Peter Anderson - NEWS 2017

• 30 December 2017: Interesting year-end developments

  On December 25, it was announced by Patriarch Kirill at a press conference at the Danilov Monastery in Moscow that the final details of a major exchange of prisoners in Ukraine had just been agreed upon at the Monastery.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/25/news155097/   The foregoing English-language report from the Russian Orthodox Church states that the Church “acted as a mediator.”  At the conference, Patriarch Kirill stated:  “As you know, the process was not at all easy, and our Church has taken part in it as much as is proper.  I would like to underscore the contribution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the person of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry.”  Also present at the conference were Alexander Zakharchenko (head of the Donetsk People's Republic), Leonid Pasechnik (head of the  Luhansk People's Republic), and Viktor Medvedchuk (chairman of the political organization Ukrainian Choice).  Both Zakharchenko and Medvedchuk thanked the Patriarch for his role in helping the parties to reach agreement on the exchange.  A video of the Patriarch’s remarks can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=obFnsLwt3ds .  Medvedchuk is on the far left in the video.

  The actual exchange of prisoners occurred on December 27.  The major welcoming ceremony for the 73 prisoners returning to Kyiv occurred at the Kharkiv airport on the evening of December 27.  The main speaker was Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, but the heads of the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP also spoke.  Their remarks are summarized at https://www.religion.in.ua/news/vazhlivo/38511-prezident-ukrainy-i-glavy-cerkvej-vstretili-osvobozhdennyx-iz-plena-ukrainskix-voinov-i-zalozhnikov.html .  You can watch a 34-minute video of the ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC5fFrDYPvw .  Filaret is prominently standing immediately to the left of Poroshenko, and Metropolitan Onufry is standing to the left of Filaret.  Filaret in his address (19:20 in the video) stressed the role of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations in its appeals to Pope Francis, Patriarch Kirill, Archbishop Welby, and others.  Metropolitan Onufry (25:00 in the video) stressed the appeals made by his Church to Patriarch Kirill and the events on December 25.  Although Poroshenko thanked the representatives of the churches, he also told the released prisoners:  “Due to the efforts of Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron, of our big team, your liberation has become possible.”   http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/budu-robiti-vse-mozhlive-shob-povernuti-kozhnogo-voyina-prez-45254  The Roman Catholic Bishop of Kyiv-Zhytomyr Vitaly Krivitsky was also present at the Kharkiv event.  http://credo.pro/2017/12/197160 

  The Ukrainian website Religion.in.ua has reported that a meeting has now occurred between Canadian Bishop Ilarion (Rudnik), who is a representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with Metropolitan Macarius, the head of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC).  https://www.religion.in.ua/news/vazhlivo/38497-konstantinopol-vede-dialog-odnochasno-z-upc-kp-upc-mp-i-uapc.html  You may recall that a delegation headed by Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on December 17 at the Phanar and that Archbishop Daniel (Zelinsky) and Bishop Ilarion (Rudnik) from the Ecumenical Patriarchate met with the head of the UOC-KP Filaret on December 15.  It is not clear how these meetings will relate to the official committee established by the Bishops’ Council to meet with the UOC-KP.  However, Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol, who met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, is one of three members of the UOC-MP who were appointed by the Bishops Council to the seven-person official committee.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/30/news153579/ 

  On December 21, the commission established by the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Patriarchate in response to the appeal of the uncanonical Macedonian Orthodox Church met with a delegation of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, headed by its primate Archbishop Stefan (Veljanovski).  http://www.bg-patriarshia.bg/news.php?id=252000 ; https://orthodoxie.com/reunion-de-la-commission-de-dialogue-entre-leglise-orthodoxe-de-bulgarie-et-leglise-orthodoxe-de-macedoine/ (French translation)  According to the communique on the website of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, the meeting was conducted “with fraternal love,” and the parties developed the actions necessary to realize the decisions taken by the Holy Synod on November 27.  No more details were given.  However, the Greek website Romfea.gr has posted an article relating to a meeting between Bulgarian Patriarch Neofit and Archbishop Stefan.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/19005-ena-akomi-bima-prin-tin-anagnorisi  According to the latter report, Patriarch Neofit stated that the cross that Church of Bulgarian has undertaken to lift is not easy.  He also stated that we must take the extended hand of the Macedonian Church because they are our brothers and we must try to keep unity. "

  Bishop Irinej of Backa, who frequently acts as the spokesperson of the Serbian Patriarchate, has given a long interview to the Serbian newspaper Večernje Novosti.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/intervju_episkopa_bachkog_irineja_vechernjim_novostima  The French website Orthodoxie.com today posted a French translation, and the Google translation tool works better on the French than on the Serbian.  https://orthodoxie.com/leveque-de-backa-irenee-eglise-orthodoxe-serbe-sexprime-sur-leglise-de-macedoine-le-kosovo-la-voivodine-et-la-canonisation-du-cardinal-stepinac/   In it, Bishop Irinej speaks at length concerning the actions of the Bulgarian Church with respect to the Macedonian Orthodox Church.  Without attempting to summarize all of the Bishop’s remarks, he asserts that the Bulgarian Church has not in fact accepted the role of “mother church” and has not consulted any of the Local Orthodox Churches concerning this.  He essentially maintains that the Bulgarian Church must be aware of the dangers poised by serving a schism as the Bulgarian Church could find itself in schism with Constantinople and the other Local Orthodox Churches.

  Bishop Irinej also answered a question relating to the joint Stepinac commission.  He states:  “What will be the outcome, I really cannot say.  I know only one thing: the present pope understands the Church differently than the Kaptol center of Zagreb [Kaptol is upper town in Zagreb and seat of the Catholic archbishop] or even the majority of Catholic bishops in Croatia.  Moreover, in Croatia there are also many voices that are measured and send warnings.  We'll see!”

  In my last report, I noted the improved relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate with respect to their respective churches in the Republic of Moldova.  On December 25, 2017, Patriarch Kirill met with the President of Moldova Igor Dodon.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5088877.html  Although not mentioned in the forgoing article by the Moscow Patriarchate, it has been reported that after the meeting President Dodon stated on his Facebook page:  “Patriarch Kirill accepted my invitation to visit Moldova on a pastoral visit and to take part in the World Congress of Families, which will take place in Chișinău in September 2018.” https://www.facebook.com/dodon.igor1/posts/1938686119705606 

  The Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeev, has given a long interview to RIA Novesti.  https://ria.ru/interview/20171228/1511826391.html   It is an extremely positive assessment of the current relationship between the Russian Federation and the Vatican.  He emphasizes the trust created by the contacts between Pope Francis and President Putin and the closeness of positions of the two counties on many issues.  Cardinal Koch has given an interview to the Catholic news agency SIR.  http://www.toscanaoggi.it/Vita-Chiesa/Il-cammino-ecumenico.-Card.-Kurt-Koch-la-sorella-della-religione-e-la-pace  In the interview he makes a number of interesting remarks relating to the visit of the relics of St. Nicholas, the great friendship between Coptic Pope Tawadros and Pope Francis, and the ecumenism of martyrs.  He also states that a celebration is now being planned for February 2018 to observe the second anniversary of the Havana meeting.

  Finally, the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate met yesterday, December 28.  The following are the minutes of the meeting:  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5090389.html .  For me, the most interesting news is that Bishop Matthew (Andreev) is appointed Ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Sourozh.  http://www.sourozh.org/maineng/2017/12/28/bishop-matthew-is-appointed-ruling-bishop-of-the-diocese-of.html  From 2009 to 2015, he was rector of a parish in Glasgow and then in Manchester.  He became a bishop in 2015 and was appointed administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate’s churches in Italy last July.  He is 46 years old.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4264928.html  The diocese of Sourozh encompasses Great Britain and Ireland.  Bishop Anthony (Sevryuk) of Zvenigorod,  who is Director of the Department for Church Institutions Abroad of the Moscow Patriarchate, is given the additional responsibilities of Administrator of the Dioceses of Vienna and Austria and Budapest and Hungary and Temporary Administrator of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy.  Bishop Anthony is 33 years old.  It shows that Patriarch Kirill and the Synod have no hesitation in promoting talented young priests.

  I hope that all of you have a very Happy New Year and that Our Lord will grant you many blessings in 2018!

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 23 December 2017: Second anniversary

  Dear Barbara,

  I thought that you might be interested in this interview of Cardinal Koch in which he states that plans are now being made to celebrate the second anniversary of the Havana meeting:  http://www.toscanaoggi.it/Vita-Chiesa/Il-cammino-ecumenico.-Card.-Kurt-Koch-la-sorella-della-religione-e-la-pace 

  I hope that you have a very blessed and joyful Christmas and that 2018 will bring many blessings to your wonderful work with the Orthodox!

  Your friend in the Infant Jesus, Peter

• 22 December 2017: UOC-MP: yes to dialogue

  The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) held its final meeting of the year today (Thursday).  The minutes of its meeting can be read at http://news.church.ua/2017/12/21/zhurnali-zasidannya-svyashhennogo-sinodu-ukrajinskoji-pravoslavnoji-cerkvi-vid-21-grudnya-2017-roku/ .  There are two journal entries that I believe are especially important.  First, journal entry 25, which relates to the recent Moscow Bishops’ Council, contains the following clause:  “Express willingness to negotiate with those who are outside the unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to overcome the schism in Ukrainian Orthodoxy and restore church communion.”   You may recall that on December 13, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) also met and agreed to dialogue with the Moscow Patriarchate.  However, the Holy Synod of the UOC-KP was emphatic that being an administrative structure of the Moscow Patriarchate could not be the subject of dialogue and that the granting of autocephaly must be the goal of any dialogue.  https://www.cerkva.info/church/zhurnaly-zasidannia-sviashchennoho-synodu-13-hrudnia-2017-r   In spite of this rigid negotiating stance (at least initially rigid) by the UOC-KP, the UOC-MP has still agreed to enter into the dialogue.

  In a related development, a delegation of the UOC-MP, headed by Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol, met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on December 17 at the Phanar.  http://news.church.ua/2017/12/17/keruyuchij-spravami-upc-zustrivsya-z-patriarxom-konstantinopolskim-varfolomijem-2/ .   The meeting also included the participation of Archbishop Job (Getcha) (Ecumenical Patriarchate), who was born in Canada but is of Ukrainian descent.  According to the foregoing link of the UOC-MP:  “The interlocutors were united in the position that any divisions within the Church should be decided on the basis of church canons, and not political expediency.  The church schism should be cured and overcome, not legalized.  It is impossible to achieve the real, rather than the superficial, unity of the Church in another way.”

  The second important entry, journal entry 28, in today’s minutes of the Holy Synod of the UOC-MP includes the following resolutions relating the meeting at the Phanar on December 17:

  To thank the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I for the meeting, the constructive communications, as well as for the support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

  To confirm the readiness of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to overcome the church schism in Ukraine on canonical grounds.

  To express satisfaction with the common and consolidated position of the Constantinople Patriarchate and all Local Orthodox Churches in solving the problems of church divisions.

  To note the need for further contacts between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Constantinople Patriarchate to strengthen inter-Orthodox unity.

  Another related event is a meeting on December 15 of the head of UOC-KP Filaret with two “personal representatives of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew” – Archbishop Daniel (Zelinsky) from USA and Bishop Ilarion (Rudnik) from Canada.  https://www.cerkva.info/posts/zustrich-z-predstavnykamy-vselenskoho-patriarkha  In the past, the UOC-MP has protested such meetings of Canadian and US hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the head of the UOC-KP, but I have seen no protest in this latest case.

  It is certainly possible that the UOC-MP may request the assistance of the Ecumenical Patriarch in connection with the future dialogue with the UOC-KP.  To date the UOC-KP and Ukrainian parliament have been placing all of their hopes in establishing a canonical Ukrainian church on the Ecumenical Patriarch.   If the Ecumenical Patriarch told the representatives of UOC-KP that a certain compromise was the furthest that he would go in supporting them, it could be persuasive. 

  There has been another recent event that gives hope for better relations between certain Local Orthodox Churches.  Metropolitan Vladimir of Chișinău and All Moldova (Moscow Patriarchate) has called upon the Bessarabian Metropolia (Romanian Patriarchate) to strengthen cooperation between the two churches in Moldova.  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=76257  Apparently, this overture is the result of a conversation between Metropolitan Vladimir and Romanian Patriarch Daniel at the recent Moscow Bishops’ Conference.  On the other hand, things are heating up with respect to the request of the non-canonical Macedonian Orthodox Church to have the Bulgarian Patriarchate be its “mother church.”  The Permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has stated that the actions of the Bulgarian Patriarchate in regard to such request interferes with the jurisdiction of the Serbian Patriarchate and violate the canons and traditions of the Church.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/18852-dis-i-epembasi-tis-ekklisias-tis-boulgarias-antikeitai-stous-ierous-kanones (Greek); https://orthodoxie.com/saint-synode-de-leglise-orthodoxe-de-grece-soppose-a-decision-patriarcat-de-bulgarie-concernant-leglise-de-macedoine/ (French).  Today Romfea.gr posted an article that a Bulgarian politician has in turn alleged that the Greek Orthodox Church has always worked against Bulgarian Christians.   http://www.romfea.gr/diafora/18971-stelexos-boulgarikou-kommatos-kata-oikoumenikou-patriarxeiou-kai-ekklisias-tis-ellados 

  There are some other items of interest.  On December 14, an exhibit opened in Moscow sponsored by the Russian State Archives and the Vatican Archives with the title, “The Romanovs and the Holy See, 1613-1917.”  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=76188  On the same day in Rome, a photography exhibit, entitled “Misericordia in Russia,” was opened in the Palazzo della Cancelleria.  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=76199  One of the sponsors of the Rome exhibit is the charity fund of St Gregory the Theologian.  This exhibits relates primarily to the charitable work of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia, but also includes Catholic elements such as the visit of Mother Teresa to Russia.  On December 18, Metropolitan Hilarion was awarded an honorary degree in Sacred Theology from the Apulian Theological Faculty in Bari, Italy.  http://www.lastampa.it/2017/12/19/vaticaninsider/eng/world-news/the-russian-patriarchate-churches-and-monasteries-need-to-be-rebuilt-in-syria-tkhl8PrHYruaL8xV87tcmI/pagina.html; https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/19/news154814/ The text of the Metropolitan address may be read at https://panorthodoxcemes.blogspot.com/2017/12/san-nicola-di-mira-e-lo-stato-attuale.html (Italian).  A short video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9sKTIvKrkc    On December 15, the military chaplains for the UGCC issued an official statement relating to their mission.   http://kapelanstvo.org.ua/ofitsijne-povidomlennya-pro-status-vijskovogo-kapelana-v-ugkts/  It states that activities of certain priests acting as “volunteer chaplains,” such as at Kolomyia, do not coordinate their activities with the UGCC dioceses and do not have the blessing of the church government.

  For those of you celebrating the Nativity of Our Lord on December 25, I wish you a very blessed and joyful Christmas!

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 13 December 2017: UOC-KP agrees to dialogue

  Today, Wednesday, the Holy Synod of Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) met.  The minutes of the meeting have now been posted.  https://www.cerkva.info/church/zhurnaly-zasidannia-sviashchennoho-synodu-13-hrudnia-2017-r  In Journal entry 36, the Holy Synod agrees to enter into a dialogue with the Moscow Patriarchate.  It also provides that the goal (Метою) of the dialogue is to create a single Ukrainian Orthodox Church, to restore eucharistic unity, and to obtain recognition by the Moscow Patriarchate of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church.  It further provides that it is impossible for the Kyiv Patriarchate to be an administrative structure of the Moscow Patriarchate and that this is not a subject of dialogue.  The Holy Synod also approves a letter to the faithful.  https://www.cerkva.info/church/zvernennia-sviashchennoho-synodu-u-spravi-dialohu-z-rpts

  On Monday, Metropolitan Hilarion, who is now visiting Mt. Athos, commented on the November 16 letter from Filaret to the Bishops’ Council.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/12/news154641/   He stated:

  “In his letter, written on a paper without a letterhead and signed without any titles, he asked the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church for forgiveness.  In response to his request we appointed a commission for dialogue with the Ukrainian schismatics.  However, the next day Philaret gave a press conference, during which he practically disavowed everything he had written in that letter.  However, our commission exists.  I am its chairman, and it also consists of three hierarchs from Ukraine and several clerics.  I do not know whether these negotiations will lead to something or not, whether they will begin or not.  Yet, it seems that something stirred within the soul of the leader of the schism; he is 88 years old.  And we responded to that stir of his soul.”

  The official English translation of the resolutions of the Bishops’ Council have been posted.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/02/news153781/   The English translation of the message to the faithful is likewise available.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/02/news153775/  At the final Liturgy on December 4, there was a painful reminder that the Qatar dispute still remains to be resolved.  Patriarch John X of Antioch did not participate in the Liturgy which included the Patriarch of Jerusalem.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/04/news154060/  However, Patriarch John was singled out on Monday to have a private meeting with President Putin at his home. https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/05/news154079/ 

  The UOC-MP held a press conference in Kyiv following the Bishops’ Council.  The entire press conference can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBLy-f28XcA .  During the press conference, it was stated that 56 of the 85 Ukrainian bishops attended the Bishops’ Council.  http://news.church.ua/2017/12/05/spikeri-upc-proveli-pres-konferenciyu-dlya-zmi-perspektivi-ukrajinskogo-pravoslavya-video/   This may possibly explain why the amendments made at the Council to the statutes of the Russian Orthodox Church included an express provision that the bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church participate in the work of bishops’ councils “in accordance with Chapters II and III.”   http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5074390.html  Chapter III, para. 15, in turn provides:  “None of the bishops who are members of the Council of Bishops can refuse to participate in its meetings, except for cases of illness or other cause that the Council deems valid.”  At the press conference, it was also stated that the Ukrainian bishops as a group did not attend the session where President Putin addressed the Bishops’ Council.    https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/orthodox/uoc/69265/

  On December 6, the patriarchs and heads of local churches in Jerusalem sent a joint letter to President Trump expressing their concerning about the plans to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.  This following is a photocopy of the letter:  http://www.leuenberg.net/sites/default/files/blogpost/patriarchembassylettertotrump_171206-2_0.pdf

  It has been announced that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be in Rome on May 26, 2018, to speak at the annual conference of the Centesismus Annus  - Pro Pontifice Foundation.  http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bartholomew-I-will-speak-of-'A-common-Christian-agenda-for-the-common-good'-at-the-Vatican-42526.html  The theme of the conference is "New policies and new styles of life in the digital age.”  According to the foregoing article, this visit to Rome will be the eighth time that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will have met with Pope Francis.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 7 December 2017: Nice article about you!

  About Fribourg:

  https://orthodoxie.com/nouveau-centre-detudes-oriente-vers-lorthodoxie-a-luniversite-de-fribourg/ 

• 3 December 2017: Final results - Moscow Council

  Today (Saturday) marked the final working session of the Bishops’ Council of the Moscow Patriarchate.  This working session was followed by a solemn meeting of the bishops with the participation of the primates and delegations from various Local Orthodox Churches to commemorate the centenary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church.  At the final working session today, the Council adopted its set of resolutions.  The full text of the resolutions, consisting of 46 numbered paragraphs, has been posted at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5076149.html .   The Council also adopted a letter to the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church.  The full text of the letter has been posted at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5076125.html .  The following sentence in the letter attracted my attention:  “Mindful of the tragic events of the twentieth century and reflecting on their causes, we must, with deep humility and sincere conviction, testify before those near and far about the main lesson of the past century: without God, no state or social structure will lead to well-being.”  The majority of the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches were present at today’s solemn meeting dedicated to the centenary of the Patriarchate.  Four primates were not present.  Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia was not there for health reasons, but the Georgian Patriarchate was represented by a delegation.   The Bulgarian Orthodox Church was also represented by a delegation, but without its primate Patriarch Neofit.  http://www.bg-patriarshia.bg/news.php?id=250279   For the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece, there were neither the primates nor delegations present at today’s meeting with the bishops.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/18546-apontes-bartholomaios-kai-ieronumos-apo-tous-eortasmous-sti-mosxa   See also the Patriarch Kirill’s schedule for meetings with primates and delegations of the Local Orthodox Churches with no mention of the Ecumenical Patriarchate or the Church of Greece.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5076006.html  While I was reading this report for the last time, I see that Moscow Patriarchate has just posted a very detailed report of today’s solemn meeting with the Council bishops and representatives of the various Local Orthodox Churches .  At the meeting, a letter from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was read to the bishops.  It expressed the Ecumenical Patriarch’s regret at not being able to attend and extended his greetings to the bishops.

