Ecumenism Moves Slowly With Greek Orthodoxy

VATICAN, Apr. 27, 01 (CWNews.com) - A week before Pope John Paul II embarks on his historic trip to Greece and Syria, the official Vatican newspaper has published an article on the history of ecumenism in Greece.

With some Greek Orthodox leaders making no secret of their opposition to the papal visit, the article sets the background for the Pope's trip to Athens. Msgr. Eleuterio Fortino, an official at the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, writes that the papal visit is "a sign of the high regard in which the Catholic Church holds the Orthodox Church of Greece."

Msgr. Fortino recalls that the Greek Orthodox Church did not send observers to the Second Vatican Council, despite an invitation from Rome. The first sign of a thaw in the cool relations between the two churches came in September 1964, when the Vatican sent relics of St. Andrew-the patron saint of the Orthodox Church-to the Greek Orthodox Church.

Further progress was made when Pope Paul VI met with the Patriarch of Constantinople in January 1964, and in December 1965 when the two Church leaders lifted the reciprocal excommunications that had been pronounced by Rome and Constantinople in 1054.

In 1979 the two churches set up a joint commission for theological dialogue. The work of that body soon became centered on the status of the Eastern Catholic churches- as the Orthodox describe then, the "Uniate" churches. The Greek Orthodox Church has taken a particularly hard line on that issue, rejecting the very existence of the Eastern churches that have returned to full communion with the Holy See.

Because of their stance on that issue-a stance which is considerably more rigorous than that of other Orthodox bodies, the Greek Orthodox Church did not send delegates to recent worldwide ecumenical meetings, such as the Balamund conference of 1993 or last year's meeting in Baltimore.

Msgr. Fortino concludes that while ecumenical relations have been progressing very slowly between Rome and Athens, the Pope's visit could be seen as an opportunity "for two brothers to meet along the way to full communion."

Catholic World News Service Daily News Briefs [APR. 27, 2001] Greek Orthodox Archbishop Will Lecture Pope ATHENS, Apr. 27, 01 (CWNews.com) - The leader of the Greek Orthodox Church will lecture Pope John Paul II on the perceived injustices of 1,000 years when the Pontiff visits the country next month.

The Holy Synod, the Church's administrative body, announced on Friday that Archbishop Christodoulos will not pray with the Pope, but will instead lay out all Orthodox grievances beginning with the Great Schism in 1054.

"(He) will present with honesty, clarity, theological and historical documentation, all issues of dogma, ecclesiastical and theological, which cause grief, bitterness, and perplexity to the Orthodox world," Holy Synod spokesman, Metropolitan Efstathios, told reporters.

The May 4-5 visit, part of the Pope's pilgrimage to the holy places of the Bible, has been opposed by a vocal minority of Greek Orthodox who have protested in recent weeks and have promised to continue their vocal dissent during the visit.

Catholic World News Service - Vatican Update
27. april 2001