On Sunday the Vatican published a personal letter Pope Francis wrote to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople suggesting the leaders' gathering.

That same day Cardinal Kurt Koch — who heads the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity — hand-delivered the letter to Patriarch Bartholomew during his visit to Istanbul for the Orthodox Church's patronal feast of St Andrew.

"The now imminent 1,700th anniversary ... will be another opportunity to bear witness to the growing communion that already exists among all who are baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Francis wrote to Bartholomew.

Reflecting on six decades of Catholic-Orthodox dialogue while looking ahead to future possibilities for unity, Francis was positive.

He acknowledged the progress made since Vatican II's Unitatis Redintegratio decree marked the Catholic Church's official entry into the ecumenical movement 60 years ago.

Koch is firm that efforts toward unity must focus on "the innermost centre of self-revelation in Jesus Christ".

There must be an "ecumenism of blood" he says.

"Christians are not persecuted because they are Catholic, Lutheran or Anglican but because they are Christian."

Building peace in a time of war

While celebrating the "renewed fraternity" which Catholic-Orthodox communities had achieved since Vatican II, Francis also wrote in his letter to Bartholomew that full communion, particularly sharing "the one Eucharistic chalice", remains an unfulfilled goal.

Speaking of contemporary global tensions, Francis pointedly connected ecumenical efforts to peace-building.

"The fraternity lived and the witness given by Christians will also be a message for our world plagued by war and violence" his letter says. He specifically mentioned several war-torn countries by name, including Ukraine, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon.

He also highlighted Orthodox representatives' recent participation in October's Synod on Synodality.

The traditional Catholic-Orthodox exchange of delegations occurs twice a year. Catholic representatives travel to Istanbul for St Andrew's feast on November 30 and Orthodox delegates visit Rome for the feast of Sts Peter and Paul on June 29.

The delegation participated in the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St George, Phanar. It also held discussions with the synodal commission charged with relations with the Catholic Church.

Source

• CNA

The document, titled "Synodality and Primacy in the Second Millennium", presents an overview of the historical journey of both churches, dating back to the Great Schism of 1054.

The joint statement was issued following the 15th plenary session of the theological dialogue commission, held in Alexandria, Egypt from June 1 to 7.

The meeting witnessed the participation of representatives from ten Orthodox Churches alongside 18 Catholic commission members.

The statement highlights Pope Francis' endorsement of a synodal Church, emphasising the potential for deeper convergence between the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

Quoting from the Pope's 2013 apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, the document acknowledges the opportunity for Catholics to learn about episcopal collegiality and synodality from their Orthodox brethren.

"In the dialogue with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, we Catholics have the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of episcopal collegiality and their experience of synodality."

According to the statement, it "strives to give as far as possible a common reading of that history, and it gives Orthodox and Roman Catholics a welcome opportunity to explain themselves to one another at various points along the way."

Complexities of synodality and primacy acknowledged

It debunks the notion of a pyramidal church structure with a single governing figure and the idea of a federation of independent churches.

The complexities of synodality and primacy in the Church are acknowledged, highlighting the inadequacy of oversimplified views held by both sides.

This recent statement builds upon the foundation laid by the commission's previous joint statement in 2016, which examined the state of the Christian Church in the first millennium after Christ.

The document acknowledges the growing efforts within the Catholic Church to promote synodality at all levels and the willingness to differentiate between the pope's role within the Latin Church and his service to the broader communion of churches.

Observers perceive these distinctions as a positive step towards creating future opportunities for collaboration and understanding.

The joint statement calls for an ongoing dialogue infused with charity, aiming to comprehend synodality and primacy authentically. It encourages a focus on the theological principles, canonical provisions and liturgical practices of the undivided Church in the first millennium.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

In a message to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I on Monday, Francis praised Bartholomew's efforts to promote Christian unity.

"We can thank God that relations between the Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate have grown much over the past century, even as we continue to yearn for the goal of the restoration of full communion expressed through participation at the same Eucharistic altar," he wrote.

"Although obstacles remain, I am confident that by walking together in mutual love and pursuing theological dialogue, we will reach that goal."

Francis also expressed his hope for full communion "based on our common faith in Jesus Christ, sent by God the Father to gather all people into one body, and the cornerstone of the one and holy Church, God's holy temple, in which all of us are living stones, each according to our own particular charism or ministry bestowed by the Holy Spirit."

The pope sends a message to the Patriarch each year on 30 November, which is the Orthodox feast day of St Andrew. The Patriarch is regarded as the successor of St. Andrew the Apostle and is "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In this week's message, Francis recalls his most recent meeting with Bartholomew at an international meeting for peace in Rome in October.

"Together with the challenges posed by the current pandemic, war continues to afflict many parts of the world, while new armed conflicts emerge to steal the lives of countless men and women," he says.

"Undoubtedly all initiatives taken by national and international entities aimed at promoting peace are useful and necessary, yet conflict and violence will never cease until all people reach a deeper awareness that they have a mutual responsibility as brothers and sisters."

"In light of this, the Christian Churches, together with other religious traditions, have a primary duty to offer an example of dialogue, mutual respect and practical cooperation."

Bartholomew sought Christian unity "before the Catholic Church and other Churches engaged themselves in dialogue," Francis's message continues.

He cites an encyclical letter issued by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1920, which says Churches could heal divisions if they placed love "before everything else in their judgment of the others and in relation towards each other."

A delegation from the Vatican also made its way to Istanbul for its customary visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Feast of St. Andrew.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, led the delegation.

The delegates attended a Divine Liturgy presided over by the Bartholomew at St. George's Cathedral, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Afterwards, Koch read Francis's message and presented the Ecumenical Patriarch with a signed copy, which Francis concludes saying:

"With these sentiments, I renew my warmest best wishes for the Feast of St. Andrew, and exchange with Your All Holiness an embrace of peace in the Lord."

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• Image: Vatican News