bans or discourages this kind of behavior from their faithful.
Under extraordinary circumstances -- as far as I understand it -- Catholics can receive the Sacraments of the Eucharist, Annoiting of the Sick, and Reconciliation from an Orthodox Priest and Orthodox Christians can receive the same sacraments from a Catholic priest, without having to request permission from local ordinaries of either Church. Once the extraordinary circumstance has passed, the more restrictive practice is to be reasserted.
I hope this helps.
-Theo
For instance, “We cannot generalize. There are many reasons for a couple to go toward abortion.”
That is true. There are many reasons that women or couples choose abortion. Perhaps he was asked his opinion on the reasons for abortions.
"We are not allowed to enter the bedrooms of the Christian couples,” he also said.
That is also true, at least in the United States. Entering anyone's bedroom (or living room, or kitchen) without permission is a crime. Also, I understand that the Orthodox are generally accepting of contraception, so that may have been the topic of this fragment.
.. the church also “respects the liberty and freedom of all human persons and all Christian couples .
Yes, this is basic. Freedom to choose good or evil is basic to the human condition, and must be "respected," in the sense of not being coerced.
Is this the official Orthodox position on abortion, or better still, is there an official position and if so, who determines it?
This sounds like Al Gore or John Kerry. You know the line......"personally, I'm opposed to abortion, but I don't want to impose my views on anyone."
Thanks very much, Pontius.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.