Vatican City, 27 June 2015 (VIS) – A
delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is
present in Rome for the customary visit on the Solemnity of Sts.
Peter and Paul, patrons of the Church of Rome, bearing witness to the
profound relationship between the two Churches foreshadowed by the
bond uniting their respective patrons, the apostles Peter and Andrew,
“brothers in blood and faith, united in apostolic service and
martyrdom”, as Pope Francis affirmed.
A Holy See delegation reciprocates
every year with a visit to Istanbul, Turkey on 30 November, St.
Andrew's Day, and the Holy Father recalled the warm welcome he
received on this occasion last year from Patriarch Bartholomew and
the clergy and faithful of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. “The
ecumenical prayer on the vigil of the feast, and then the Divine
Liturgy in the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, offered us the
possibility of together praising the Lord and asking him with one
voice for that day to draw nearer when full, visible communion
between Orthodox and Catholics may be re-established”, he said.
“Attaining that goal, towards which
we have set out together in trust, represents one of my main
concerns, for which I do not cease to pray to God”, he added. “I
hope, therefore, that opportunities may increase for meeting each
other, for exchange and cooperation among Catholic and Orthodox
faithful, in such a way that as we deepen our knowledge and esteem
for one another, we may be able to overcome any prejudice and
misunderstanding that may remain as a result of our long separation.
It is my desire that we may be able to face, in truth but also with a
fraternal spirit, the difficulties which still exist”. In this
regard, Francis reiterated his support for the valuable work of the
Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, emphasising that the
problems that may arise during the course of theological dialogue
must not lead to discouragement or resignation. “The careful
examination of how in the Church the principle of synodality and the
service of the one who presides are articulated, will make a
significant contribution to the progress of relations between our
Churches”.
The Pope gave the assurance of his
prayers and those of many Catholics for the upcoming Pan-Orthodox
Synod, and asked in turn for prayers for the Ordinary Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church dedicated to the family, to
be held in the Vatican this coming October, “at which we are
looking forward also to the participation of a fraternal delegate
from the Ecumenical Patriarchate”.
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