  The lack of a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate was somewhat surprising to me, because just two days ago (November 30) the head of the patriarchal press service, Father Alexander Volkov, indicated that the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate would be coming to Moscow.  https://ria.ru/religion/20171130/1509908895.html  What changed in the last two days?  If I had to make a guess, I would suspect that the degree of negativity expressed at the Council by Patriarch Kirill with respect to the Crete documents may have been a possible factor.  (However, I could be totally wrong in this regard.)  The Moscow Patriarchate’s summary of Patriarch Kirill’s remarks with respect to Crete can be read at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5073298.html (Russian) and https://orthodoxie.com/patriarche-de-moscou-sest-exprime-concile-de-crete/ (French translation).  The summary of the remarks by Metropolitan Hilarion with respect to the Crete Council has now been translated into English at https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/29/news153514/.    Interestingly, the resolution adopted today by the Bishops’ Council with respect to the Crete Council could be considered less critical than the oral remarks.  For example, it is stated in paragraph 39, “An analysis of the documents of the Crete Council conducted on behalf of the Holy Synod by the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission showed that some of them contain unclear and ambiguous formulations, which does not allow us to consider them exemplary expressions of the truths of the Orthodox faith and the tradition of the Church.” 

  Yesterday, President Putin addressed the Bishops’ Council.  I understand that this is the first time in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church that a head of state has addressed a Bishops’ Council.  The official English translation of the President’s remarks are found at http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/56255 .   An English translation of Patriarch Kirill’s remarks to the President can be read at https://mospat.ru/en/2017/12/01/news153711/ .  A video of the remarks by both the President and the Patriarch can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WATSbRL9OWU .   As shown in the video (18:45), the President left with a standing ovation from all of the bishops.

  On Thursday, Metropolitan Onufry of Kyiv and All Ukraine addressed the Bishops’ Council on the situation in Ukraine.  The following is the official English translation of his remarks.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/30/news153525/   In his address Metropolitan Onufry requested that the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church be amended in order to devote a separate chapter to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and to reflect the special status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with its rights of broad autonomy.  The Statute was accordingly amended by the Bishops’ Council.  The following is the full text of the amendments.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5074390.html   The amendments include provisions that  the Ukrainian Orthodox Church “is self-governing with the rights of broad autonomy” and that the “management center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located in the city of Kiev.”  The amendments also provide that the “decisions of the Local Council and the Bishops' Council are mandatory for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”

  On Thursday afternoon, the Bishops’ Council was read a letter from Filaret, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1478723785509234&set=a.421649487883341.92439.100001148806070&type=3&theater (photocopy of letter);  https://orthodoxie.com/lettre-de-metropolite-de-kiev/ (French translation of the full text).  The letter makes an appeal to consider null and void all decisions, including sanctions and excommunications, which hinder the restoration of communion between the churches.  Filaret also asked forgiveness for his sins and states that he forgives all.  In response, the Bishops’ Council passed a resolution which stated in part that the Council views the appeal with satisfaction as a step toward overcoming the schism and restoring the church communion on the part of those who once fell away from unity with the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.  The resolution established a commission to conduct further negotiations.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/30/news153579/ (English)  That evening the press center of the Kyiv Patriarchate issued a statement that the Bishops’ Council had not correctly interpreted the letter.  https://www.cerkva.info/posts/zaiava-pres-tsentru-kyivskoi-patriarkhii-shchodo-dialohu-z-rpts  According to the statement, the purpose of the letter was to remove the sanctions and the anathema imposed by prior Bishops’ Councils that has the effect of impeding communications between the two churches.   Furthermore, press center stated that the goal of the UOC-KP in any subsequent dialogue would be the full autocephaly of the UOC-KP.  On Friday, Filaret held a press conference relating to his letter.  A video covering 12 minutes of his comments, which seemed quite emotional, can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LknY-acVHuU .  The following are two articles describing some of Filaret remarks:  http://orthochristian.com/108827.html (English); https://www.unian.ua/society/2274286-upts-kp-nikoli-ne-povernetsya-do-moskovskogo-patriarhatu-filaret.html (Ukrainian).  In my opinion, Filaret’s remarks leave little room for optimism for reconciliation between Moscow and the Kyiv Patriarchate in the near future.

  In paragraphs 42, 43, 44, and 45 of the resolutions adopted today, the Bishops’ Council recognized the importance of the Havana meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis and acknowledged certain positive results flowing from it, including the visit of the relics of Saint Nicholas to Russia, “an event of great spiritual significance.”   http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5076149.html 

  On Thursday, the feast of Saint Andrew, a Catholic delegation, led by Cardinal Koch, was in Istanbul to be with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, as is traditional for this important celebration.   http://www.amen.gr/article/to-oikoumeniko-patriarxeio-timise-ton-idryti-tou-agio-apostolo-andrea-ton-protoklito-foto   The foregoing link has photos and also includes some of the statement made by the Ecumenical Patriarch with respect to Orthodox – Catholic relations.  The full text of the letter of Pope Francis to the Ecumenical Patriarchate is available at http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/11/30/0847/01832.html (English).

  On Monday, there will be the concluding Divine Liturgy for the Bishops’ Council.  In general, I believe that the Moscow Patriarchate should be quite pleased with the significant accomplishments of this important Bishops’ Council.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 30 November 2017: Moscow Council reports on Crete Council

  The Bishops’ Council of the Moscow Patriarchate opened this morning at the Christ the Savior Cathedral.  The agenda for the Council has now been posted.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5072586.html  In my opinion, there are no major surprises.  It is interesting that five of the topics are listed as “discussions” with assigned reporters.  The discussion items are: (1) the draft regulations on monasteries and monastics; (2) the draft document: "On the Canonical Aspects of Church Marriage;" (3) the new edition of the regulations on the awards of the Russian Orthodox Church; (4) the proposals for amendments to the Charter of the Russian Orthodox Church; and (5) the proposals on general church glorification of a number of local saints.  On the other hand, five of the topics are listed as “reports”:  (1)  the internal life and external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church by Patriarch Kirill; (2) the life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by Metropolitan Onufry; (3) the events of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church and the perpetuation of the memory of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church by Metropolitan Juvenaly; (4)  the conclusions reached by the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission on the documents of the Crete Council by Metropolitan Hilarion; and (5) the progress of work on the identification of the  "Ekaterinburg remains" by Bishop Tikhon.  Toward the end of the Council, there will be the approval of the resolutions of the Council and the message of the Council.  Presumably, the resolutions will relate not only to the topics listed as “discussions” but also to the items listed as “reports.”  At the end, there will be a “solemn meeting of the Council of Bishops, dedicated to the centenary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church, with the participation of the heads and delegations of the Local Orthodox Churches.”  I assume that the latter will occur on Saturday.  It has been reported that all of the Local Orthodox Churches will be represent by at least a delegation.

  The procedural regulations for the Council are posted at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5072619.html .  Decisions are made by a simple majority.  Voting is open, but a secret ballot may be held at the suggestion of the Patriarch or one-third of the attending bishops.  Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg has been elected secretary of the Council.  Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk has been elected chairman of the drafting commission.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/29/news153369/   

  A video of the Patriarch’s opening remarks can now be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=A4zZVqCJ6Lg .  The text of the opening remarks and the Patriarch’s 85-page report (including colored graphs, maps, and tables) can be accessed at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5072994.html .  Some of the most impressive statistics have been posted in English: 303 diocese, 39,414 clergy, and 36,878 places of worship.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/29/news153384/   There are now 377 hierarchs compared to 200 in 2009.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/29/news153380/  The latter increase in hierarchs probably means that the Moscow Patriarchate now has an absolute majority of the hierarchs in the Orthodox world.

  Within the last few hours, the Moscow Patriarchate has posted a detailed summary of the Patriarch’s remarks relating to the Crete Council including criticism of the documents on marriage, mission, Orthodox diaspora, and relations with the rest of the Christian world.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5073298.html  There is also criticism of the Message of the Council and the Encyclical of the Council.  The only Crete documents that were not subject to any criticism were those on fasting and autonomy.  A summary of the remarks of Metropolitan Hilarion to the Bishops’ Council with respect to the Crete Council has been posted at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5073482.html .  Some of the specific criticisms appear fairly minor, but others are not.  The ultimate conclusion is that there should be an editing process of the Crete documents with the participation of all of the Local Orthodox Churches followed by a truly pan-Orthodox Council with the participation of all of these Churches.

  A summary of the Patriarch’s very positive report to the Bishops’ Council on his Havana meeting with Pope Francis can be read at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5073312.html .   The Patriarch stressed the importance of the meeting for aiding the situation of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa.  He also emphasized the importance of the provisions in the Havana Joint Declaration with respect to Ukraine.  Lastly, he pointed out that the very successful visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Russia was the result of the Havana meeting.

  Patriarch Kirill reported that work on the Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church has taken more time than expected and is still ongoing.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5073010.html 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

   

   

   

• 28 November 2017 (2): Moscow Council will consider Crete documents

  As expected, the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate met today, the day before the opening of the Bishops’ Council.  The minutes of today’s meeting can be read at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5071605.html .  For me the most interesting item was the following:

  JOURNAL No. 106

  HEARD:

  The report of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission, on the results of the study of the documents adopted by the Council of Primates and Hierarchs of ten Local Orthodox Churches, held in Crete on June 18-26, 2016.

  Reference:

  The Holy Synod instructed the Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission in July 15, 2016 (No. 48) to study the documents adopted by the Council in Crete and present the conclusions to the Holy Synod.

  IT WAS RESOLVED:

  1. Take note of the report.
  2. To present the conclusions made by the Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission on the documents of the Crete Council, for consideration of the forthcoming Holy Bishops’ Council.

  I believe that it is significant that the Holy Synod apparently did not adopt the report of the Commission but rather simply took note of it (Доклад принять к сведению) and referred it to the Bishops’ Council.

  You may recall that in the last Bishops’ Council, held February 2-3, 2016, the bishops considered the draft documents which were approved in the synaxis of the primates, held at Chambesy, January 21-28, 2016.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2016/02/03/news127813/  The following is a Google translation of the first three paragraphs of the resolutions approved in February 2016:

  1. The consecrated Bishops’ Council approves the position of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill at the Meeting of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches in Chambesy on January 21-28, 2016, as well as the delegations of the Russian Orthodox Church, in the meetings of the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission, the Special Inter-Orthodox Committee, and the Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox  Conference, engaged, during the inter-council period, in the preparation of documents on the topics of the agenda of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church.
  2. The Bishops’ Council notes with satisfaction that the draft documents of the Pan-Orthodox Council have been amended according to the proposals of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Local Orthodox Churches.
  3. The members of the Bishops’ Council testify that in their current form the drafts of the documents of the Holy and Great Council do not violate the purity of the Orthodox faith and do not depart from the canonical tradition of the Church.

  Of course, the draft documents that were reviewed by the Bishops’ Council in February 2016 were amended to some extent by the Crete Council in June 2016.  However, these amendment were, for the most part, to satisfy the conservative wing of the Orthodox Church.  For conservative bishops attending the Bishops’ Council beginning tomorrow, the Crete Council documents that will be discussed should be less objectionable than the documents approved by the Bishops’ Council in February 2016.  Nevertheless, the fact is that certain events occurred after the approval in February 2016.  The latter approval was given only a few days after the documents had been approved by the synaxis at Chambesy.  Although the proceedings of the February 2016 Bishops’ Council were closed, it appears that no real debate occurred at that Council concerning the documents.  Subsequent to the February 2016 Bishops’ Council, strong objections by conservatives were raised to certain documents, especially the document relating to relations to the rest of the Christian world.  Objections to the documents were also raised by Bulgaria in April 2016 and by Georgia and Mt. Athos in May 2016.  Some Russian bishops may have been confronted by some of their conservative priests, religious, and faithful as to why they had approved certain documents at the February Bishops’ Council.  The leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate may now believe that it must provide an opportunity for these views to be openly expressed at this coming Bishops’ Council.  After the current Bishops’ Council has made its decision after an open debate, the leadership can follow that decision and be subject to far less criticism in the future.

  To the best of my knowledge, the conclusions made by the Synodal Biblical-Theological Commission on the documents of the Crete Council have still not been made public.  It is possible that these conclusions do not involve specific recommended changes to specific language in the documents.  The conclusions may be far more general such as recommending that the Crete documents should only be considered working documents to be reviewed by a future pan-Orthodox council with the participation of all of the Local Orthodox Churches.  Anyway, we should know after the conclusion of the Bishops’ Council next Monday.  The fact that the primates of a majority of the Local Orthodox Churches, many of whom participated in the Crete Council, will each address the assembled bishops before the end of the Bishops’ Council may have the effect of moderating the conclusions of the Bishops’ Council with respect to the Crete Council so as not to cause an awkward situation for these important primates.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 28 November 2018 (1): Bulgarian Synod & Moscow Council

  Today (Monday) the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Patriarchate adopted a unanimous resolution responding to the November 14 letter from the Holy Synod of the “Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA).”   http://www.bg-patriarshia.bg/news.php?id=249763  The most important parts of the resolution are as follows:

  Given that the Orthodox Church of Macedonia recognizes the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate as its Mother Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate, aware of its sacred duty, undertakes to offer full cooperation with the latter, as well as to intercede for her and to support her with the Local Orthodox Churches, so that all the measures necessary for the establishment of her canonical status are taken.

  The resolution also establishes “an episcopal synodal commission to negotiate with the Orthodox Church of Macedonia and the other Local Orthodox Churches to establish the canonical status of the Orthodox Church of Macedonia.”  The commission is headed by Metropolitan Cyprien of Stara Zagora.  The Holy Synod of the MOC-AO has already expressed gratitude for today’s decision in Sofia.  http://www.24vesti.mk/makedonskoto-crkovno-prashanje-%E2%80%93-pred-razreshnica    A few days earlier, Bulgarian Patriarch Neofit had met with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and had discussed the letter.  The Greek website Romfea.gr reported that both had a favorable view of the letter.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/18415-kratos-kai-ekklisia-uper-tis-sxismatikis-makedonikis-ekklisias  The positive reaction of the Bulgarian President is consistent with the fact that on August 1, 2017, Bulgaria and Macedonia signed a good-neighbor agreement.  https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Bulgaria/Bulgaria-and-Macedonia-good-neighbours-181841  To date I have seen no reaction to the November 14 letter from the Serbian Patriarchate, which has its own (and indisputably canonical) Ohrid Archbishopric headed by Archbishop Jovan.

  The Bishops’ Council of the Moscow Patriarchate will begin this Wednesday with Divine Liturgy at 8 a.m.  The Russian website Portal-credo.ru claims that it has examined a letter from the Moscow Patriarchate to all of its diocesan bishops which includes the following information:  There will be four closed plenary sessions each day on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  On Saturday, there will be one closed session and one formal public session.  For the closed sessions, the use of any photo, video and sound recording equipment is prohibited, as well as the publication of closed discussions in social networks.  The final closing Liturgy will be on Monday, December 4.  http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=128761  I assume that the Holy Synod will meet tomorrow (Tuesday) to determine the final agenda for the Council.  Yesterday, Metropolitan Hilarion gave an interview concerning the Council to "Rossiyskaya Gazeta."  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5069966.html   It included the following: “Yes, most of the heads of the Local Orthodox Churches have already confirmed their participation in the closing session of the Bishops' Council.  Each of them will have the opportunity to address our episcopate, and our bishops in turn will have the opportunity to hear the voice of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches.”  In the interview, Metropolitan Hilarion confirmed that Antiochian Patriarch John X will address the bishops.   However, the Georgian Patriarchate has stated that Patriarch Ilia II will not be able to attend based on the recommendations of his doctors.  http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=14106  It has just been announced that President Putin will visit the Council – the first time that the head of the Russian state has come to a Bishops’ Council.  https://ria.ru/religion/20171128/1509711883.html 

  Today, an important conference was held at Moscow’s Sretensky Monastery on the subject, "On the Murder of the Royal Family: New Evaluations and Materials: Discussion."  The conference was given a great deal of publicity, and the entire nine-hour session in the presence of Patriarch Kirill was broadcast live on several television channels.  https://ria.ru/religion/20171127/1509703090.html   The best summaries of today’s proceeding that I have found so far are http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5070722.html and  http://www.pravmir.ru/gibel-tsarskoy-semi-est-novyie-faktyi-no-vyivodyi-delat-rano/ .  The opening address of the Patriarch can be read at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5070574.html .  The Patriarch made it clear that the purpose of the conference is to “listen to the reports of experts and ask, as I said, any questions that you deem appropriate.”  At the end of the conference, it was clear that many questions and doubts remain and much more work remains to be done.  The Moscow Patriarchate intends to post a video of the entire conference.

  On the 84th anniversary of the Ukrainian Holodomor, observed on November 25, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew issued a special message in which he refers to the Holodomor as “one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century.”  The full text in English can be read at  https://www.patriarchate.org/-/message-by-his-all-holiness-ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew-on-the-84th-anniversary-of-the-ukrainian-holodomor-phanar-november-25-2017- .  He states:  “Surrounded by the members of our local Ukrainian Orthodox Community and representatives of various nations serving in our City, we will preside over the celebration of the Divine Liturgy as well as personally offer a memorial service for the millions of people who inhumanely lost their lives during the orchestrated man-imposed famine.”  Later in the letter, he makes “a prayerful appeal to all people of goodwill for the cessation of the war, aggression and ongoing violence in Ukraine.”  Although Metropolitan Onufry, head of the UOC-MP, did not issue a letter or make a statement, he did join the President of Ukraine and various  denominations and faiths in the public ceremony in Kyiv in memory of the Holodomor victims.  http://news.church.ua/2017/11/25/blazhennishij-mitropolit-onufrij-vzyav-uchast-u-derzhavnij-ceremoniji-vshanuvannya-zhertv-golodomoriv-v-ukrajini/  After his Angelus prayer last Sunday, Pope Francis stated:  “In particular, I greet the Ukrainian community that recalls the tragedy of the Holodomor , the famine caused by the Stalin regime with millions of victims.  I pray for Ukraine, because the strength of faith can help to heal the wounds of the past and promote today's peace paths.”  http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/angelus/2017/documents/papa-francesco_angelus_20171126.html 

  There are some fairly reliable reports that plans are being made for Pope Francis to visit the three Baltic countries in the fall of 2018.  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=75848 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

   

   

   

   

• 23 November 2017: Moscow press conference update & More

  Today (Thursday) the official website of the Moscow Patriarchate issued a much more detailed report on yesterday’s press conference relating to next week’s Bishops’ Council than provided by the Russian news agencies yesterday.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5067931.html  In this latest report, there is a far greater description of the subjects expected to be discussed at the Council.  Of particular interest to me were certain remarks at the press conference made by Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, deputy chairman of the DECR, as reflected in the follow excerpt (Google translation) from the report:

  "The Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church is likely, if the Holy Synod decides this way, the meeting of which will take place on the eve of the opening of the Council of Bishops, to make its judgment on the Council held in the summer of 2016 in Crete, -- the deputy chairman of the DECR also noted --  For a number of reasons, as was already noted by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, that Council did not become the All-Orthodox Council, which, of course, should be regretted.  At the same time, the communion of the Orthodox Churches among themselves - - and those who participated in the Cretan Council, and those who abstained from such participation - - continues, and a good sign of this is the arrival of a majority of the primates of the Local Churches in Moscow.”

  The Russian news agency RIA Novesti has reported today that it has been informed by Father Nikolai as follows: “"The Council will also discuss the importance of the meeting with the pope in Havana and express its attitude to what has happened.”  https://ria.ru/religion/20171123/1509410360.html 

  Today in Tbilisi, Patriarch Ilia II announced that 48-year-old Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senaki and Chkhorotsku (western Georgia) will be his locum tenes.  https://1tv.ge/en/news/catholicos-patriarch-hope-bishop-shio-will-justify-expectations-fulfill-duties/ ; http://orthochristian.com/108587.html   A Georgian theologian informed a news agency that “when the Patriarch names a locum tenens, it means that if the Patriarch is ill, he can transfer his duties to him.”  http://www.interpressnews.ge/en/society/91502-the-nomination-of-a-locum-tenens-patriarch-means-that-if-the-patriarch-is-ill-the-locum-tenens-patriarch-will-help-him-in-fulfilling-his-duties-says-theologian.html  Patriarch Ilia is presently suffering from Parkinson’s disease.   Of course, a locum tenes also has a very significant role after the death of a primate.  The following is the official biography of Metropolitan Shio:  http://patriarchate.ge/geo/wminda-sinodi/wevrebi/senakis-chxorowyusa-da-avstraliis-mitropoliti/  He has the additional responsibility for the Georgian church in Australia and New Zealand.  According to some news reports, he is also the spiritual father of the president of the Republic of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili.

