"Branch Theory" Openly Preached at June 1998 Ecumenical Event
The following was sent to me by a couple of Orthodox site
supporters. It is from L'Osservatore Romano, 30 June-1 July, 1998. The italicized
emphases below are the webmaster's....
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I sent a delegation to Rome for the June 29, 1998
celebration of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. It was led this year by His Eminence
Metropolitan John [Zizioulas] of Pergamon. The other members of the delegation were Bishop
Emmanuel of Reghion, assistant of the Greek Orthodox Metropolitanate of Belgium, and Fr.
Christos Christakis of London. They attended the Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in
St. Peter's Basilica on June 29, had a private audience with the Holy Father, and had
"talks on matters of common interest and collaboration with the Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity." VIS, June 26.
The text of Pope John Paul's and Metropolitan John of Pergamon's speeches follow...
TEXT OF POPE JOHN PAUL II
His Holiness Pope John Paul II delivered the following speech during his private
meeting with the delegation on June 28:
Dear Brothers in Christ, I cordially welcome you, the delegates of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, who have come to Rome to take part in the solemn Eucharistic celebration to
mark the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. For a number of years, this brotherly
exchange has brought together representatives of the church which owes its beginnings to
the apostolate of Sts. Peter and Paul here in Rome and the church which traces its origin
to St. Andrew.
The two brother Apostles Peter and Andrew, patrons respectively of the Church of Rome and
the Church of Constantinople, bring to mind the vocation received from the Lord to
proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom: "As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he
saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a
cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me
and I will make you fishers of men'" (Mt 4:23).
This is the perennial task of the disciples of the Lord in every age and
every place: the proclamation of the kingdom and the healing of the evils afflicting the
People of God. As we approach the third millennium, the Spirit makes us understand the
urgency of a more intense dedication to this task. And the witness of Christian unity
becomes even more imperative: "that they may all be one...so that the world may
believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17:21). In this perspective, it is with joy that I
recall the Joint Declaration signed by His Holiness Bartholomew I and myself, in which we
urged Catholics and Orthodox "to make this spiritual pilgrimage together towards the
Jubilee." We expressed our shared conviction that "reflection, prayer, dialogue,
reciprocal forgiveness and mutual fraternal love will bring us closer to the Lord, and
will help us better to understand his will for the Church and for humanity." Your
presence among us for the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul is a clear sign of our
common will to undertake this journey in fraternal charity and in love for the truth,
trusting in Jesus Christ, the only Lord and Savior of the world.
I ask you to take the assurance of my cordial greeting and fraternal regard to His
Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch. May God who has begun a good work in us bring it to
completion. Amen.
TEXT OF METROPOLITAN JOHN OF PERGAMON
His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon gave this speech in reply:
Your Holiness,
We give glory and thanks to the Triune God for granting us the great
blessing to visit Your Holiness as official representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarch
and the Church of Constantinople on the occasion of the Feast of the Patron Saint of the
venerable Church of Rome, "the church presiding in love," according to the
well-known expression of St. Ignatius of Antioch.
It is indeed a distinct privilege and a great honor for myself and my brothers in Christ,
the Right Reverend Emmanuel, Bishop of Reghion, and the Reverend Presbyter Christos
Christakis, who accompany me, to stand at this moment before Your Holiness as participants
in a long tradition of exchange of official visits between our two ancient churches on the
occasion of the feasts of their respective Patron Saints. Such a sacred custom re-affirms
and deepens the bond of love which unites our two churches, and paves the way to
the full unity which our Lord demands from us. His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, fully conscious
of the significance of this sacred custom, which he blessed himself with his personal
visit to You on the same occasion three years ago, has commanded us to offer You the
assurance of his feelings of deep brotherly love and honor, as well as of his firm
commitment to the holy task of furthering and deepening the unity of our two churches.
It is indeed for the sake of this sacred cause of unity that our two churches are
officially engaged in theological dialogue so that on the basis of their common heritage
of the first thousand years of the Churchs life they may remove the obstacles to
full communion that have appeared since the tragic Schism which has separated us for
almost a millennium now. The bitter experience of this long period of separation has made
us all aware of the need to accelerate the process of restoring our full communion so that
the approaching third millennium of the Christian era may find the Church of God visibly
united as she was before the great Schism. As Your Holiness has aptly put it some years
ago, East and West are the two lungs by which the Church breaths; their unity is
essential to the healthy life of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Your Holiness,
As we strive to reach the restoration of the full communion of our
churches through the dialogue of love and truth, trying to overcome obstacles, old and
new, on our way, we are encouraged by the declarations of support Your Holiness repeatedly
offers to this sacred goal. We are particularly appreciative of Your Encyclical Ut
Unum Sint and the possibilities it offers for a constructive discussion of certain
fundamental ecclesiological questions affecting our unity. The invitation your holiness
has addressed to all Christians for a frank and open discussion of the subject of the
Petrine ministry in the Church is already leading to important discussions. Equally, the
document of the Pontifical Council for Unity on the Procession of the Holy Spirit offers
the basis for important clarifications concerning an issue that has that has divided West
and East for such a long time. We in the Orthodox Church are very pleased that theology is
taken seriously in our efforts to restore full communion, for we believe that Truth must
be the solid foundation for a lasting and God-pleasing unity.
Your Holiness,
As we approach the end of this millennium we become aware of the
Churchs great responsibility towards humanity. The impressive achievements of
science and technology risk becoming a serious threat to the dignity of the human person
and the survival of Gods creation, as they do not seem to be accompanied by a respect for
ethical values. The repeated appeals and efforts of Your Holiness for the sanctity of
human life and the dignity of the human person, as well as the initiatives of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate for the protection of the natural environment, indicate our
awareness of the Churchs responsibility today. Our voice and our efforts, however,
can be credible in the contemporary world only if our divisions are healed and overcome.
With these thoughts, which our Patriarchal delegation with humility and respect wishes to
express to Your Holiness on this solemn occasion of todays great Feast, we have the
honor and the privilege to ask You to receive from our hands the present personal Letter
of His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, together with His Holy Synods
congratulations and good wishes on the Patron Feast of your church.
May the Lord, through the supplication of His Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, whose
memory we celebrate today, grant Your Holiness health and strength for many years to come,
to the glory of the Triune God and for the benefit of the unity of all in Christs
name.
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