  From November 16 to 18, an extremely interesting conference was held at the University of Fribourg on the subject, “Synodality and its Implementation – a Theological Topos for the Church in East and West.”   http://www.unifr.ch/webnews/content/99/file/Affiche_Synodalite.pdf   At the conference, all of the Local Orthodox Churches were represented except for one (Czech Lands and Slovakia).  Many of the participants were individuals who also represent their respective churches on the joint international dialogue commission.  The Orthodox speakers described the actual means of exercising synodality for each of their Local Orthodox Churches, and Catholic speakers described the various ways that synodality is actually exercised in the Catholic Church.  An English-language report summarizing the results of the conference can be read at http://www.unifr.ch/dogmatik/assets/files/iso/Tagungen/Synodality_report.pdf .  According to the report, “the diversity of expressions of synodal church practice…amazed the participants.”  I was also interested in the following item in the report: “Orthodox theologian Paul Meyendorff [OCA] stated:  If we Orthodox have so many different expression of synodality and have to come to an understanding among ourselves, and if Catholics openly discuss similar questions, we should ask ourselves, whether our differences really separate us.”  Certain other documents relating to the conference, including the letter from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, may be accessed through http://www.unifr.ch/dogmatik/de/iso/aktuelles .

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

   

   

   

• 22 November 2017: Events in Moscow & Macedonia

  This morning (Wednesday) at 11 a.m., the Moscow Patriarchate held a press conference on the subject of the Bishops’ Council that will be held in Moscow, November 29 to December 4.  In reviewing the reports from such news agencies as RIA and Interfax, I found no really exciting news.  The main news items were summarized in a short article posted at http://www.pravmir.ru/arhiereyskiy-sobor-nachnet-rabotu-v-kontse-noyabrya-v-moskve/ .   It is expected that there will be 377 bishops from 22 countries in attendance.  The subjects discussed will include the number of marriages allowed for an Orthodox believer and the possible general glorification of certain saints previously recognized only in Ukraine.  It appears that a report will be given with respect to Ekaterinburg remains, but that a final decision on their authenticity is not expected at the Council.  I saw nothing in the news reports as to the number of primates from other Local Orthodox Churches that will come to Moscow for the celebration at the close of the Council of the centenary of the reestablishment of the Moscow patriarchate.  I also saw nothing with respect to the Council considering the new draft catechism or the recommendations of the synodal theological commission on the Crete documents.  It is possible that the submission of these two subjects to the Council will depend on the decisions of the Holy Synod at a meeting that I presume will occur in the next few days.

  Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby met yesterday (Tuesday) with Patriarch Kirill, who celebrated his 71th birthday on Monday.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5067424.html  (extensive summary of the meeting in Russian)  It was the Archbishop’s first trip to Moscow.  The public remarks of Patriarch Kirill (with English translation) to Archbishop Welby may be watched in a 30-minute video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=179&v=1SQs2XQSlsE  It was a very blunt and frank address about the current world and moral situation.  The patriarch also had strong and very extensive remarks about the current religious problems in Ukraine.  The Patriarch referred to the positive effects of the Havana meeting and expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis, Pastor Olaf Fuks Tveit (WCC), and the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches, who responded to the Patriarch’s call to oppose certain bills in the Ukrainian parliament.  During the meeting, the Archbishop and the Patriarch signed a joint declaration on the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and Africa.  http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/5906/archbishop-and-patriarch-of-moscow-issue-joint-statement-on-persecuted-christians  (full text in English)  The Archbishop later met with Metropolitan Hilarion.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/11/21/news153031/  

  The “Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA),” which is not presently recognized as canonical by any of the Local Orthodox Churches, has offered to recognize the Bulgarian Patriarchate (BP) as its “Mother Church.”  This is described in the following fairly detailed English-language articles:  https://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/macedonian-church-asks-bulgarian-brethren-for-backing-11-20-2017 ;   http://www.balkaneu.com/so-called-macedonian-orthodox-church-appealed-to-the-patriarchate-of-bulgaria-requesting-it-to-become-its-mother-church/ ; http://orthochristian.com/108364.html   A photocopy of the November 11 letter from the Holy Synod of the MOC-OA to the Holy Synod of the BG is shown at http://meta.mk/en/the-moc-has-requested-that-the-bulgarian-orthodox-church-be-their-mother-church/.   A Russian translation of the full text of the letter can be read at https://illyabey.livejournal.com/ .   From the letter, it is not clear whether the MOC-OA is willing to accept the status of a “autonomous” church (as opposed to an “autocephalous” church) under the BP.  Perhaps this point is left somewhat ambiguous in the letter so as to leave the exact status subject to negotiations.  However, the letter is very clear that the intent of the offer is to establish eucharistic unity with the bishops of the various Local Orthodox Churches.  The Bulgarian newspaper Dnevnik has reported that the Secretariat of the BP’s Holy Synod has stated that the Holy Synod may consider the proposal at its meeting on November 27.  However, because it is a very serious matter, the Secretariat stated that it is unlikely that any decision will be made until after the other Local Orthodox Churches are consulted.   http://www.dnevnik.bg/bulgaria/2017/11/20/3081804_sled_konsultacii_s_pravoslavnite_curkvi_sv_sinod_shte/ 

  The very complex history of the MOC- OA is described at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonian_Orthodox_Church_%E2%80%93_Ohrid_Archbishopric.  Beginning in 1959 the MOC-OA was recognized as an autonomous church under the Serbian Patriarchate.  However, in 1967 the MOC-OA proclaimed its autocephaly, and the Serbian Patriarchate denounced the MOC-OA as schismatic.  After a compromise settlement in 2002 was unsuccessful, the Serbian Patriarchate establish its own canonical and autonomous Ohrid Archbishopic in 2005 with Archbishop Jovan as its head.   Just a few days ago, on November 16, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Macedonian government had violated the European Convention on Human Rights by refusing to register the Ohrid Archbishopric established by the Serbian Patriarchate.  https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{"languageisocode":["ENG"],"documentcollectionid2":["JUDGMENTS"],"itemid":["001-178890"]}   Although the general area of Macedonia was under Bulgarian Exarchate from 1879 to World War I, it is extremely likely that the Serbian Patriarchate will vigorously resist any effort to make that area a part of the BP in the future.

  I have heard about the missionary success of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in sub-Sahara Africa, but I did not know of the work of the Old Believers there.  The following is a very interesting article about the work of the Old Believers among the native population in Uganda.  https://ria.ru/religion/20171118/1509057945.html 

  Lastly, I have just found on the website of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) an interview of Cardinal Kurt Koch by Professor Dr. Barbara Hallensleben concerning the September meeting on the Greek Island of Leros of the Coordinating Committee of Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.   http://www.unifr.ch/dogmatik/assets/files/iso/Texte/KNA_OeKI_Interview-Kardinal-Koch.pdf    It is an extensive (3-page) interview by Prof. Hallensleben, a faculty member at the Institut für Ökumenische Studien at the University of Fribourg, who is greatly involved in Catholic – Orthodox relations and who  is herself a member of the Joint International Commission.  After reading the interview, I now know far more about the Leros meeting, especially from the Catholic perspective, than I knew before.  The interview includes the Cardinal’s reaction both to the meeting as a whole and to the inclusion of the subject of the Eastern Catholic Churches as a topic in the future agenda.  The interview is in German, but I thought that it was important enough for me to spend a number of hours trying to provide a good English translation.  The English translation is attached and pasted below.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

  “Constructive Spirit”

  Cardinal Koch on the results of the dialogue meeting on Leros

  By Barbara Hallensleben

  According to the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch, the most recent meeting of the Catholic – Orthodox Coordinating Committee on Leros struck a positive balance.  For the continued work, the subjects of unity in faith as well as the continuation of the consideration of the relationship between primacy and synodality – now with the view of the second millennium to the present - were agreed upon, said the Cardinal, who led the Catholic delegation, in an interview by KNA- ÖKI.

  KNA  Your Eminence, you have come back from the Greek island of Leros.  What committee met there, who was there, and what was the objective?

  Cardinal Kurt Koch   From September 5 to 9, the Coordinating Committee of Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church met on the Greek island of Leros.  This committee consists of ten Orthodox and Catholic members of the Commission under the leadership of both co-presidents, Archbishop Job of Telmessos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and me, and had the task to prepare the continuation of the ecumenical dialogue and with that also to plan the next plenary meeting of the Commission. The last plenary meeting took place in September 2016 in Italian Chieti and the important document "Synodality and Primacy in the First Millennium:  Towards a Common Understanding in the Service to Unity" was adopted.  At the end of the session, the Coordinating Committee was commissioned to decide about the topic and those aspects which need to be worked out further in ecumenical dialogue.  The Coordination Committee at Leros accepted this task with great care.

  KNA    There is no official communique of the meeting.  Does this mean that the work failed and the meeting broke up without any result?

  Koch   In no way!  After the meeting of the Coordination Committee, there is never a communique.  Also, above all on the Orthodox side, the Churches that were not present at the meeting should not hear of the decisions of the Coordinating Committee from the media, but be previously personally informed.  The Committee has done good work, and we parted with a positive result, even more positive than I had expected prior to the meeting.

  KNA    What were the main agenda items at the session of the Coordinating Committee?

  Koch   We started the meeting with a rereading of the original plan for the ecumenical dialogue, which had been adopted in 1980 at Patmos and Rhodes and in which the goal of this dialogue is specified: "the re-establishment of full communion between the two churches.  This Communio, based on the unity of faith according to the common experience and tradition of the early Church, will find its expression in the common celebration of the holy eucharist.”   We reaffirmed this goal at the meeting and decided in this way and in a positive spirit to continue the original plan.   Meanwhile the pan-Orthodox Synod in Crete has indeed also spoken out for the necessity of dialogue and for the goal of visible unity, and in fact with the clear words: “It is clear that in the theological dialogues the common goal of all is the ultimate restoration of unity in true faith and love.”  The Synod even added that the existing theological and ecclesiological differences permit “a certain hierarchical ordering of the challenges lying in the way of meeting this pan-Orthodox objective.”  Since the unity in faith is a prerequisite for Church and Eucharist communion, the Coordinating Committee has decided to dedicate the future dialogue to the topic: "Towards Unity in Faith: Theological and Canonical Issues."  In the course of this, there shall be compiled in the first step what has already been accomplished in the dialogue in order to designate in the second step those theological and canonical issues which still must be resolved so as to find the unity of faith between Orthodox and Catholics which will open the way to eucharistic communion.  As the first issue on this list, which shall first of all be prepared, the Coordinating Committee has identified the topic:  "Primacy and Synodality in the Second Millennium and Today."   In addition to various other issues, the question of the so-called "Uniatism" will also be discussed in this broader context.

  KNA  Here may I just ask:  It is said that the Moscow Patriarchate had insisted that the issue of “Uniatism” again be placed on the agenda.  After the plenary of the dialogue commission at Balamand in 1993, the entire commission was thrown into a crisis on this this issue.   Is that to be feared again?

  Koch   It is correct that the Moscow Patriarchate, represented by Metropolitan Hilarion, wishes to bring the issue of the so-called "Uniatism" back on the agenda again, in the conviction that this topic had not been discussed in the 90s to conclusion and therefore must again be addressed.  The Coordinating Committee has met this concern by treating “Uniatism” as a topic, in addition to various other topics, under the main topic, "Primacy and Synodality in the Second Millennium and Today."  I do not fear a similar crisis to that in the 90's.  The subject of "Uniatism" was indeed a central issue in the past.  On the other hand at the present time, one already finds a considerable consensus in this regard.  For example, it is said in the joint statement, signed by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis at their meeting in Havana on February 12, 2016: "It is today clear that the past method of ‘uniatism,’ understood as the union of one community to the other, separating it from its Church, is not the way to re-establish unity.  Nonetheless, the ecclesial communities which emerged in these historical circumstances have the right to exist and to undertake all that is necessary to meet the spiritual needs of their faithful, while seeking to live in peace with their neighbors.  Orthodox and Greek Catholics are in need of reconciliation and of mutually acceptable forms of co-existence.”  If the upcoming discussion over “Uniatism” can be conducted on the basis of this already broad consensus, it will not burden the dialogue.

  KNA   Aside from the thematic discussions, how did you find the atmosphere of the meeting?

  Koch   The theological dialogue in not always easy to conduct since Catholics and Orthodox come from partly different traditions and reside in different cultural environments.  In the dialogue, however, both sides are ready and make an effort to listen to one another and to find a common way for the future.  The working meeting at Leros therefore took place in a good atmosphere and in a constructive spirit.  In addition, the gracious hospitality of Orthodox Metropolitan Paisios of Leros, Kalymnos und Astypalaia (Ecumenical Patriarchate) contributed significantly to this.  In his farsighted care for the participants, he has shown how much the dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox is a heartfelt concern to him.

  KNA   How will the work of the entire Commission continue?  With two documents, will it not be necessary to change the working style?  A new plenary has still not been announced.  Why is the work proceeding so slowly?

  Koch   The Coordinating Committee was convinced that the discussion of the first subject, “Towards Unity in Faith,” will not take so much time as to fill a full plenary session.  It has therefore been decided to immediately place a second subject on the agenda.  The procedure from this point forward appears as follows:  For the two main subjects, two different drafting groups will each prepare a basic text.  These texts will be presented to the Coordinating Committee in the coming year, so that a plenary in the year 2019 can again be envisioned. 

  KNA   In recent times new initiatives of church rapprochement have increased.  For example, they speak of the "ecumenism of the saints", the "cultural ecumenism," and the "ecumenism of collective action."  Have these fruitful areas of encounter had positive repercussions on the theological dialogue? 

  Koch   I can certainly say so.   Even the historical alienation in the Church between East and West has had more cultural than theological causes.  Therefore, reconciliation and mutual rapprochement also need other forms of ecumenism than theological dialogue alone.  Take, for example, the stay of the relics of Saint Nicholas of Bari for two months in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where about two million believers venerated the relics, so one may gratefully find that this event has very much helped the dialogue.  For after the encounter between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, there has been some opposition to the Patriarch in Russia.  Once the faithful could now realize that the transfer of the relics of Saint Nicholas to Russia had been a first fruit of the ecumenical meeting in Havana, Cuba, it has very much helped to lessen the tensions.  The "ecumenism of the saints" is for me a good way to involve the faithful in the ecumenical dialogue.  It is beautiful and helpful, if the leaders of various churches meet each other and theologians carry on dialogues with each other.  But ecumenism ultimately leads into the future only when the believers go along.  We must in the International Commission give still more attention to this localization of the theological dialogue between Orthodox and Catholics in the life of the churches.

• 14 November 2017: Moscow Commission completed review of Crete documents

  Because the report that I sent to you on Saturday relating to the situation in Kolomyia was so long, I did not include certain new developments in other areas.  Below is a brief description of other developments:

  The Pew Research Center released on November 8 a 64-page report entitled: Orthodox Christianity in the 21^st Century.  The entire report in English can be accessed with this link:  http://www.pewforum.org/2017/11/08/orthodox-christianity-in-the-21st-century/  (look at the upper right for the complete pdf report).   Personally, I find some of the results of the polling very surprising, and I am sure that a number of people will disagree with some of the report’s conclusions.

  A plenary session of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission of the Moscow Patriarchate was held in Moscow today (Monday).  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/11/13/news152633/  The DECR website reported the following:   “The members of the Commission discussed the results of the work on the analysis of the documents of the Council of 10 Local Orthodox Churches held on 18-27 June 2016 on the island of Crete. The text of the conclusions adopted by the Commission at the meeting will be sent to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.”  The timing of the Commission’s conclusions is such that it is possible that they may be the subject of discussion at the important Bishops’ Council of the Moscow Patriarchate (November 29 to December 2) and at the meeting of the Holy Synod that will presumably occur before the Bishops’ Council.  To the best of my knowledge, the conclusions have not yet been made public.

  If the conclusions are critical of the Crete Council and are adopted by the Bishops Council, one wonders what effect this might have on the gathering of the primates who have been invited to come to Moscow on December 4.  Metropolitan Hilarion has made trips to visit a number of the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches and personally to give them invitations.  The latest is Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia.  http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=14066    Patriarch Ilia accepted the invitation, subject to his health at that time.

  The Vatican’s Secretary of State Pietro Parolin was in Croatia recently.  On October 30, he met with journalists in Zagreb.  He was asked about the Commission relating to Cardinal Stepinac.  http://www.ika.hr/index.php?prikaz=vijest&ID=194532   (English). Here are part of his comments:  In reference to the work by the Mixed Commission of the Croatian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Serbian Orthodox Church, whose task it was to consider Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac's role prior to, during and after the Second World War, Cardinal Parolin emphasized that Pope Francis cares about the results of its work. "You saw the joint statement.  We did not reach identical interpretations of the historical context in which Stepinac lived.  From the beginning it was clear, as noted in the joint statement, that the canonization of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac is an internal matter of the Catholic Church, which I think should be emphasized.  The Holy Father does not want this to be issue that will create tensions between the two nations but will instead help them on their common path.  I believe that the work of the commission was useful and that this process furthered dialogue and mutual understanding." 

  I am sure that most of you remember the very warm reception that Patriarch Kirill received in Poland (from both Orthodox and Catholics) in August 2012 and the signing of the historic Joint Message to the Peoples of Russia and Poland on reconciliation.  Unfortunately, during the last few years, there has been little talk of this due to the war in Ukraine and the resulting tensions between Poland and Russia.  However, it is good to see that some are still working on reconciliation.  One of the organizations seeking reconciliation is the Center for Polish – Russian Dialogue and Understanding.  http://www.cprdip.pl/en,the_centre,about_us.html  The Center is one of two organizations that sponsored a conference at the Gregorian Pontifical University, November 6-7, on the subject, “The Holy See toward Russia and Eastern Christianity.  From John Paul II to Francis.”  The full program and list of speakers (in English) can be seen at http://www.cprdip.pl/assets/media/Konferencje_i_seminaria/2017/2017_11_06_07_programme_The_Holy_See_toward_Russia_EN.pdf  Father Hyacinthe Destivelle OP from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity was one of the speakers.  Photos from the conference has been posted on the Center’s Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/pg/CentrumPolskoRosyjskiegoDialoguiPorozumienia/posts/?ref=page_internal  There is a plan to publish the conference presentations.

  At a reception held in Moscow to observed the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation, Metropolitan Hilarion gave an address which I found very interesting and candid.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/10/31/news152174/  His address included the following remarks:  I will say at once: for us, Orthodox, this date is not an occasion to rejoice and triumph, just as we would not have dreamed of celebrating the anniversary of the "great schism" of 1054.   Then the world Christianity was divided into two parts - the eastern and the western.  In 1517, another split occurred - now inside the Western Church, when a significant group of believers, led by Martin Luther, separated from her.  Every schism inflicts damage on Christian unity, and every reformation, if it divides believers into warring camps, is contrary to the spirit of Christ's teaching.  He then described some of the positive and negative results of the Reformation.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 12 November 2017: What has happened in Kolomyia

  The historic church of the Annunciation in Kolomyia, Ukraine, continues to be a great stumbling block to better relations between the UOC-MP and the UGCC.  As one who hopes for improvement in Catholic – Orthodox relations, I find this very sad.  I had spent the last three days at my computer trying to understand better the actual facts relating to this dispute.  Although I have worked most of my life as an attorney, I obviously know nothing about Ukrainian law and also must use the Google translation tool to translate the sources which are almost exclusively in the Ukrainian language.

  The underlying question is whether the church should be used by the UOC-MP or by the UGCC.  It appears that neither of these two churches presently owns this historic building.  The latest posting on the website of the local eparchy of the UOC-MP states:  “The Temple of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the property of the state. This is a legal fact.”   http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/11/09/vidpovid-ivano-frankivskoji-jeparxiji-na-namagannya-greko-katolickix-sluzhiteliv-vipravdati-svoji-protipravni-diji-cherez-burxlivu-fantaziyu/  The head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast has also stated that the building is owned by the state and is a monument of architecture of national importance.   https://risu.org.ua/ua/index/all_news/state/church_state_relations/67293/    I found the most detailed history of this church at https://risu.org.ua/ua/index/exclusive/journalistic_investigations/29380/  (a UGCC site).  It appears that the church was first built by the Orthodox before 1700, but was a church of the UGCC from approximately 1700 to 1946.  The original church was enlarged in the 1700s.  With the suppression of the UGCC in 1946, the church ceased to be used for religious services by any denomination.  In 1983 a museum of painted Easter eggs was opened in the church.  In 1989, with the strong reemergence of the UGCC in this area, the question of which denomination should possess what churches became of the subject of great conflict.  On August 9, 1989, the Executive Committee of the Kolomyia City Council decided that the Orthodox could use the Annunciation church.  In the current dispute, the UGCC contends that this action in 1989 was based on the understanding that the use would be temporary until the Orthodox built their own church.  The UGCC states that the UOC-MP now has its own church (Dormition) in Kolomyia and that UOC-MP should give up the Annunciation church based on this original understanding.  However, the UGCC acknowledges that there is no writing reflecting this understanding, and the understanding is disputed by the UOC- MP.  On the other hand, I have seen no reference to the existence of any formal legal documents, such as a deed or a lease from the City to the UOC- MP, that spells out the exact rights and obligations of the UOC-MP with respect to the church or whether the use of the state-owned church by the UOC-MP is for a limited period of time or forever.

  The first major confrontation involving the church occurred on June 4, 2017.  On the feast of Pentecost, there was a traditional procession, apparently led by UGCC military chaplains, to the grave of the Sich Riflemen (a Ukrainian military unit that fought against the Bolsheviks), located in the cemetery adjacent to the church.  The rector of the church granted permission to the UGCC priests to pray in the church, but the priests instead conducted a liturgy in the church.  On that occasion, the UGCC priests tried to persuade the faithful to leave the Moscow Patriarchate.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/06/04/greko-katoliki-vshanuvali-pamyat-pokijnogo-predstoyatelya-zaxoplennyam-xramu-v-kolomiji/ ; https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/confessional/interchurch_relations/67228/  This led to bitter arguments and physical confrontations.  The end result was the Kolomyia police sealed the church, thus precluding access by both denominations, and the Koloymyia mayor on June 7 established a working group, consisting of representatives of both denominations and the government to seek a solution.  The UOC-MP subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the sealing of the church and the establishment of the working group.

  On October 4, the Ivano-Frankivsk District Administrative Court ruled that the claims of the religious community of the Annunciation (UOC - MP) against the mayor and the police department be partially satisfied as follows:   “To acknowledge unlawful the actions of the chief of the Kolomyia Police Department in connection with the use of preventive police measures:  requirements to leave the place of worship, restricting access of the religious community to the religious structure and its sealing.”  The court also declared unlawful and cancelled the decision of the working group on the confessional affiliation of the Annunciation church created by the order of the mayor in the city of Kolomyia.  With respect to other aspects of the community’s claim, the court “refused” to grant relief.  http://www.blitz.if.ua/news/borotba-za-cerkvu-v-kolomyi-adminsud-stav-na-bik-pravoslavnoi-gromady.html (quoting the court’s ruling verbatim).   Court cost were awarded in favor of the community.  The City did not appear at these court proceedings, and therefore no evidence against the community’s testimony was presented.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/10/05/ivano-frankivskij-okruzhnij-administrativnij-sud-stav-na-zaxist-blagovishhenskoji-gromadi-m-kolomiji/   This was clearly a partial victory for the UOC-MP.  However, the decision was limited in scope – directed only to the “preventive police measures” and the establishment of the working group.  It was not an adjudication of the competing claims of the UGCC and UOC-MP for the church, and it appears that the UGCC was not even made a party to these legal proceedings.

  However, this is not the only lawsuit.  Apparently a number of other legal proceeding have also been initiated by the UOC-MP.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/10/21/monitoring-cudovix-provadzhen-shhodo-religijnix-utiskiv-viryan-upc-v-ivano-frankivskij-oblasti-lishe-za-ostanni-chotiri-misyaci/ 

  After the October 4 decision by the court, the UOC-MP took no immediate action to regain possession of the church.  However, members of the “Coordinating Committee of Military Chaplains” – priests of the UGCC – did take action.  According to the UOC-MP, members of the “Coordinating Committee of Military Chaplains” on October 18 cut off the locks of the church, conducted a religious service in the church, and declared a ban on services there by the UOC-MP.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/10/18/tak-zvani-kapelani-ugkc-zdijsnili-rejderske-zaxoplennya-blagovishhenskogo-xramu-dokumenti/   Presumably, the locks that were cut were those illegally placed by the city to seal the church.   On October  21, the press service of the UGCC Eparchy of Kolomyia-Chernivtsi issued a statement referring to the latest event at the church and stating, “We confirm the immutability of our position - our eparchy, like the whole Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church consistently advocates the preservation of inter-confessional peace and accord in Ukraine, and does not command or recommend anyone to seize temples or any other property with the help of force.”  The statement proposes the formation of “a four-party commission consisting of: Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration, the Kolomyia executive committee, the Kolomyia-Chernivtsi diocese of the UGCC, and the Ivano-Frankivsk diocese of the UOC, for the peaceful settlement of this situation.”   http://diocese.ko.if.ua/ 

  On Sunday, October 22, the military chaplains at the church conducted a liturgy with a substantial number of UGCC faithful within the gates of the church.  A nine-minute video of this and the ensuing arguments can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=hMrgErrbvLg.  The UOC-MP has posted a number of its own videos.  http://news.church.ua/2017/10/23/videofakt-psevdokapelani-ugkc-z-kulakami-nakinulis-na-pravoslavnix-v-kolomiji-lyudej-bili-nogami/   Members of the UOC-MP were outside the gates.  You can view the angry confrontations yourself.  Although I do not understand Ukrainian, I do not think that the arguments were about doctrinal differences between Catholics and Orthodox.  Rather, I suspect that the angry confrontations were fueled, at least in part, by the passions and hatreds generated by the war in Ukraine.

  On October 23, Bishop Tikhon of Ivano-Frankivsk and Kolomyia (UOC-MP) issued an open appeal address to the public, state authorities, international organization, and others including Pope Francis, the apostolic nuncio, and the head of the UGCC, Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/10/23/vidkrite-zvernennya-ivano-frankivskoji-jeparxiji-z-privodu-podij-navkolo-svyato-blagovishhenskogo-xramu/  It is an appeal for the “rule of law” and for the restoration of the violated rights of the Orthodox community.  The next day, Tuesday, October 24, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, came to Kolomyia and met with both of the two local UGCC prelates, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Vityshyn) of Ivano-Frankivsk and Bishop Vasyl (Ivasiuk) of Kolomyia–Chernivtsi.  https://nunciaturekyiv.org/2017/10/24/the-apostolic-nuncio-in-kolomyia/  On October 25, UGCC Bishop Vasyl issued a personal letter addressing the situation.  http://diocese.ko.if.ua/  It reaffirms that the Eparchy “does not command, recommend or endorse the seizure of temples or any other property of other denominations.”  Again, a four-party commission is proposed to resolve the dispute.

  On October 26, UGCC Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk, who was in London attending a meeting,  gave an interview addressing the controversy at Kolomyia.  The full text of the interview was posted on various websites including the official UGCC website and its website for military chaplaincy.  http://news.ugcc.ua/interview/mi_v_ukrain%D1%96_povinn%D1%96_stverdzhuvati_silu_prava_a_ne_pravo_sili__glava_ugkts_pro_konfl%D1%96kt_navkolo_hramu_blagov%D1%96shchennya_u_kolomii_80834.html  (in Ukrainian).  Substantial parts have been translated into English by RISU.  https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/community/land_and_property_problems/68765/  It is a strong statement against the actions of the UGCC “military chaplains.”  He stated that the news of the confrontation was “very upsetting” to him.  The following are some quotations from the statement:

  “the forceful attempts to prevent the execution of court decisions is a mistake”

  “The rights must be contended in court, and this must first of all be done by the city authorities.”

  “Our chaplains should stop blocking the temple and transfer the right to defend the interests of the church community to their bishop.”

  “In Ukraine we must assert the power of law, and not the power of force”

  He also endorsed the idea of a four-party commission to resolve the dispute.

  Later on October 26, the Deputy Chairman of the DECR of the UOC-MP, Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, commented on the remarks by Shevchuv.  http://news.church.ua/2017/10/26/protoijerej-mikolaj-danilevich-provinu-za-konflikt-v-kolomiji-greko-katoliki-perekladayut-na-misku-vladu/  Father Nikolai found the statement “well-balanced, but half-hearted.”  He acknowledges that some disputes need to be resolved in steps, and “this is already a certain step forward.”  However, he raises a very valid point:  "Another question is whether these Greek Catholic priests will listen and whether the temple will be freed?"  Father Nikolai does not address the suggestion to form a four-party commission.  Quite frankly, I suspect that the UOC-MP is not interested in a commission, where there might be pressures to reach a compromise, but rather prefers to seek a 100% victory in the courts.

  As far as I can determine, these “military chaplains” are not listening to their primate and are still occupying the church premises.  Two of the leaders were interviewed by a journalist on November 7.  https://apostrophe.ua/ua/article/society/2017-11-07/ikonyi-russkogo-tsarya-i-prezidenta-ukrainyi-v-adu-na-prikarpate-razgoraetsya-gromkiy-skandal/15258  The answers to the journalist do not calm the situation but add to the allegations against UOC-MP with respect to being pro-Russian and with respect to inflicting damage on a historic building.  The UOC-MP has posted a rebuttal.  http://news.church.ua/2017/11/10/ne-potribno-vipravdovuvati-svoji-bezzakonnya-chudom-ivano-frankivska-jeparxiya-vidpovila-na-intervyu-kapelaniv-ugkc-apostrofu/   The same journalist had earlier interviewed with one of the two, Mikola Medinsky (the most visible in the videos above), who described his traumatic experiences as a chaplain in the Ukrainian War and his resulting animosity toward Russia.   https://apostrophe.ua/ua/article/society/2017-09-18/u-putina-est-strashnoe-orujie-kotoroe-on-ispolzuet-daje-v-kieve---svyaschennik-iz-ato/14391  He served as the chief chaplain of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army Right Sector and has his own blog.  https://www.ukrinform.ua/authors/nikolajmedinskij.html  He has also formed a new organization Way of Unity.  https://www.ukrainianway.com/ (organization’s website)

  One does not know the nature of any communications that may now being occurring between the hierarchy of the UGCC and the “military chaplains.”  Would the treat of discipline under church procedures be effective in compelling these military chaplains to leave?  If they did leave, would non-clerical supporter continue to hold the church?  One can only hope and pray that this sad drama at Kolomyia will come to a peaceful close SOON. 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 28 October 2017: Important events in Buchares

  The most significant events of the commemoration of the defenders of Orthodoxy during the period of communist persecution, hosted by the Romanian Patriarchate, have now occurred.  It has been a remarkable few days.  It is, of course, always inspiring to hear about the witness of the martyrs for the faith during this period of incredible persecution.  It has also been an occasion for a significant warming of relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate – the two largest Local Orthodox Churches in terms of the number of faithful.  Excellent news coverage in both Romanian and English has been provided by the Romanian Patriarchate’s website, www.basilica.ro .

  Patriarch Kirill arrived in Bucharest on Thursday.  An interesting 3-minute video shows him emerging from the plane carrying the relic of St. Seraphim of Sarov and being very warmly greeted by Patriarch Daniel who personally came to the airport to meet him.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UChrtO_cyG0  The two primates then proceeded to an outdoor altar in front of the Patriarchal Cathedral for a service with the relic and addresses by both primates.  http://basilica.ro/en/russian-orthodox-church-delegation-received-with-polychronion-holy-relics-of-st-seraphim-of-sarov-arrive-at-the-romanian-patriarchate/  (English report); https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=84&v=ABrN8LHsYSo  (8-min. video)  This was followed by a two-hour meeting between the primates.   http://basilica.ro/en/what-did-the-patriarchs-of-russia-and-romania-discuss-during-their-private-meeting/  (English report of meeting by the Romanian Patriarchate); https://mospat.ru/en/2017/10/27/news151866/ (English report of the meeting by the Moscow Patriarchate).  Moscow’s report states that the meeting “was held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding.”  There was no specific reference is either report with respect to the long-standing contentious issue between the patriarchates relating to the Romanian Patriarchate’s churches in the Republic of Moldova, claimed by Moscow to be part of its canonical territory.  At the meeting, Patriarch Daniel was invited to come to Moscow in early December for the commemoration of the centenary of the reestablishment of the office of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

  On Friday, the main event was the Divine Liturgy for the feast of Saint Demetrios the New, Protector of Bucharest.  Patriarch Kirill presided over the Liturgy, and the three other primates (Romania, Albania, and the Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia) concelebrated with him.  http://basilica.ro/en/four-primates-of-autocephalous-orthodox-churches-concelebrate-the-divine-liturgy-on-the-feast-of-st-demetrius-the-new/   Three other Local Orthodox Churches, that had been subject to communist regimes, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Poland, were represented by delegations.  Serbia had also been invited by the Romanian Patriarchate to come to Bucharest for the commemoration.  http://basilica.ro/en/bucharest-will-welcome-three-church-leaders-next-week/  However, it appears that the Serbian Patriarchate, which has strained relations with the Romanian Patriarchate, chose not to attend.  At the conclusion of Friday’s Liturgy, Patriarch Daniel invited Patriarch Kirill to come to Bucharest again to lead the consecration of the iconography of the National Cathedral, which is expected to occur in the near future.  The entire Liturgy and addresses (over 3 hours) can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAg74_28pq4 .

  Today, Saturday, began with a doxology service to mark the 10^th anniversary of the enthronement of Daniel as Patriarch. http://basilica.ro/en/orthodox-primates-attend-doxology-on-patriarch-daniels-10th-enthronement-anniversary/    Afterwards, Patriarch Daniel chaired a session of the Patriarchate’s Holy Synod in the very large Aula Magna of the Patriarchate’s Palace.  http://basilica.ro/en/patriarch-daniel-chairs-solemn-session-of-the-holy-synod-marking-the-patriarchates-solemn-and-commemorative-year-2017/ ;  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5048922.html    During the session Patriarch Kirill, Archbishop Anastasios (Orthodox Church of Albania), Archbishop Rastislav (Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia), and representatives of the Churches of Georgia, Bulgaria, and Poland presented reports on the difficulties of professing the faith during their communist regimes and the importance of religious freedom today.  This entire session can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9xIY1U-GvM .  The full text of Patriarch Kirill’s report may be read in Russian at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5048983.html and Romanian at  http://basilica.ro/pf-kirill-despre-marturisirea-credintei-ortodoxe-in-sistemul-ateu-si-despre-semnificatiile-libertatii-noastre-astazi/ .  The Google translation tool works well for both.  Patriarch Kirill made some introductory remarks in Russian and then his full report was read by another person in Romanian.  His report included events relating to his own family such as his grandfather who was sent to the Solovetsky gulag and his father who was sent to one of Stalin’s camps.  I thought that it was an excellent report summarizing the religious persecution against the Orthodox in the Soviet Union.  When Patriarch Kirill left the Synod session to return to Moscow, everyone joined Patriarch Daniel in singing to Patriarch Kirill “Many Year” followed by a very long standing ovation.  (See 2:24:00 in the video.)  Patriarch Kirill must have left with the feeling that his trip to Bucharest had been a very successful visit which greatly improved relations with the Romanian Patriarchate.

  With these events, I think that it is very likely that Patriarch Daniel will travel to Moscow to attend the centenary commemorations there in early December.   As you recall, Metropolitan Hilarion on September 19 personally extended an invitation to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to attend this event in Moscow.  I have seen nothing on the web as to whether this invitation will be accepted.  If it is accepted, the Moscow commemoration could be one of the largest gatherings of Orthodox primates in recent years.  Whether such a large gather occurs and whether it will be used by the primates to discuss future pan-Orthodox developments remain to be seen.

   

  Other News:

  While in Rome, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem gave a very interesting English-language interview to La Stampa’s Vatican Insider.  http://www.lastampa.it/2017/10/27/vaticaninsider/eng/inquiries-and-interviews/theophilus-iii-the-pope-stands-with-us-on-the-status-quo-SYGulPzILcyAeaIR2iwqdI/pagina.html  The interview is not long and is definitely worth reading.  His Beatitude has interesting observations on the current situation in Jerusalem, relations between Christians, and the Crete Council.  Next week the Patriarch will be in the UK and will meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to continue his appeal with respect to the current situation in the Holy Land.  http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7959/0/christians-in-israel-patriarch-pleads-for-help-to-protect-the-status-quo- 

  On Thursday, during the final session of the Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Metropolitan Seraphim (Kykotis) of Zimbabwe and Angola, gave a report and led a discussion on "The Course of Theological Dialogues and Their Prospects."  http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/index.php?module=news&action=details&id=1332   The entire report (in Greek) has now been posted by Romfea.gr at http://www.romfea.gr/images/article-images/2017/10/omilia-zimpampoue.pdf .  (Although the Google translation tool does not work directly on this link, one can copy and paste sections of it to the Google translation site.) 

  There are two interesting items on the website of the Vatican’s nunciature in Kyiv.  In my last report, I referred to the continuing dispute over the small historic Annunciation church in Kolomyia, Ukraine.  On Tuesday, October 24, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, was in Kolomyia and met with both of the two local UGCC prelates, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Vityshyn) of Ivano-Frankivsk and Bishop Vasyl (Ivasiuk) of Kolomyia–Chernivtsi.    https://nunciaturekyiv.org/2017/10/24/the-apostolic-nuncio-in-kolomyia/   On Monday, the Orthodox bishop (UOC-MP) had issued an appeal concerning the situation.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/10/23/vidkrite-zvernennya-ivano-frankivskoji-jeparxiji-z-privodu-podij-navkolo-svyato-blagovishhenskogo-xramu/   With respect to the second item, the Nuncio met with Pope Francis on October 7.  https://nunciaturekyiv.org/2017/10/23/the-pope-receives-the-apostolic-nuncio-in-a-private-audience/  According to report, “The Pope also gave precise instructions to the Nuncio for his activity and the priorities to be pursued.”  This is an indication that the Pope is taking an active interest in Ukraine.

  On Thursday, Pope Francis spoken for 20 minutes through a video link to the six astronauts in the International Space Station.  https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/10/26/pope-francis-calls-long-distance-astronauts-space/.  They are two Russians, one Italian, and three Americans.  You can watch a video with English translation of the entire conversation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfootPcEKt8 .  For me, it was fun to watch with the astronauts floating in air.  In our times, it is good to see Russians and Americans working so well together as they do in the ISS.  The Pope was touched by the comment of one of the Russian astronauts, Alexander Misurkin, about love.  The Pope responded, “Russians have in your blood strong humanistic and religious qualities. This is a beautiful thing, and I thank you for it.”

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 25 October 2017:Alexandrian & Jerusalem Patriarchates

  The most significant events of the commemoration of the defenders of Orthodoxy during the period of communist persecution, hosted by the Romanian Patriarchate, have now occurred.  It has been a remarkable few days.  It is, of course, always inspiring to hear about the witness of the martyrs for the faith during this period of incredible persecution.  It has also been an occasion for a significant warming of relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Romanian Patriarchate – the two largest Local Orthodox Churches in terms of the number of faithful.  Excellent news coverage in both Romanian and English has been provided by the Romanian Patriarchate’s website, www.basilica.ro .

  Patriarch Kirill arrived in Bucharest on Thursday.  An interesting 3-minute video shows him emerging from the plane carrying the relic of St. Seraphim of Sarov and being very warmly greeted by Patriarch Daniel who personally came to the airport to meet him.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UChrtO_cyG0  The two primates then proceeded to an outdoor altar in front of the Patriarchal Cathedral for a service with the relic and addresses by both primates.  http://basilica.ro/en/russian-orthodox-church-delegation-received-with-polychronion-holy-relics-of-st-seraphim-of-sarov-arrive-at-the-romanian-patriarchate/  (English report); https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=84&v=ABrN8LHsYSo  (8-min. video)  This was followed by a two-hour meeting between the primates.   http://basilica.ro/en/what-did-the-patriarchs-of-russia-and-romania-discuss-during-their-private-meeting/  (English report of meeting by the Romanian Patriarchate); https://mospat.ru/en/2017/10/27/news151866/ (English report of the meeting by the Moscow Patriarchate).  Moscow’s report states that the meeting “was held in an atmosphere of mutual understanding.”  There was no specific reference is either report with respect to the long-standing contentious issue between the patriarchates relating to the Romanian Patriarchate’s churches in the Republic of Moldova, claimed by Moscow to be part of its canonical territory.  At the meeting, Patriarch Daniel was invited to come to Moscow in early December for the commemoration of the centenary of the reestablishment of the office of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

  On Friday, the main event was the Divine Liturgy for the feast of Saint Demetrios the New, Protector of Bucharest.  Patriarch Kirill presided over the Liturgy, and the three other primates (Romania, Albania, and the Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia) concelebrated with him.  http://basilica.ro/en/four-primates-of-autocephalous-orthodox-churches-concelebrate-the-divine-liturgy-on-the-feast-of-st-demetrius-the-new/   Three other Local Orthodox Churches, that had been subject to communist regimes, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Poland, were represented by delegations.  Serbia had also been invited by the Romanian Patriarchate to come to Bucharest for the commemoration.  http://basilica.ro/en/bucharest-will-welcome-three-church-leaders-next-week/  However, it appears that the Serbian Patriarchate, which has strained relations with the Romanian Patriarchate, chose not to attend.  At the conclusion of Friday’s Liturgy, Patriarch Daniel invited Patriarch Kirill to come to Bucharest again to lead the consecration of the iconography of the National Cathedral, which is expected to occur in the near future.  The entire Liturgy and addresses (over 3 hours) can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAg74_28pq4 .

  Today, Saturday, began with a doxology service to mark the 10^th anniversary of the enthronement of Daniel as Patriarch. http://basilica.ro/en/orthodox-primates-attend-doxology-on-patriarch-daniels-10th-enthronement-anniversary/    Afterwards, Patriarch Daniel chaired a session of the Patriarchate’s Holy Synod in the very large Aula Magna of the Patriarchate’s Palace.  http://basilica.ro/en/patriarch-daniel-chairs-solemn-session-of-the-holy-synod-marking-the-patriarchates-solemn-and-commemorative-year-2017/ ;  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5048922.html    During the session Patriarch Kirill, Archbishop Anastasios (Orthodox Church of Albania), Archbishop Rastislav (Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia), and representatives of the Churches of Georgia, Bulgaria, and Poland presented reports on the difficulties of professing the faith during their communist regimes and the importance of religious freedom today.  This entire session can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9xIY1U-GvM .  The full text of Patriarch Kirill’s report may be read in Russian at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5048983.html and Romanian at  http://basilica.ro/pf-kirill-despre-marturisirea-credintei-ortodoxe-in-sistemul-ateu-si-despre-semnificatiile-libertatii-noastre-astazi/ .  The Google translation tool works well for both.  Patriarch Kirill made some introductory remarks in Russian and then his full report was read by another person in Romanian.  His report included events relating to his own family such as his grandfather who was sent to the Solovetsky gulag and his father who was sent to one of Stalin’s camps.  I thought that it was an excellent report summarizing the religious persecution against the Orthodox in the Soviet Union.  When Patriarch Kirill left the Synod session to return to Moscow, everyone joined Patriarch Daniel in singing to Patriarch Kirill “Many Year” followed by a very long standing ovation.  (See 2:24:00 in the video.)  Patriarch Kirill must have left with the feeling that his trip to Bucharest had been a very successful visit which greatly improved relations with the Romanian Patriarchate.

  With these events, I think that it is very likely that Patriarch Daniel will travel to Moscow to attend the centenary commemorations there in early December.   As you recall, Metropolitan Hilarion on September 19 personally extended an invitation to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to attend this event in Moscow.  I have seen nothing on the web as to whether this invitation will be accepted.  If it is accepted, the Moscow commemoration could be one of the largest gatherings of Orthodox primates in recent years.  Whether such a large gather occurs and whether it will be used by the primates to discuss future pan-Orthodox developments remain to be seen.

   

  Other News:

  While in Rome, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem gave a very interesting English-language interview to La Stampa’s Vatican Insider.  http://www.lastampa.it/2017/10/27/vaticaninsider/eng/inquiries-and-interviews/theophilus-iii-the-pope-stands-with-us-on-the-status-quo-SYGulPzILcyAeaIR2iwqdI/pagina.html  The interview is not long and is definitely worth reading.  His Beatitude has interesting observations on the current situation in Jerusalem, relations between Christians, and the Crete Council.  Next week the Patriarch will be in the UK and will meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to continue his appeal with respect to the current situation in the Holy Land.  http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7959/0/christians-in-israel-patriarch-pleads-for-help-to-protect-the-status-quo- 

  On Thursday, during the final session of the Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, Metropolitan Seraphim (Kykotis) of Zimbabwe and Angola, gave a report and led a discussion on "The Course of Theological Dialogues and Their Prospects."  http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/index.php?module=news&action=details&id=1332   The entire report (in Greek) has now been posted by Romfea.gr at http://www.romfea.gr/images/article-images/2017/10/omilia-zimpampoue.pdf .  (Although the Google translation tool does not work directly on this link, one can copy and paste sections of it to the Google translation site.) 

  There are two interesting items on the website of the Vatican’s nunciature in Kyiv.  In my last report, I referred to the continuing dispute over the small historic Annunciation church in Kolomyia, Ukraine.  On Tuesday, October 24, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, was in Kolomyia and met with both of the two local UGCC prelates, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Vityshyn) of Ivano-Frankivsk and Bishop Vasyl (Ivasiuk) of Kolomyia–Chernivtsi.    https://nunciaturekyiv.org/2017/10/24/the-apostolic-nuncio-in-kolomyia/   On Monday, the Orthodox bishop (UOC-MP) had issued an appeal concerning the situation.  http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/10/23/vidkrite-zvernennya-ivano-frankivskoji-jeparxiji-z-privodu-podij-navkolo-svyato-blagovishhenskogo-xramu/   With respect to the second item, the Nuncio met with Pope Francis on October 7.  https://nunciaturekyiv.org/2017/10/23/the-pope-receives-the-apostolic-nuncio-in-a-private-audience/  According to report, “The Pope also gave precise instructions to the Nuncio for his activity and the priorities to be pursued.”  This is an indication that the Pope is taking an active interest in Ukraine.

  On Thursday, Pope Francis spoken for 20 minutes through a video link to the six astronauts in the International Space Station.  https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/10/26/pope-francis-calls-long-distance-astronauts-space/.  They are two Russians, one Italian, and three Americans.  You can watch a video with English translation of the entire conversation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfootPcEKt8 .  For me, it was fun to watch with the astronauts floating in air.  In our times, it is good to see Russians and Americans working so well together as they do in the ISS.  The Pope was touched by the comment of one of the Russian astronauts, Alexander Misurkin, about love.  The Pope responded, “Russians have in your blood strong humanistic and religious qualities. This is a beautiful thing, and I thank you for it.”

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 19 October 2017: Three primates to Bucharest

  Today (Wednesday), the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate issued the official program for the Pilgrimage to the Feast of the Holy Martyr Dimitrie the New, Protector of Bucharest, which will take place from 24 to 29 October 2017.     http://basilica.ro/24-29-octombrie-2017-pelerinajul-la-sarbatoarea-sfantului-cuvios-dimitrie-cel-nou-ocrotitorul-bucurestilor/   As I previously reported, this event will commemorate the defenders of Orthodoxy during the period of communist persecution, and the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches in former communist lands were invited by the Romanian Patriarchate to attend.  According to today’s announcement, the following primates will attend: Patriarch Kirill (Moscow Patriarchate); Archbishop  Anastasios (Orthodox Church of Albania); and Archbishop Rastislav (Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia).  Delegations from other Local Orthodox Churches will also be present.  Patriarch Kirill will bring with him a fragment of the holy relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov, which will be available for public veneration and then given to the Russian community’s parish in Bucharest, Biserica Sfântul Nicolae Tabacu.

  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has completed his trip to Iceland, October 12-15.  The Ecumenical Patriarch was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Arctic Circle Assembly, held in Reykjavík.  The full English text of his address can be read at https://www.patriarchate.org/-/keynote-address-by-his-all-holiness-ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew-at-the-arctic-circle-assembly-reykjavik-october-13-2017- .  A video of his address is available at https://www.facebook.com/metropolisofsweden1/videos/1322030077919259/.  On Sunday, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the spectacular Lutheran cathedral, Hallgrimskirkja.  This was followed by an ecumenical service.  https://en.hallgrimskirkja.is/2017/10/13/two-ecumenical-services-on-sunday/  The entire Divine Liturgy can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-vH_ukT5EM.  During his stay in Iceland, the Russian Ambassador to Iceland held a reception in his honor, and the Ecumenical Patriarch also visited the Moscow Patriarchate’s parish in Reykjavík.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/10/17/news151439/

  Last week marked the celebration of the centenary of the Pontifical Oriental Institute (“Orientale”) in Rome.  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/10/12/pontifical_oriental_institute_bridge_between_east_and_west/1342510  The Orientale is noted for its outstanding library on the study of the ancient traditions and languages of the Eastern world.  As a deacon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had pursued graduate studies at the Orientale from 1963 to 1968.   On October 10, Pope Francis visited the Orientale and then celebrated Mass at the nearby Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.  It was also the centenary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Oriental Churches.  An English translation of the full text of the homily of Pope Francis at the Basilica and his letter on the occasion of the two centenaries can be read at http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/10/12/171012C.html.   The heads of the Catholic Eastern Churches participated in the Mass.  The entire Mass may be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yeco63EeP5E .

  The Saint Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group held its 14th annual meeting from 4 to 8 October in Romania as guests of the Romanian Patriarchate.  The final communique of the meeting (in English) has now been posted.  http://www.ecupatria.org/2017/10/16/saint-irenaeus-joint-orthodox-catholic-working-group-met-in-romania/#more-736  “This year’s meeting concentrated on some aspects of the relationship between primacy and synodality, with the goal of preparing the final common study on this issue. The papers dealt with the role of the Eastern patriarchates in the first millennium, the role of the Apostle Peter in the ecclesial tradition in East and West and the right of appellation (ekkliton) in East and West.”  You may recall that this Group was established after the work of the joint international dialogue was suspended in 2000 following the plenary in Maryland USA.

  Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messina, who has been one of the two representatives of the Church of Greece on Joint International Commission on Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, has presented a very detailed report to the Church’s hierarchy on the work of the Commission.  This report was posted by both Romfea.gr and Amen.gr.  http://www.amen.gr/article/i-eisigisi-tou-mitropoliti-messinias-xrysostomou-stin-ierarxia-gia-tin-poreia-tou-theologikou-dialogou-me-tin-romaiokatholiki-ekklisia  It contains many details which are new to me.  Unfortunately, the Google translation tool does not do a good job of translating the Greek text.

  As previously reported, the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate has translated into Russian and published Joseph Ratzinger’s work Theology of the Liturgy.  Metropolitan Hilarion personally presented a copy of the book to Pope Emeritus Benedict on September 25.  The Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano has now published in Italian the book’s preface written by Metropolitan Hilarion.  https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/10/russia-lorientamento-cristologico-in.html  The article contains the interesting news that the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate will next be involved in the publication in Russian of Benedict’s trilogy, Jesus of Nazareth.  The St. Andrew’s Biblical-Theological Institute in Moscow also already published an number of Ratzinger’s other works into Russian.

  As part of a continuing Italy – Russia exchange, Metropolitan Hilarion met in Moscow on October 10 with 250 students and their professors from Catholic general education schools in six Italian cities.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/10/10/news151201/ 

   

  On October 10, Greece passed a law that allows Greeks aged 15 and over to redefine their gender.  The Greek newspaper Kathimerini has raised the question of whether the new law will allow biological females to redefine their gender and visit Mt. Athos.  The follow article shows that the answer of Mt. Athos is a definite no.  http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7917/0/mount-athos-monks-vow-to-defend-ban-on-women-visitors-despite-new-equality-law- 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 2 October 2017: Bucharest and Minsk

  Today (Wednesday), the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate issued the official program for the Pilgrimage to the Feast of the Holy Martyr Dimitrie the New, Protector of Bucharest, which will take place from 24 to 29 October 2017.     http://basilica.ro/24-29-octombrie-2017-pelerinajul-la-sarbatoarea-sfantului-cuvios-dimitrie-cel-nou-ocrotitorul-bucurestilor/   As I previously reported, this event will commemorate the defenders of Orthodoxy during the period of communist persecution, and the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches in former communist lands were invited by the Romanian Patriarchate to attend.  According to today’s announcement, the following primates will attend: Patriarch Kirill (Moscow Patriarchate); Archbishop  Anastasios (Orthodox Church of Albania); and Archbishop Rastislav (Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia).  Delegations from other Local Orthodox Churches will also be present.  Patriarch Kirill will bring with him a fragment of the holy relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov, which will be available for public veneration and then given to the Russian community’s parish in Bucharest, Biserica Sfântul Nicolae Tabacu.

  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has completed his trip to Iceland, October 12-15.  The Ecumenical Patriarch was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Arctic Circle Assembly, held in Reykjavík.  The full English text of his address can be read at https://www.patriarchate.org/-/keynote-address-by-his-all-holiness-ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew-at-the-arctic-circle-assembly-reykjavik-october-13-2017- .  A video of his address is available at https://www.facebook.com/metropolisofsweden1/videos/1322030077919259/.  On Sunday, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the spectacular Lutheran cathedral, Hallgrimskirkja.  This was followed by an ecumenical service.  https://en.hallgrimskirkja.is/2017/10/13/two-ecumenical-services-on-sunday/  The entire Divine Liturgy can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-vH_ukT5EM.  During his stay in Iceland, the Russian Ambassador to Iceland held a reception in his honor, and the Ecumenical Patriarch also visited the Moscow Patriarchate’s parish in Reykjavík.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/10/17/news151439/

  Last week marked the celebration of the centenary of the Pontifical Oriental Institute (“Orientale”) in Rome.  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/10/12/pontifical_oriental_institute_bridge_between_east_and_west/1342510  The Orientale is noted for its outstanding library on the study of the ancient traditions and languages of the Eastern world.  As a deacon, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had pursued graduate studies at the Orientale from 1963 to 1968.   On October 10, Pope Francis visited the Orientale and then celebrated Mass at the nearby Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.  It was also the centenary of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Oriental Churches.  An English translation of the full text of the homily of Pope Francis at the Basilica and his letter on the occasion of the two centenaries can be read at http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/10/12/171012C.html.   The heads of the Catholic Eastern Churches participated in the Mass.  The entire Mass may be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yeco63EeP5E .

  The Saint Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group held its 14th annual meeting from 4 to 8 October in Romania as guests of the Romanian Patriarchate.  The final communique of the meeting (in English) has now been posted.  http://www.ecupatria.org/2017/10/16/saint-irenaeus-joint-orthodox-catholic-working-group-met-in-romania/#more-736  “This year’s meeting concentrated on some aspects of the relationship between primacy and synodality, with the goal of preparing the final common study on this issue. The papers dealt with the role of the Eastern patriarchates in the first millennium, the role of the Apostle Peter in the ecclesial tradition in East and West and the right of appellation (ekkliton) in East and West.”  You may recall that this Group was established after the work of the joint international dialogue was suspended in 2000 following the plenary in Maryland USA.

  Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messina, who has been one of the two representatives of the Church of Greece on Joint International Commission on Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, has presented a very detailed report to the Church’s hierarchy on the work of the Commission.  This report was posted by both Romfea.gr and Amen.gr.  http://www.amen.gr/article/i-eisigisi-tou-mitropoliti-messinias-xrysostomou-stin-ierarxia-gia-tin-poreia-tou-theologikou-dialogou-me-tin-romaiokatholiki-ekklisia  It contains many details which are new to me.  Unfortunately, the Google translation tool does not do a good job of translating the Greek text.

  As previously reported, the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate has translated into Russian and published Joseph Ratzinger’s work Theology of the Liturgy.  Metropolitan Hilarion personally presented a copy of the book to Pope Emeritus Benedict on September 25.  The Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano has now published in Italian the book’s preface written by Metropolitan Hilarion.  https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/10/russia-lorientamento-cristologico-in.html  The article contains the interesting news that the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate will next be involved in the publication in Russian of Benedict’s trilogy, Jesus of Nazareth.  The St. Andrew’s Biblical-Theological Institute in Moscow also already published an number of Ratzinger’s other works into Russian.

  As part of a continuing Italy – Russia exchange, Metropolitan Hilarion met in Moscow on October 10 with 250 students and their professors from Catholic general education schools in six Italian cities.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/10/10/news151201/ 

  On October 10, Greece passed a law that allows Greeks aged 15 and over to redefine their gender.  The Greek newspaper Kathimerini has raised the question of whether the new law will allow biological females to redefine their gender and visit Mt. Athos.  The follow article shows that the answer of Mt. Athos is a definite no.  http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7917/0/mount-athos-monks-vow-to-defend-ban-on-women-visitors-despite-new-equality-law- 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 27 September 2017: Metropolitan Hilarion at the Vatican

  Metropolitan Hilarion met yesterday (Tuesday) with Pope Francis at the Pope’s residence, Casa Santa Marta.  The primary purpose of the meeting was to thank the Pope for his role in the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Russia.  After the meeting he was interviewed in English by Vatican Radio’s Philippa Hitchen.  The 8-minute interview may be heard at http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/09/26/pope_discusses_ukraine_with_russias_metropolitan_hilarion/1339205  The Vatican Radio interview covered such subjects as the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Russia, joint effects to help Christians in the Middle East (particularly helping restore destroyed and damaged churches), the situation in Ukraine, freedom of religion in Russia (including the current situation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses), and the likelihood of a visit of the Pope to Russia or the Russian Patriarch to Rome (neither is on the agenda).   With respect to what could be done to help members of all of the churches in Ukraine work toward national reconciliation, Metropolitan Hilarion stated that “the first step for each religious confession would be to abstain from aggressive rhetoric”.  He added, “Once this is achieved, we can think of other steps.”  From the interview, it is not clear to me whether “aggressive rhetoric” as used by Metropolitan Hilarion would also include such rhetoric directed against Russia or simply against other confessions.  The Vatican’s Press Office has provided some good photos of the visit.  https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/09/vaticano-4-foto-delludienza-del-santo.html

  The DECR posted today a report relating to the meeting.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/09/27/news150508/  In summarizing the topics of the meeting, the report stressed the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Russia, bills proposed in the Ukrainian Rada, joint humanitarian efforts in the Middle East, the visit of Cardinal Parolin to Russia, and cultural and student exchanges.  With respect to the recent meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Orthodox – Catholic theological dialogue, the report states that the next stage of the dialogue “will consider the main issues impeding the restoration of unity between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.”  According to an earlier report by the DECR ( https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/09/news149906/ ), the precise topic will be: Towards Unity in Faith: Theological and Canonical Issues.

  Also on Tuesday, Metropolitan Hilarion met with Cardinal Kurt Koch ( https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/09/26/news150519/) and with the Joint Working Group on Cultural Cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Holy See (https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/09/26/news150514/).  This Group “discussed and planned for implementation a number of new projects in the cultural sphere for 2017-2018.”  The latter meeting was also attended by the well-known and influential Bishop Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Egorievsk, who heads the Patriarchal Council for Culture and is also the head of the Sretensky Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow.

  On Monday, Metropolitan Hilarion met with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/25/news150473/ (English)  According to this report, “Metropolitan Hilarion presented Pope Benedict XVI with the Russian edition of the Pontiff Emeritus’ book entitled ‘The Theology of Liturgy,’ prepared by the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate in cooperation with the St. Gregory the Theologian Charity Foundation.”

  Yesterday, the Vatican’s Joseph Ratzinger Foundation announced the three recipients of this year’s Ratzinger Prize.  https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/09/26/orthodox-lutheran-catholic-win-2017-ratzinger-prize/   One of the recipients is Arvo Pärt, a devout Orthodox Christian composer from Estonia.  In 2014, Arvo Pärt had received an honorary doctorate in sacred music from the OCA’s St. Vladimir Seminary.  https://www.svots.edu/content/maestro-arvo-p%C3%A4rt  Today, the Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano published a very nice tribute to Arvo Pärt.  https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/09/estonia-lo-stile-unico-del-compositore.html 

  Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, will be visiting Romania, September 27 to October 1.  The schedule for his visit has now been posted.  https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/09/vaticano-comunicato-stampa-della.html   It will include a meeting with Patriarch Daniel on Friday.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 21 September 2017: Centenary of the Patriarchate in Moscow & other news

  Yesterday, September 19, Metropolitan Hilarion met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar.  The DECR’s English-language report states:  Discussed during the lengthy meeting were various issues of promoting bilateral relations between the Patriarchates of Moscow and Constantinople, as well as the current problems of inter-Orthodox cooperation.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/19/news150291/   Today the Press Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchate posted an English-language summary of the meeting which includes the following details:  During their discussions, Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed an invitation from His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill of Moscow to His All-Holiness, requesting the honor of his presence in Moscow during the first week of December for a series of events marking the 100-year Anniversary of the October Revolution, as well as the beginning of persecutions against the Church, the convening of the Synod of 1917, and the restoration of the Patriarchal institution 200 years after its abolishment.  The Ecumenical Patriarch thanked Metropolitan Hilarion, informing him that a response to the invitation is currently under review and was discussed during the last session of the Holy and Sacred Synod.  Furthermore, both sides extensively discussed the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church that took place in Crete, June 2016, as well as other bilateral and pan-Orthodox matters. https://www.patriarchate.org/-/o-metropolites-bolokolamsk-ilarion-sto-oikoumeniko-patriarcheio

  On September 18, Metropolitan Hilarion had met with  Archbishop Chrysostomos, the primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus.  The DECR’s report states:  On behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Hilarion invited the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus to visit Moscow and take part in the celebrations marking the centenary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church. The participants in the meeting also discussed various issues of bilateral relations between the Churches of Russia and Cyprus and the pan-Orthodox cooperation.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/18/news150265/   On September 15, Metropolitan Hilarion had visited Patriarch John X, the primate of the Patriarchate of Antioch, and had also extended to him Patriarch Kirill’s invitation to attend the centenary celebrations in Moscow.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/16/news150181/  While in Lebanon, Metropolitan Hilarion also had a meeting with Cardinal al-Raï, the primate of the Maronite Church.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/15/news150168/

  Immediately before the centenary celebrations, the Council of Bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate will be holding its meeting, November 29 to December 2.  On November 18, 2016, Patriarch Kirill had told journalists that the “the Council of Bishops will eventually decide the attitude of the Church” with respect to the documents of the Crete Council.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4684647.html  If the Council of Bishops does consider and criticizes parts of the Crete documents, it may be awkward for the Ecumenical Patriarch to participate in the celebrations a few days later.  Perhaps, the Council of Bishops will not debate the Crete documents, but will focus instead on discussing and approving the new Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church.

  On a different topic, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has completed a 10-day visit to Italy.  Both the Ecumenical Patriarch and Alexandrian Patriarch Theodoros II addressed the 25th International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality held at the Bose Monastery in Italy on September 6-9 on the subject of The Gift of Hospitality.   Information relating to this outstanding conference can be read at: http://www.monasterodibose.it/ospitalita/convegni/convegni-spiritualita-ortodossa/2017-dono-ospitalita/ ; https://www.facebook.com/CEISO.bose/.  The Ecumenical Patriarch then spent three days in Bologna.  http://it.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/09/12/bartolomeo_i_a_bologna_per_congresso_eucaristico_diocesano/1336281     The following is a very interesting 7-minute video showing the highlights of the visit to Bologna.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WzXIX8nFM  I found especially interesting two aspects of this visit.  On the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Catholic Cathedral of San Pietro.  He also spoken at a luncheon for the local Catholic and Orthodox clergy.  The text of his address can be read at  http://www.settimananews.it/ecumenismo-dialogo/lecumenismo-che-inizia-dalle-parrocchie/ .   With respect to Orthodox -  Catholic relations, he stated:

  But there is another element that characterizes your presence, Catholic and Orthodox priests together today.  First of all, as we have already mentioned, many of the churches in use by local Orthodox parishes have been offered by the local Catholic Archdiocese, with an open mind and great Christian love.  That is why we want to thank again Archbishop Matteo [Zuppi of Bologna] and his predecessors.  But we believe that this "coexistence" proposes to all of us a further reflection: the need for mutual respect, mutual knowledge, dialogue and collaboration in all fields.  If our parishes, in pastoral work in favor of their faithful, have the opportunity, with humility, to manifest the beauties of our Church, they likewise have the opportunity to admire the beauties of other fraternal Christians.  And this happens if there is respect and knowledge of each other; respect for peculiarities, ecclesiastical and canonical dispositions, the way of manifesting faith in the Trinity and knowledge of what we still cannot do, because the theological dialogue is ongoing, but not finished, of our mutual experiences in history and our attitudes and our beliefs.  But living together, we have the opportunity to know and understand, even where we cannot be completely in tune, and this is dialogue.  Dialogue means to love one another, listen and to heard; is to offer and receive, to rejoice and share with each other.  Thus it is the exchange of gifts that the Lord has given to each one of us and not “for fear go bury the talent in the ground.”  (cf. Mt. 25:25)

  We can together address the great challenges of our times, such as the de-Christianization of so-called Christian societies, religious fundamentalism, relativism, end-to-end consumerism, secularization, globalization devoid of the fundamental rights of every human being, the environmental catastrophe, the new biblical migrations, and the inability of many societies to address the problems, the crisis of labor, poverty and the prospects for tomorrow, the future of the family, and new challenges.

  Every parish, orthodox or catholic, in its specificity can truly be a living experience of the Mystery of God in the face of the world's crises, because it is the primordial cell of the Church, the domestic Church itself, the Church that welcomes, the Church that offers and is offered, the Church that is the hope and anchor of salvation, because in Him and only in Him is the foundation, the certainty and the unshakeable faith.  To Him be the glory in the ages. [Google translation of the Italian]

  Lastly, on September 3, Cardinal Vinko Puljic attended the enthronement of Orthodox Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosnia in Sarajevo.  http://www.spc.rs/eng/enthronement_metropolitan_hrizostom_dabarbosnia  On September 17, Metropolitan Hrizostom visited the Cardinal to thank him of his attendance.  http://www.spc.rs/eng/enthronement_metropolitan_hrizostom_dabarbosnia   This is another sign of improving Orthodox-Catholic relations in that part of the world.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

   

• 12 September 2017: Statements on Coordinating Committee

  The website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Permanent Delegation to the WCC has issued an English-language statement describing the results of the Leros meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.   http://www.ecupatria.org/2017/09/11/catholic-orthodox-bilateral-dialogue-on-the-way-to-its-next-plenary/    Although the statement is not labeled a joint communique, the fact that it is posted on the website of the delegation to the WCC headed by Archbishop Job, who is also the Orthodox co-president of the Joint International Commission, gives it official weight.  The critical paragraph in the statement is the following:

  After much discussion, it was decided that the topic for the next stage of the dialogue should be: “Towards Unity in Faith: Theological and Canonical Issues”.   A paper on this topic will be prepared for the next plenary meeting of the Commission which is expected in 2019.   It was also decided that work should begin already on an additional document, which will follow on from the Chieti document and will be entitled: “Primacy and Synodality in the Second Millennium and Today”.   It will include consideration of “uniatism” among other issues.

  The DECR of the Moscow Patriarchate has also now posted an English-language version of its previous Russian-language posting which I referenced in my previous report.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/09/news149906/ 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 9 September 2017: Results of Leros meeting

  Although I have not yet seen an official communique on the results of the meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, the Moscow Patriarchate’s DECR has posted in Russian its own summary of the results.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/09/09/news149906/  Presumably, the DECR will post an English version soon.  In the meantime, I have pasted an Google translation below.  In somewhat of a surprise for me at least, the Committee decided that the Commission should apparently work on two new documents.  One of these documents was expected – “Primacy and Synodality in the Second Millennium and in Our Times.”  As previously indicated by Metropolitan Hilarion, the Moscow Patriarchate and several other Local Orthodox Churches “insisted” that the subject of the “unia” be revisited in connection with this new document.  It appears that not all of the participating Local Orthodox Churches shared this view of the Moscow Patriarchate.  By insisting, I assume that the Moscow Patriarchate made the inclusion of subtopic of the “unia” a condition to its further participation in the development of this new document.

  I did not expect the second new document -- "On the path to unity in faith: theological and canonical questions.”  It is logical that the Committee would discuss what subjects had already been discussed in the dialogue since its commencement in 1980 and what documents should be discussed in the future.  However, I believe that it is unusual for this to be made the subject of a formal document adopted by the Commission.  I do know that certain conservative groups, who are really not in favor of the dialogue, have urged that the entire process of the Orthodox – Catholic dialogue be reexamined.  Perhaps the production of the second document will allow certain concerned Local Orthodox Churches to say that such an examination will be made.  In the second document, it may be possible for these Local Orthodox Churches to demonstrate that there have been  positive fruits from the dialogue from the Orthodox perspective.

  The Coordinating Committee did not set a time for the convening of a plenary session of the entire Commission.  Rather, it set another meeting of the Coordinating Commission more than one year from now.  Perhaps it is believed that this length of time is necessary for the drafting groups to prepare the two documents.  Usually, it is hoped that a plenary will occur every two years.  This will obviously not happen under this schedule.

  Romanian Patriarchate has posted a brief report relating to the Leros meeting.  http://basilica.ro/grecia-comitetul-de-coordonare-a-comisiei-mixte-de-dialog-teologic-ortodox-catolic-s-a-intrunit-in-insula-leros/  With respect to results, it stated:  Following the joint sessions, the Coordinating Committee of the Joint Orthodox-Catholic Theological Dialogue Commission decided that, the next steps, starting from an emphasis on progress already made and issues requiring clarification, be addressed from the point of view theological and canonical themes that provoked and caused the separation between the West and the East.  The emphasis in this short statement is somewhat different from Moscow’s.  Hopefully, an official communique will clarify matters.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

  POSTING BY THE DECR:

  On September 8, 2017 on the island of Leros (Greece), the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, attended by Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, took place.

  As a result of the discussions, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church decided to prepare a document on the topic "On the path to unity in faith: theological and canonical questions.”  It is assumed that the document which will be prepared by a special drafting group formed from the members of the Commission will sum up the results of 37 years of the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue and identify the main problems that need to be discussed at its next stages.

  The Coordinating Committee also considered it expedient to start consideration of the topic "Primacy and synodality in the second millennium and in our times."  This topic is a logical continuation of the theme "Synodality and primacy in the first millennium,” considered at the previous stage of the dialogue.  The new document should consider the development of events that led to the rupture of communion between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in the 11th century, as well as the consequences of this rupture for Christians of the East and West.  Special attention will be given in the document to the theme of the unia, which was discussed in the framework of the dialogue in 1991-2000, but continues to remain acute.  The need for further discussion of this topic during the meetings of the Coordinating Committee was insisted upon by representatives of the Russian and several other Orthodox Churches.

  On the morning of September 8, on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother of God new style [Gregorian calendar], the Orthodox members of the Coordinating Committee prayed and communicated in the Divine Liturgy in the church at the residence of the Metropolitans of Leros.

  On the same day, members of the Coordination Committee visited the Metropolitan Cathedral, the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "All Holy" [located] in a medieval fortress [Castle of Panagia], a museum of the history of the Second World War, and a camp for temporary refugees in the territory of Greece from the Middle East and Africa.

  The next meeting of the Coordination Committee of the Joint Commission for the Orthodox-Catholic Theological Dialogue will be held at the end of 2018.
  

   

• 8 September 2017: Leros meeting & more news

  The DECR of the Moscow Patriarchate has posted a brief report on the first day of the meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/09/06/news149844/ (English); https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/09/06/news149844/ (Russian)  The first day, September 5, involved each side meeting separately.  The Russian-language report is more detailed and provides a list of the Orthodox participants.  Some photos of the meeting are included in the report.  In the English-language report, it is stated:  “Metropolitan Hilarion underscored that uniatism remains topical for the Russian Orthodox Church and for some other Local Orthodox Churches and should be brought up in the new document.”  With respect to the Russian-language report, the phrase, и должна быть затронута в новом документе Смешанной комиссии, is used for the last part of this sentence.  According to my dictionary, затронута means “touched upon.”  If this is correct, Metropolitan Hilarion is not saying that “uniatism” should be the next topic of the Commission, but rather it should be one aspect considered in discussing the major topic such as primacy and synodality in the second millennium.

  The Metropolis of Leros, which is hosting the meeting, posted today a number of photos and two videos of the welcoming ceremony and the initial doxology.  http://www.im-leka.gr/index.php?categoryid=18   These photos and videos show members of both the Orthodox and Catholic sides.  From the report and photos by the DECR, it appears that the Orthodox members are: 

  Ecumenical Patriarchate: Archbishop Job (Getcha) of Telmessos (co-chairperson); Metropolitan Gennadios (Limouris) of Sassima (co-secretary); Metropolitan Maximos (Vgenopoulos) of Selyviar

  Moscow Patriarchate: Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk

  Romanian Patriarchate: Metropolitan Iosif (Pop) of Western and Southern Europe

  Church of Cyprus:  Metropolitan Vasilios (Karayiannis) of Konstantia-Famagusta

  Church of Greece:  Metropolitan Chrysostomos (Savvatos) of Messinia

  Jerusalem Patriarchate:  Professor Theodoros Giagou (θεοδωρος γιαγκου)

  Church of Albania:  Professor Nathan Hoppe

  You may be interested in some background information on three of the above individuals whose names may be less familiar to you.  Metropolitan Maximos was the Grand Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate until his episcopal ordination in 2014.  He received his doctorate from Heythrop College, University of London, and wrote his dissertation on "Primacy in the Church from Vatican I to Vatican II, An Orthodox Perspective.”  I believe (but am not sure) that he is replacing Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware), who is apparently retiring from the Commission and contributed greatly to the work of the Commission in the past.  Professor Theodoros Giagou is an expert in the sources of canon law and teaches at the School of Pastoral and Social Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.  His impressive CV can be read at http://www.past.auth.gr/sites/default/files/personnel/Giagkou%20CV.pdf .   He was very involved in the preparatory work for the Crete Council and represented the Jerusalem Patriarchate on the Secretariat of the Council.  After the Council he became one of its prominent defenders.  http://www.amen.gr/article/ptyxes-pou-aposiopithikan-ston-dimosio-dialogo-peri-tis-agias-kai-megalis-synodou-v-meros  Professor Nathan Hoppe teaches at "Resurrection of Christ" Theological Academy, Shen Vlash, Albania.  He was born and raised in the mountains of Columbia where his parents were Protestant missionaries.  He is a convert to Orthodoxy.  He is a graduate of Wheaton College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in the United States.  He began working in Albania as an Orthodox missionary in 1998.  You can read the interesting story of Professor Hoppe’s work in Albania at https://www.ocmc.org/about/view_missionary.aspx?MissionaryId=1 .

  Some of the Catholic members of the Coordinating Committee visible in the photos and videos are:  Cardinal Kurt Koch (co-chairperson); Bishop Brian Farrell; Archbishop Roland Minnerath of Dijon; Archbishop Ioannis Spiteris; Msgr. Andrea Palmieri; Msgr. Paul McPartlan; Father Frans Bouwen, W.F; and Prof. Dr. Theresia Hainthaler.

  While in Athens, Metropolitan Hilarion gave an interview to Aimilios Polygenis, the head and owner of the conservative Greek Orthodox website, romfea.gr.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/16798-bolokolamsk-ilarionas-prepei-na-proxorisoume-mprosta-na-diatirisoume-kai-na-enisxusoume-tin-enotita-mas (Greek); https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/09/07/news149860/ (Russian)  Here are a few of the interesting points made by the Metropolitan:

  I hope in September personally to pay a visit to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew.  I think that despite the difficulties that have arisen in connection with the Crete Council, we must move forward and maintain and strengthen our unity.  I hope that the coming months will be a time when we can strengthen this unity even more.

  [Reaction to those who ceased to commemorate Patriarch Bartholomew in protest of the Crete Council]  Of course, we do not agree with these groups and with the method itself that is used by these groups to evidence their position.  But  in the depths of our Church, too, there are similar groups, and we must be sensitive to such sentiments .  We remember very well that in the 17^th century a schism broke out in Russia, which continues to this day, which was not caused by any theological or dogmatic questions, but solely ritual.

  A new Catholic cathedral dedicated to St. Peter was consecrated on September 5 in the coastal city of Bar in Montenegro by the Archbishop of Bar, Rrok Gjonlleshaj.  The consecration was reported by an article on the website of the Serbian Patriarchate.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/mitropolit_amfilohije_na_osvetshenju_rimokatolichkog_hrama_u_baru_chasni_krst_nastavlja_da_nas_sjedi   Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro was presented at the consecration and presented a beautiful crucifix and icon to the Archbishop.  http://www.mitropolija.com/mitropolit-amfilohije-na-osvecenju-rimokatolickog-hrama-u-baru-casni-krst-nastavlja-da-nas-sjedinjuje/   A 6-minute video of the event can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=uto0-b11-Zo .  This is one more example of positive Orthodox – Catholic contacts within the territory of the Serbian Patriarchate since the final meeting of the Stepinac joint commission in July.

  The Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Olga Vasilieva, has stated that she plans to write a book about Metropolitan Nikokim (Rotov) after she finishes her work as Minister.  http://tass.ru/vef-2017/articles/4540201 

  The address of the Ecumenical Patriarch at the Bose Monastery yesterday can be read (in Italian) at http://fanarion.blogspot.gr/2017/09/bose_6.html.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 4 September 2017: Meeting of Coordinating Committee & more news

  The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity issued today the following press release (http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/09/04/170904b.html):

  From 5 to 9 September 2017 a meeting will be held of the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.  The meeting will take place in Leros, Greece, hosted by the Orthodox Metropolitan Paisios (Aravantinos) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  The works will be chaired by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and the archbishop of Telmessos Iob (Getcha), of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  After the joint document “Synodality and primacy during the first millennium.  Towards a common understanding in service to the unity of the Church”, published last September in Chieti, Italy, the Coordinating Committee has the task of planning the future steps in the Catholic-Orthodox theological dialogue.

  I believe that it is generally expected that the Coordinating Committee will decide that the future topic for the Joint International Commission should relate to synodity and primacy during the second millennium.  The big question in my mind is whether the Moscow Patriarchate will insist that its difficulties with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church should be part of the future dialogue of the Commission or whether it will seek to resolve these difficulties in other forums.  For example, Cardinal Koch in his address at the University of Fribourg on the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the Havana meeting suggested the formation of special commissions to resolve these problems.  I am sure that prayers for this important meeting of the Coordinating Committee will be appreciated.

  Enroute to Leros, Metropolitan Hilarion met at noon today in Athens with Archbishop Ieronymos, the primate of the Orthodox Church of Greece.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/16762-ilarion-se-arxiepiskopo-sas-perimenoume-suntoma-sti-mosxa  During the meeting Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed to Archbishop Ieronymos an invitation to visit Russia.  The Archbishop commented that “we believe we will soon find ourselves in Russia.”

  Today in Jerusalem the patriarchs and head of churches in Jerusalem issued a joint statement “condemning recent further encroachment of the Status Quo.”  You can read the full text of the statement in English at http://www.amen.gr/article/official-joint-statement-of-the-patriarchs-and-heads-of-local-churches-in-jerusalem  The statement refers specifically to the recent judgment in the “Jaffa Gate” case and to a bill in the Knesset that would restrict the rights of churches over their own property.  It is another example of the churches in Jerusalem acting together to protect the interests of Christians.

  Another result of the Havana meeting was a very interesting seminar in St. Petersburg on the topic:  “Theological interpretation of the problems of dependence: Orthodox and Catholic view.”  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=4&id=74659  It appears to have been an excellent program with substantial Catholic and Orthodox participation.

  Yesterday (Sunday), the world-wide Synod of Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church began in Lviv.   https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/catholics/ugcc/68080/ ;  http://news.ugcc.ua/video/u_lvov%D1%96_rozpochav_robotu_chergoviy_sinod_yepiskop%D1%96v_ugkts_prisvyacheniy_molitv%D1%96_80349.html    The Synod will last ten days.

  Lastly, I expressed in my last report my disappointment that there was not greater coverage in the English-language secular media of the Joint Message on the World Day of Prayer for Creation.  My disappointment resulted from a Google search that I personally did.  In response to my report, I received an email with very specific information on the substantial coverage that was in fact provided by the secular media.  I believe that my problem was that I did not use all of the right search words.  Anyway, I am absolutely delighted that the secular coverage was much better than I thought.  With respect to the Joint Message, you may find interesting a commentary on it by Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis.  https://cruxnow.com/commentary/2017/09/01/pope-patriarch-common-declaration-shared-world/

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 3 September 2017: Joint statement on creation & more news

  As you may have already heard, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis issued yesterday a Joint Message on the World Day of Prayer for Creation (Sept. 1).  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/09/01/pope_francis_and_patriarch_bartholomew_praying_for_creation/1334088   The full text may be read in English at https://www.patriarchate.org/-/joint-message-on-the-world-day-of-prayer-for-creation .   Although I believe that this is an important document, one wonders how much of the world is listening.  In performing a Google search of the English-language media, I found that the Joint Message received very little attention in the secular media.  The Ecumenical Patriarch also issued  a separate letter on the occasion to the “Plenitude of the Church.” The English text of this letter may be read at  https://www.patriarchate.org/-/septon-patriarchikon-menyma-epi-tei-hemerai-proseuches-hyper-tes-prostasias-tou-physikou-periballontos-01-09-2017-?_101_INSTANCE_yYvX9I5UvsXD_languageId=en_US .   The Ecumenical Patriarchate first instituted the “Day of Protection for the Environment” on September 1, 1989.  In 2015 the Catholic Church joined in the observation of this day of prayer.

  From August 25 to September 3, the third annual Summer Institute for representatives of the Roman Catholic Church is being held with visits to Moscow, Novgorod, and St. Petersburg.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/08/30/news149645/  Yesterday, the Catholic group of 12 from  Italy, France, Czech Republic, Peru, Poland and Romania met with the Youth Department of the St. Petersburg Orthodox Metropolia.  http://mitropolia.spb.ru/news/otdeli/?id=120935#ad-image-5   However, the most significant aspect of this year’s Summer Institute is its inclusion of a meeting with Patriarch Kirill.  The Patriarch’s extensive remarks to the group are reported in English at https://mospat.ru/en/2017/08/30/news149653/ .  The Patriarch also answered questions from the group.  I found the following remarks particularly interesting:

  ‘We are gratified to note the great successes made in several Catholic dioceses in Europe and in other countries which work with the youth.  We are very thoroughly studying, in particular, the experience of the Polish Catholic Church.  We understand it very well because it is a matter of Slavic societies.  Though there are many things which create difficulties in relations between the Poles and the Russians, there is something that opens up opportunities for mutual understanding.  For instance, many people in our Church have great sympathy for the Catholic Church’s work with the youth in that country.  We can see positive results of this work.’

  He also expressed the conviction that such events [as the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Russia] and, generally, the opportunity for the faithful of the two Churches to come in touch with each other’s spiritual experience is the most powerful factor that helps to further the development of inter-church relations. ‘I believe the reciprocal visits of shrines should become part of a joint action program aimed to develop relations between the Churches’.

  On a different subject, you may recall that Cardinal Parolin raised in his meetings with Foreign Minister Lavrov and President Putin the difficulties encountered by the Catholic Church is seeking the return of certain of its former properties in Russia.  A few days later it was reported that progress has been made in the return of the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Moscow.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170829/1501332873.html 

  A very interesting report has been written by the recently appointed postulator for the beatification process of the Catholic Russian New Martyrs (under the Soviet regime).  http://www.cathmos.ru/content/ru/publication-2017-08-29-16-04-02.html   Over 400 Catholic priests were killed by the Soviet regime in the USSR, and many other Catholics as well were killed for their faith.  Aside from the beatification process, the postulator has hopes for such projects as the placement of memorials, the holding of an all-Russia conference, and the establishment in St. Petersburg of a center for the study and preservation of the memory of Catholic Russian New Martyrs.   The Orthodox New Martyrs under the Soviet regime has been a subject of great interest to the Moscow Patriarchate in recent years.  Last May a new cathedral dedicated to their honor was consecrated in Moscow.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170525/1495118336.html  This common suffering is a bond that unites both Orthodox and Catholics – the “ecumenism of blood.”

  A recent interview of Archbishop Luciano Suriani, Apostolic Nuncio in Serbia, has been posted in English.  http://www.b92.net/eng/insight/interviews.php?yyyy=2017&mm=08&dd=25&nav_id=102163  Although the interview contains no surprises, the Nuncio does make a positive assessment with respect to current relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church.

  The 25th International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality will be held at the Bose Monastery in Italy on September 6-9.  The subject will be the gift of hospitality.  http://monasterodibose.it/en/hospitality/conferences/orthodox-spirituality/2017-gift-hospitality/11360-gift-hospitality-17-progam  The impressive list of speakers includes Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 25 August 2017: Update -- Parolin & Hilarion

  Cardinal Parolin returned to Rome yesterday after his visit to Russia.  Immediately after his return, he heard from Pope Francis, and the Cardinal discussed with the Pope the results of the meetings in Russia.  The Cardinal subsequently gave a 15-minute exclusive interview with a journalist from Vatican Radio concerning his Russian trip.  You can watch the entire interview in Italian at http://it.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/08/25/parolin_papa_compiaciuto_per_visita_in_russia,_nuovo_clima/1332725.  The Catholic news service Zenit has provided a great service in immediately translating the entire text of the interview into English.  https://zenit.org/articles/russia-has-a-particular-responsibility-in-matters-of-peace-by-card-parolin/  A second English translation has now also been posted at http://www.lastampa.it/2017/08/25/vaticaninsider/eng/inquiries-and-interviews/parolin-constructive-and-important-encounters-during-his-visit-to-russia-8tmGMAmgylB8EH0N8xe5IO/pagina.html  The following are some of the highlights of the interview:  “The Pope was obviously pleased with these impressions, with these positive results that I transmitted to him.”  “[I]t was a useful trip; it was an interesting trip; it was a constructive trip.”  “It seems to me that from their [Russian Orthodox Church’s] part – as of course also from our part – there is <the> wish to exhaust the potentialities that this new phase [after Havana] has opened, and of course collaboration can happen in several realms, at various levels: from cultural collaboration – the academic – to the humanitarian.”  “The Lord — we hope – will make the seeds of goodness that we tried to sow [with respect to Ukraine], sprout and fructify.”  “In this connection, for instance, one of the topics is that of the release of prisoners: this is one of the ‘humanitarian’ subjects that could be truly important to give back some impulse to the whole process, also political, to come out of this situation of stasis and begin to advance – for instance – also on the subject of a truce, the subject of a cease-fire, the subject of the conditions of security in the territory, also the subject of the political conditions to be able to make progress in the global solution.”  “ I tried [in the meeting with President Putin] above all to say this, this was the message I wished to transmit: namely, that Russia, because of its geographic position, because of its history, because of its culture, because of its past, because of its present, has a great role to play in the International Community, in the world – a great role to play. Hence, it has a particular responsibility in matters of peace: be it the country, be it its leader, it has a great responsibility in matters of the building of peace and must truly make an effort to put the superior interest of peace above all other interests.”

  Last night Metropolitan Hilarion made his presentation at the Meeting Rimini on the topic of the Council of 1917-18.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/08/25/news149478/   You can now watched (with simultaneous English translation) the entire presentation including the introduction at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4WiBwKh5Y0  .  Last Sunday at Meeting Rimini there was also a panel discussion on Russia 1917.  Among the panel participants was Archbishop Mennini.  You can watch this panel discussion in Italian at

  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/08/25/news149478/ .   You may already know that the Vatican even has its own expert on the Russian Orthodox Church’s Council of 1917-18! --- Father Hyacinthe Destivelle OP, who is responsible at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity for relations with the Slavic Orthodox Churches.  In 2003, he authored a 372-page book on this Council.  https://www.amazon.it/Chiesa-del-Concilio-Mosca-1917-1918/dp/8882271420 

  While at Rimini, Metropolitan Hilarion was interviewed by the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire.  https://www.avvenire.it/chiesa/pagine/intervista-metropolita-hilarion-meeting-rimini  With respect to a future Pope – Patriarch meeting, the Metropolitan stated:  “It is too early to talk about a new meeting between the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Pope.  Last year's meeting in Havana has shown prospects for the development of relations between the two Churches for the foreseeable future, and now we have to make efforts to implement them, with the help of God. To accomplish this task, it takes far more than a year.”

  Lastly, there was again this year a gathering of religious leaders of Ukraine in the historic St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv to pray for peace in Ukraine.  You can watch this joint prayer service at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LDhMq-MxWg .  It is good to see such religious leaders as Onufry, Filaret, and Sviatoslav praying alternately for peace in that war-torn country.  Also with respect to Ukraine, Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich), Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP), is today (August 25) celebrating his 50^th birthday.  The following are 50 interesting facts about this influential hierarch.  https://religions.unian.ua/orthodoxy/2099086-50-malovidomih-faktiv-pro-keruyuchogo-spravami-upts-mitropolita-antoniya-pakanicha-ros.html 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

                                                

• 24 August 2017: Russia, Budapest & Nis

  The trip of the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to Russia, August 20-24, has attracted a considerable amount of media attention.  He is visiting Russia at the invitation of the Russian Foreign Ministry.  It is the first occasion that Cardinal Parolin has visited Russia in his lifetime.  He has met with Metropolitan Hilarion, the Catholic bishops of Russia (followed by a Mass at the Catholic cathedral), and Foreign Minister Lavrov.  Today (Wednesday) Cardinal Parolin met with President Putin in Sochi.

  The meeting with Metropolitan Hilarion on Monday is described in English at the website of the DECR.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/08/21/news149383/  There is nothing surprising in this statement.  However, it is significant that the meeting lasted two hours, twice as long as scheduled.  http://www.lastampa.it/2017/08/21/vaticaninsider/eng/the-vatican/parolin-in-russia-a-relaxed-meeting-with-hilarion-we-tackled-difficult-issues-bGXAaIPCXlSycw5hrDYYzO/pagina.html   After the meeting, Parolin stated that the meeting was “very constructive” and that a good part of the conversation touched on the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine as well as on the Holy See's concern for the situation in Venezuela.  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/08/21/parolin_describes_meeting_with_hilarion_as_very_constructiv/1332036 

  On Monday evening, Parolin met with the Catholic bishops of Russia and then celebrated Mass in Moscow’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral.  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=74497  Two representatives of the DECR were at the Mass, as well as Bishop Ezras, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Russia.  The following is a nice 5-minute video of the Cardinal’s meeting with the Catholic community including short interviews with the Catholic bishops and also with Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov) of the DECR.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-cRIsBwgY8  The following is a 3-minute video of the Mass.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x0LdlMcucA 

  Yesterday (Tuesday) Cardinal Parolin met with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister.  The following is the official English translation of the opening remarks by Lavrov.  http://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/2841149?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw&_101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw_languageId=en_GB  At the conclusion of the private meeting, both Lavrov and Parolin made statements to the press.  You can view a video of the entire 15-minute press conference with English translation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6_hbO07Pr8.  The following is the official English translation of Lavrov’s concluding remarks. http://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/2841273?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw&_101_INSTANCE_cKNonkJE02Bw_languageId=en_GB  Parolin’s remarks in Italian are available at https://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/08/russia-dichiarazione-tenuta-dal.html .  Both men gave a very positive assessment of their meeting.  Of interest to Russian Catholics, Parolin stated that “the interview offered the opportunity to discuss also some concrete questions about the life of the Catholic Church in the Russian Federation, including the difficulties that still remain with regard to residence permits for non-Russian religious personnel, and the return of some churches that are needed for the pastoral care of Catholics in the country, finding in the Interlocutor [Lavrov] a great deal of attention to the solution of these problems and the will to follow them.” 

  On Tuesday afternoon, Cardinal Parolin met with Patriarch Kirill at the Danilov Monastery.  A video of the first part of the meeting with the Patriarch’s public remarks can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygzmHqOk7Js .  The DECR posted today an English-language report concerning the meeting.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/08/23/news149436/  At the end of the meeting that lasted for almost two hours, Metropolitan Hilarion made some remarks to the press.  In response to a question by the press as to a future meeting between the Patriarch and the Pope, the Metropolitan stated: "For now this idea was not brought up by either side. We are faced with the great challenges that have been identified during the Havana encounter, and we must address these.”  http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Cardinal-Parolin-in-talks-with-the-Patriarch-of-Moscow-41584.html 

  This afternoon (Wednesday) Cardinal Parolin met with President Putin in Sochi.  The full text of Putin’s and Parolin’s opening remarks can be read at  http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/55402 .   With respect to the Moscow Patriarchate, Putin stated:   “We welcome this dialogue that has begun directly between the Holy See and the Russian Orthodox Church.  There is no doubt that the common humanitarian values that the Holy See and the Russian Orthodox Church defend form the foundation for relations between the two churches and between Russia as a state and the Vatican.”  Parolin stated: “I see a new dynamic that has emerged over the recent months and years in relations between the two churches.”  A very short video of the meeting can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHglUFB_JS0 .  The Vatican’s Press Office has stated that the meeting lasted for approximately one hour and was conducted “in a positive, cordial climate, of respect and mutual listening, with an open exchange of views.”  https://zenit.org/articles/russia-president-putin-receives-cardinal-parolin/

  From all of the reports, it appears that the various meetings held by Cardinal Parolin have been positive.  In the public remarks, relations between the Vatican on the one side and the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church on the other have been described by the parties in a very favorable light.  However, I find very little information as to what was actually discussed in the Cardinal’s private meetings with the Patriarch and the President.  Although Metropolitan Hilarion made some limited remarks after the meeting with the Patriarch, the available information (including the DECR posted report of the meeting with the Patriarch) relates almost exclusively to the public remarks made by the parties at the very beginning of their meetings.  This limited amount of disclosure is probably not surprising in view of the sensitive nature of topics such as Ukraine and the Middle East.

  Tomorrow (Thursday), Metropolitan Hilarion will be in Italy where he will address the Rimini Meeting on the subject of the role of the Council of 1917-18 in the rebirth of the Russian Orthodox Church.  https://www.meetingrimini.org/eng/default.asp?id=932&edizione=6831&item=1&value=1503567900

  On a different subject, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has concluded a four-day visit to Hungary.   https://www.patriarchate.org/-/plerophoriako-yliko-schetika-me-ten-episeme-episkepse-tou-oikoumenikou-patriarche-bartholomaiou-sten-oungaria  According to Ecumenical Patriarchate’s press release, the Patriarch was “presented with a building complex located in the center of Budapest, which the Hungarian Government has decided to donate for the needs of the Orthodox Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Hungary.”   In Budapest, the Ecumenical Patriarch was formally presented the key to the complex, and he also participated on August 20 in the traditional religious procession of Saint Stephen’s Holy Right Hand.  https://dailynewshungary.com/deputy-prime-minister-hand-keys-budapest-building-bartholomew-constantinople/                                                                                                          

  King Stephen of Hungary (c.975-1038) had a great role in the conversion of Hungary to Christianity, and August 20 is observed as a public holiday in Hungary in his honor.  He was canonized a saint by the Catholic Church in 1083.  The Ecumenical Patriarchate recognized him as a saint in the year 2000.  The Saint’s right hand is a precious relic kept in the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Budapest.  You can read a fascinating history of this relic at http://en.bazilika.biz/history-of-the-holy-right/the-story-of-the-holy-right .  There is a video of the Mass, celebrated on the steps of the Cathedral last Sunday by Cardinal Péter Erdő, and of the procession with the relic through the streets of Budapest at http://www.hirado.hu/2017/08/20/a-szent-jobb-kormenet-kozvetitese-itt-ujra-megtekintheto/ .  In the video, you can see the Ecumenical Patriarch and his delegation seated at the left of the altar during the Mass.  At 1:30:00 in the video, you can see the Ecumenical Patriarch and Cardinal Erdő walking together in the procession.  [It should be noted that the Cardinal also has had a very good relationship with Metropolitan Hilarion since the time that the Metropolitan was the administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate’s parishes in Hungary (2002-2009).]

  While in Budapest, the Ecumenical Patriarch gave an interview to the Romanian Patriarchate’s Trinitas TV.  The following link has a summary of the interview in English.  http://basilica.ro/en/video-ecumenical-patriarch-intends-to-attend-bucharests-national-cathedral-consecration-ceremony-we-are-proud-of-the-romanian-church/  The Ecumenical Patriarch has high praise for both Patriarch Daniel and the Romanian Patriarchate in general.  The Ecumenical Patriarch referred to Patriarch Daniel as “a consummate theologian” and states that “we will never forget his special and valuable contribution, or his support in the preparation and the fulfillment of the Holy and Great Council.”  The Ecumenical Patriarch confirmed that he would attend the consecration of the new Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest, scheduled for December 2018.  You can see a 2-minute video of what this amazing structure will look like at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA0XqjzqRYU  It will be the tallest Orthodox church in the world.

  Lastly, on August 13, there was the enthronement of the new Orthodox bishop of Nis, Serbia, Arsenije (Glavcic).  The story on the website of the Serbian Patriarchate highlighted the presence at the enthronement of Archbishop Luciano Suriani, Apostolic Nuncio to Serbia, and Catholic Archbishop Stanislav Hočevar of Belgrade.  Nis, of course, is the birthplace of Emperor Constantine.  On August 11, Archbishop Hočevar had a meeting with Patriarch Irinej on the subject of bioethics.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/patrijarh_srpski_irinej_primio_nadbiskupa_beogradskog_stanislava_hochevara  I believe that it is significant that these positive events are occurring after the conclusion of the work of the joint Stepinac commission.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 7 August 2017: Putin's cross & more news

  The media in the United States hardly ever says a positive word about Putin and usually has many very negative things to say.  Yesterday, a number of U.S. publications displayed various photos that the Kremlin had released showing Putin on his vacation this summer.  The Washington Post was one of them.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/08/05/new-bare-chested-putin-photos-released-2017-edition-aquatic-theme/?utm_term=.74c51462becf  The article is entitled “New bare-chested Putin photos released,” and the article begins:  “The new Vladimir Putin propaganda set is now available on Russian state media, where you can follow the autocratic president on his adventures to a Siberian lake with fun accessories, friendly ministers and brand-new outfits.”  Although it is probably true that the release of the photos had a political purpose of showing that the Russian President is vigorous, fit, and healthy, I have seen no comments in the U.S. media concerning the cross that Putin is wearing on his bare chest.

  I do not know if you are familiar with the story of this particular cross.  The story was told by Putin at page 12 of his book First Person, published in English in 2000.  In 1993, Putin went to Israel as part of an official delegation.  In the book, he states: “Mama gave me my baptismal cross [Putin as an infant had been secretly taken by his mother to be baptized] to get it blessed at the Lord’s tomb.  I did as she said and then put the cross around my neck.  I have never taken it off since.”  However, on August 12, 1996, Putin had taken off the cross to take a sauna at his dacha near St. Petersburg [in the village of Solovyevka, Preozersk, Leningrad Oblast].  While Putin was in the sauna, the dacha caught fire.  Putin escaped, but the dacha was burnt to the ground.  Later, a worker, sifting through the ashes, found the cross perfectly intact and gave it to Putin.  The fact that everything at the dacha was destroyed except this simple aluminum cross was interpreted by Putin as a personal sign to him that only spiritual values are imperishable.

  The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate held its summer session on July 29 in St. Petersburg.   http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4971905.html   The first item on the agenda (Journal No. 46) was a report by Patriarch Kirill on the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Russia, May 21 – July 28.  The report noted that a total of 2,392,300 believers had venerated the relic during its stay in Russia.  The Synod extended its special thanks to Patriarch Kirill, Pope Francis, Archbishop  Francesco Cacucci of Bari-Bitonto, Father Ciro Capotosto O.P. of the Basilica of San Nicola, and the thousands of volunteers who helped those who came to venerate the relic.  According to the Synod, the agreement and the Catholic – Orthodox cooperation resulting in the visit is “an example of the interaction of Christians of the East and West in their striving to strengthen and multiply Christian values in the lives of contemporaries.”  The Catholic delegation which came to St. Petersburg to return the relic to Bari was headed by Cardinal Koch.  The Catholic delegation met with Patriarch Kirill, Metropolitan Hilarion, Metropolitan Varsonofy (of St. Petersburg), and others on July 28.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/07/28/news148813/   Cardinal Koch stated:  “We did not think there would be so many people. It is an excellent sign that there is a living faith in people’s hearts.”

  The Holy Synod at its meeting also appointed Bishop Matfei (Andreev) as the new administrator of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Italy and rector of the stavropegic Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/07/29/news148918/ (Journal No. 52)  You can read his biography at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4264928.html .  Bishop Matfei will celebrate his first liturgy in Italy at St. Catherine’s on August 13.   http://stcaterina.com/anons-pervoe-bogosluzhenie-episkopa-matfeya-v-italii/   Before becoming a priest, Gennady Andreev was a teacher of English and French in the Tambov region of Russia.  From 2009 to 2015, he was rector of a parish in Glasgow and then in Manchester.

  South Korea is a new point of tensions between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate.  An history of the Orthodox Church in Korea is described on the website of the Holy Metropolis of Korea (Ecumenical Patriarchate).  http://www.orthodoxkorea.org/history/  The Metropolis was formally established by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2004.  On July 16, the Greek website Amen.gr posted a long interview of Metropolitan Ambrose(Zographos), the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Metropolitan of Korea and the Exarchate of Japan.   http://www.amen.gr/article/varysimadi-synedefksi-tou-mitropoliti-koreas-amvrosiou-sto-amengr  In the interview, Metropolitan Ambrose contends that the Moscow Patriarchate failed to follow the proper protocol in regard to the Metropolis of Korea when the Moscow Patriarchate’s Archbishop Sergei of Solnechnogorsk visited South Korea last June.  (For the June visit, see https://mospat.ru/en/2017/06/16/news147495/ )  On July 26, Amen.gr posted a commentary on this Korean situation by the highly respected Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia (Church of Greece).  http://www.amen.gr/article/me-aformi-mia-synedefksi  He discusses the problems of attempts to establish parallel church structures in the same area on ethnic grounds and the divisions that this can create.

  Lastly, immediately after the meeting of the Holy Synod in St. Petersburg, Metropolitan Hilarion departed for the Revello music festival in Italy, where he conducted various pieces including Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.  http://tass.com/society/958409  Leonid Sevastyanov of the Gregory the Theologian Charity Foundation has posted a short video of the famous opera singer Svetlana Kasyan singing the Stabat Mater at the festival with Metropolitan Hilarion conducting.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRstiuS5BBw 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 23 July 2017: Draft of Moscow Patriarchate's Catechism posted

  Today (Saturday) the Moscow Patriarchate posted the draft of the very important document, The Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church.  This latest draft was prepared by the Holy Synod’s Biblical-Theological Commission, whose chairman is Metropolitan Hilarion.  Work on this document began in 2009.  The history of its creation is described at https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/07/22/news148547/ .  As you know, The Catechism of the Catholic Church, first published in 1992, has been an extremely important and influential document for the Catholic Church.  It is very likely that The Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church will likewise be extremely important and influential for the Moscow Patriarchate.  To the best of my knowledge, no other Local Orthodox Church has such a comprehensive catechism which been adopted by the Local Church as its official teachings.

  The entire draft can be read at http://theolcom.ru/.  From this link you can access the link for the pdf version of the entire text.  For me, the Google translation tool does not work on the pdf document.  However, you can copy portions of the Russian text and then paste them on the Google translation tool  https://translate.google.com/ .  That does work.

  The Catechism consists of six parts.  The first three parts are: “I. Fundamentals of the Orthodox Faith”; “II. Fundamentals of the Canonical Organization and Liturgical Life of the Orthodox Church”; and “III. The Basics of Orthodox Moral Teaching.”  The Commission will receive comments on these parts until November 1, 2017.  The final three parts are: “IV. Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church”; “V. Fundamentals of the Teaching of the Russian Orthodox Church on Dignity, Freedom and Human Rights”; and “VI. Basic Principles of the Attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards Non-Orthodox Christianity.”  These last three parts “are not subject to discussion” because they involve “church-wide documents already adopted by the Bishops' Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church.”  The next Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church will be held from 29 November to 2 December 2017.  I suspect that the Council will be asked to approve the final Catechism.

  I was most interested in the final part which relates to “non-Orthodox Christianity.”  It appears that this part of the draft exactly tracks the document on this subject adopted by the Moscow Patriarchate’s Bishops’ Council in the year 2000.  See http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/418840.html  (The Google translation tool works well on this document.) However, the appendices to the 2000 document are not included.  As you know, relations with the non-Orthodox was the most controversial issue with respect to the Crete Council.  It appears that the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate does not wish to reopen this controversial issue in the context of the Catechism, which would delay the adoption of the Catechism.

  In my last report, I reported on the final communique of the “Joint Commission of Croatian Catholic and Orthodox Serb Experts for a Re-reading in Common of the Figure of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac.”  In connection with the prior meetings of the Commission, the Commission members did not divulge the inner working of the Commission but rather simply referred to the joint communique for each meeting.  The same appears to be generally true of the final communique.  I have seen no interviews as to exactly what happened during the meetings.  However, on July 15, the major Serbian daily newspaper Večernje Novosti  published a story entitled: “Shock at the End of the Commission’s Activity: Stepinac is a martyr, no words about crimes.”  It referred to the final communique as a Croatian victory.  http://www.novosti.rs/%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8/%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%B0/%D0%B4%D1%80%D1%83%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE.395.html:675758-%D0%A8%D0%9E%D0%9A-%D0%9D%D0%90-%D0%9A%D0%A0%D0%90%D0%88%D0%A3-%D0%A0%D0%90%D0%94%D0%90-%D0%9A%D0%9E%D0%9C%D0%98%D0%A1%D0%98%D0%88%D0%95-%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%86-%D0%BC%D1%83%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA-%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D0%BE-%D0%B7%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B0  The next day the Serbian members of the Commission issued a very strong statement defending the wording of the final communique and accusing the editorial board of the newspaper (which may be ceasing business shortly for financial reasons) of lies.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/neslavno_propadanje_slavnih_novina   On July 18 Bishop Irinej of Bačka issued a separate detailed statement.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/vechernje_novosti_ozbiljan_list_fabrika_lazhi   He discussed and justified the various parts of the final communique and the practical problems of reaching agreement on common language by the two sides that have very different views of Stepinac.  On July 21, an interview of the Bishop Irinej was posted.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/episkop_irinej_uveren_sam_da_tshe_dijalog_o_stepincu_biti_nastavljen  Bishop Irinej states that he expects the dialogue with respect to Stepinac will continue in one forum or another.  He also states that he expects that all of the Commission’s materials will be published and made available at some time in the future.

  As I previously reported, the final session of the Commission (July 12-13) was held at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the residence where Pope Francis lives and has his meals.  The Vatican’s daily bulletin lists no meetings or other activities for Pope Francis for those two days.  There has been no group photo of the Pope with the Commission members with respect to this final session.  It is certainly possible that the Pope may have met with the Commission, but his personal involvement was not made public.

  The relic of St. Nicholas will be returned to Bari on July 28.  https://www.arcidiocesibaribitonto.it/news/ritorno-della-reliquia-di-san-nicola-a-bari  It is now in St. Petersburg.  As of the end of the day yesterday (July 21), a total of 2,108,700 persons have venerated the relic during its stay in Russia.  http://nikola2017.moseparh.ru/2017/07/22/aktualnaya-informaciyao-chisle-palomnikov-posetivshix-moshhi-svyatitelya-nikolaya-chudotvorca/ 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 13 July 2017: Stepinac Commisssion -- final communique

  Today (July 13) the Joint Commission of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Croatian Catholic Church issued its final communique with respect to Cardinal Stepinac.  The full text in Italian, Serbian, and Croatian is set forth at http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2017/07/13/0486/01082.html   The Serbian Patriarchate has also posted the communique on its own site.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/zajednichko_saopshtenje_meshovite_komisije   I have not seen an English translation, but the Google translation tool works fairly well on the official Italian version.  I have pasted the Google translation below:

  On July 12 and 13, 2017,  the members of the Joint Commission of Croatian Catholic and Orthodox Serb Experts for a Re-reading in Common of the Figure of Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac, Archbishop of Zagreb, met at the Vatican at the Domus Sanctae Marthae for their sixth and last meeting under the presidency of Rev. Bernard Ardura, President of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences.

  For the Croatian Bishops' Conference were present: S.Em. Cardinal Josip Bozanić, Archbishop of Zagreb, S.E. Mgr Antun Škvorčević, Bishop of Požega, S.E. Archbishop Ratko Perić, Bishop of Mostar-Duvno, Dr. Jure Krišto and Dr. Mario Jareb of the Croatian Institute of History.

  For the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church were present: S.Em. Amfilohije, Metropolitan of Montenegro and Littoral, S.Em. Porphyry, Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana, S.E. Irinej, Bishop of Novi Sad and Bačka, S.E. Jovan, Bishop of Pakrac and Slavonia, and Prof. Dr. Darko Tanasković, Representative of Serbia at UNESCO.

  Those present have acknowledged the magnanimity of Pope Francis who has graciously accepted the request of the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Irinej, and decided on the establishment of the Commission.

  All members are grateful for the cordial climate in which, with full freedom of speech, they have been able to fulfill the mandate entrusted to the Commission, namely to carry out a common re-reading of Cardinal Stepinac's life.

  They have been aware, since the beginning of the work, that Cardinal Stepinac's canonization process is of Pope's exclusive competence.  They also recognize that each Church has its own criteria for proceeding to canonization.

  The members of the Commission also acknowledged that their work has allowed a better understanding of the history of the years between World War I and 1960, the year of Cardinal Stepinac’s death.  It was also possible to illustrate the life and ministry of an important Catholic Pastor in a particularly troubled period of history.

  It has come to the conclusion that various events, interventions, writings, silences, and positions are still subject to various interpretations.  In the case of Cardinal Stepinac, the predominant interpretations given by Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs remain divergent.

  The study of the life of Cardinal Stepinac has taught that in history all the Churches have cruelly suffered various persecutions and have their martyrs and confessors of the faith.  In this respect, the members of the Commission agreed on the possibility of future collaboration for a common work to share the memory of the martyrs and confessors of the two Churches.

  Personally, I am not at all surprised that the Commission was not able to come to an agreement with respect to Cardinal Stepinac.  Prior to the work of the Commission, members such as Serbian Bishop Irinej and Croatian Cardinal Bozanić had expressed such divergent views of Stepinac that it was probably not humanly possible to reach a common view.  At the same time, I am very pleased by the communique.  In my opinion, the dialogue has had a very positive effect.  It was conducted in a “cordial climate” and the communique is not charged with the strong emotions that have so often marked the discussions relating to Stepinac.  I believe that it is significant that the final meeting occurred at Domus Sanctae Marthae, the building where Pope Francis lives.  It is extremely likely that the Pope met with members of the Commission.  Presumably, there will be interviews of some of the participants by the press, and we may learn more what occurred.

  Last Saturday, the Serbian newspaper Politika reported that the Serbian delegation would urge that the work of the Commission be continued.  http://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/384537/SPC-ce-u-Vatikanu-traziti-nastavak-dijaloga-o-Stepincu  The Serbian news agency Tanjug reported yesterday that the work of the Commission would “almost certainly” continue.  However, the communique refers to the “sixth and last meeting” and only mentions possible “collaboration for a common work to share the memory of the martyrs and confessors of the two Churches.”

  In other news, there was a special service in Moscow this morning at 5:00 a.m. to say goodbye to the relic of St. Nicholas, and the relic arrived in St. Petersburg at 8:30 a.m. this morning.  http://nikola2017.moseparh.ru/2017/07/13/v-moskve-sostoyalis-torzhestvennye-provody-kovchega-s-chastyu-moshhej-svyatitelya-nikolaya-chudotvorca/  It will be in St. Petersburg until July 28 at which time it will be returned to Bari.  The total number of faithful who venerated the relic in Moscow has just been posted --- 1,852,200.  http://nikola2017.moseparh.ru/2017/07/13/aktualnaya-informaciyao-chisle-palomnikov-posetivshix-moshhi-svyatitelya-nikolaya-chudotvorca/

  Cardinal Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, is visiting Ukraine, July 11-16.  https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/culture/religious_ceremonies/67548/  The entire Liturgy in which he participated today in Odessa has just been posted.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH-PdyPW75c     

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 3 July 2017: Charlie Gard & More

  In my report last Saturday, I stated that I would forward to you a translation of the Message of the Holy Kinot of Mt. Athos (June 30) when it became available.  The French website Orthodoxie.com has now posted a French translation, and the Google translation tool does an excellent job in translating it into English.  http://orthodoxie.com/message-de-la-synaxe-double-du-mont-athos-au-sujet-des-troubles-provoques-par-le-concile-de-crete-2016/   Today, the pro-Constantinople Greek website Amen.gr has posted the views of a Greek theologian relating to the Message.  http://www.amen.gr/article/to-agion-oros-tassetai-yper-tis-agias-kai-megalis-synodou-katadikazodas-tis-enadion-tis-airetikes-fones   He stated that the Message “gave a resounding reply” to those who believed that Mt. Athos “would declare a revolution” against the Crete Council.

  On Sunday, both Metropolitan Hilarion and Pope Francis expressed strong support for the parents of the infant Charlie Gard in the life or death drama that is occurring now in the UK.  Metropolitan Hilarion issued a detailed written statement which included the declaration:  “The monstrous decision of the European Court of Human Rights has demonstrated a deep crisis of the concept of human rights protection.  Now, the right to life gives way to the right to die.”  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/07/02/news148057/   The Vatican issued the following statement:  “The Holy Father follows with affection and emotion the case of little Charlie Gard and expresses his own closeness to his parents.  For them he prays, hoping that their desire to accompany and care for their own child to the end is not ignored.”   http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/07/03/pope_francis_expresses_closeness_to_charlie_gard%E2%80%99s_parents/1322731   The British hospital and doctors have refused to allow the parents to remove their child from the hospital and intend to turn off life support in a few days.  More details can be read in the following articles:  https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2017/07/02/pope-francis-backs-parents-uks-charlie-gard-drama/ ;  http://www.lastampa.it/2017/07/03/vaticaninsider/eng/world-news/charlie-gard-the-pope-care-for-him-until-the-end-NcdMAKsAgPVL9shWjQUynJ/pagina.html 

  The Washington Post has written an article that stresses the spiritual aspects of the huge number of people who have waited for hours to venerate the relics of St. Nicholas in Moscow.  http://www.pravmir.com/million-russians-lined-see-piece-rib-saint-nicholas/  As of the end of the day yesterday, the number of persons who have venerated the icon exceed 1,350,000.  The long lines continue today in spite of dire storm warnings in Moscow.

  Yesterday, Ecumenical Patriarch conveyed a message to the Ukrainian people through Ukrainian journalists visiting the Phanar.  The English-language message may be read at  https://www.patriarchate.org/-/message-by-his-all-holiness-ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew-to-the-association-of-ukrainian-journalists-venerable-patriarchal-church-of-saint-george-  .

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 1 July 2017: Mt. Athos addresses Crete Council

  Yesterday (Friday), the Holy Kinot, the governing body of Mount Athos, released a message relating to the Crete Council.  A photocopy of the letter (in Greek) was posted yesterday on both the Romfea.gr and Amen.gr websites. http://www.amen.gr/article/minyma-tou-agiou-orous-peri-tis-agias-kai-megalis-en-kriti-synodou   For me, the Google translation tool would not work on the photocopy.  However, the CEMES website has now kindly posted the letter in a format that does allow a machine translation.  https://panorthodoxcemes.blogspot.com/2017/06/blog-post_20.html#more   The machine translation is very poor.  As far as I can determine, the message is not an attack on the documents of the Crete Council by the Holy Mountain as hoped by conservative Orthodox.  Although the Holy Kinot acknowledges that it has already expressed its concerns about certain provisions in the texts (see http://katehon.com/article/open-letter-holy-mount-athos-kinot-patriarch-constantinople-bartholomew-i ), the message now is an appeal for calm and against any schism.  I have already seen on the Internet comments by Orthodox conservatives expressing disappointment that the Holy Mountain has taken such a diplomatic approach and is not willing to confront the Ecumenical Patriarch.  When a good English translation of the message is available, I will forward it to you.  In a related development, the Romanian Skete of St John the Forerunner at Mount Athos has issued a communique in which it denies reports that the Skete has ceased to commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch during the Liturgy.  http://basilica.ro/en/communique-romanian-skete-prodromos-denies-cessation-of-commemoration-of-ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew/ 

  As has been traditional since 1977, the Ecumenical Patriarch sent a delegation to the Vatican to be present at the celebration of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.  This year the delegation was headed by Archbishop Job and also included V. Rev. Ambrosios Chorozidis, Grand Synkellus of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Archimandrite Agathangelos Siskos, Librarian of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  http://www.ecupatria.org/2017/06/27/the-delegation-of-the-ecumenical-patriarchate-at-the-thronal-feast-of-the-church-of-rome/   The delegation met and had lunch with Pope Francis on June 27, attended the consistory for the creation of new cardinals on June 28, and were present for the Mass for the feast day on June 29.  The foregoing links gives both the English text of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s letter to the Pope as well as the text of the Pope’s formal remarks to the delegation.

  I was particularly interested in the following remark in the Pope’s address:  “Next September, in Leros, Greece, there will be a meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, co-chaired by Your Eminence [Archbishop Job] and Cardinal Kurt Koch, at the gracious invitation of Metropolitan Paisios [(Aravantinos) of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalea].”  Although the island of Leros is in Greece, it is part of the Dodecanese and therefore under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  As you know, the Commission reached agreement on the document, Synodality and Primacy during the First Millennium: Towards a Common Understanding in Service to the Unity of the Church, last September in Chieti, Italy.  The Coordinating Committee meeting at Leros will perform the very important role of recommending the topic for future discussion by the Commission.  Presumably, it will relate to the second millennium.

  Yesterday, Cardinal Leonardi Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, met in Sofia with Patriarch Neofit, primate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.  http://bnr.bg/en/post/100848098/patriarch-neophyte-meets-with-cardinal-leonardo-sandri  The Patriarch expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis and the Catholic Church for the assistance provided to the eparchies of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Central and Western Europe.  There are over one and one-half million Bulgarians working in Western Europe, and they are financially unable to build their own churches.   The church buildings provided by the Catholic Church to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in such locations as Rome, Munich, Barcelona, and Segovia have allowed has allowed Bulgarians to maintain their faith traditions.  Cardinal Sandri expressed to the Patriarch the Church’s willingness to cooperate in all necessary fields – “we are willing to give you our own heart.”  The Cardinal mentioned the meetings of Pope Francis with many Orthodox primates, but observed that Patriarch Neofit was missing from the list.   Cardinal Sandri expressed the hope that the day of this embrace will come with the deep reverence that the Pope of Rome has for his brother patriarchs.  http://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/06/bulgaria-primo-giorno-della-visita-in.html  Then, apparently unexpectedly, Patriarch Neofit attended the reception last night at the apostolic nunciature in Sofia for the occasion of the feast of Saints Peter and Paul.  Representatives from other Local Orthodox Churches, such as the Moscow Patriarchate, were also there.

  The full schedule of Cardinal Sandri in Bulgaria is described at http://www.acistampa.com/story/chiese-orientali-il-cardinale-sandri-sara-in-bulgaria-fino-al-2-luglio-6416 . 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 24 June 2017: 1,000,000th visitor today

  At 1:40 this afternoon Moscow time (Friday), the number of persons who have stood in line for up to 12 hours to venerate the relic of St. Nicholas at the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow reached one million.   http://nikola2017.moseparh.ru/2017/06/23/v-pyatnicu-23-iyunya-v-1340-kolichestvo-palomnikov-dostiglo-milliona-chelovek/   And the visit of the relic to Russia still has a month to go.  One wonders if this relic had been made available for veneration in any other country in the world aside from Russia, there would be such a massive number of people waiting for hours to venerate the relic.  When the head of the Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros II, was in Moscow a few days ago, Patriarch Kirill raised with him the possibility of having the relics of one of the great desert fathers and founders of Christian monasticism come to Russia for a visit.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170619/1496856501.html 

  On the one-year anniversary of the Crete Council, a conference was held in Bucharest on the Reception of the decisions of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church.  http://basilica.ro/en/faculty-of-orthodox-theology-holds-seminar-in-bucharest-on-the-holy-and-great-council/   Perhaps most significantly, Patriarch Daniel wrote a letter to the conference.  I have found the full text of his letter only in Romanian.   http://basilica.ro/un-pas-important-in-practica-sinodalitatii-ortodoxe-universale-semnificatia-liturgica-pastorala-si-misionara-a-sinodului-din-creta/   The letter is very positive about the Council.  However, it notes that “time was not always sufficient to study deeply and nuance all the documents debated, particularly the document on relations with the rest of the Christian world.”

  Pope Francis has sent his "Ecclesiastica Communio," to His Beatitude Youssef Absi, who was elected the primate of the Greek Melkites on June 21.  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/06/22/pope_extends_ecclesiastica_communio_to_new_patriarch/1320826  As perhaps his first major activity as primate, His Beatitude will be in Fatima, Portugal this Sunday to entrust to the Mother of God Lebanon and the entire Middle East. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Fatima:-Patriarch-Bechara-Al-Rahi-to-consecrate-Lebanon-and-the-Middle-East-to-the-Immaculate-Heart-of-Mary-41104.html

  From June 18 to 20, Metropolitan Hilarion was in Vilnius, Lithuania to celebrated the 30^th anniversary of his tonsure as a monk, which had occurred at the Holy Spirit Monastery in Vilnius on June 19, 1987.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/06/20/news147615/  After the Divine Liturgy at the Orthodox Monastery on June 19, 2017, the Metropolitan led a procession to the Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Ausros Vartai (known as “Ostra Brama” to Poles), a short distance away, where he conducted a thanksgiving service to the Mother of God.  Photos of this visit can be seen at https://www.orthodoxy.lt/2017/06/20/vtoroj-den-prebyvaniya-v-litve-mitropolita-volokolamskogo-ilariona/ .  The famous icon of the Mother of God at the shrine is highly venerated by both Catholics and Orthodox.  It was visited by Patriarch Alexy II in July 1997.  Pope John Paul II made reference to both Our Lady of Czestochowa and Our Lady of Ausros Vartai in his inaugural address on his election as pope, and he gave his cardinal’s hat to Our Lady of Ausros Vartai as a votive offering.  His hat was later smuggled through Soviet customs to the shrine in Vilnius.  I have always felt that it is providential that Metropolitan Hilarion began his life as a monk and later as young parish priest in Lithuania, where relations between Orthodox and Catholics have been generally good.  In 1987 Hilarion must have also been aware of the heroic resistance of some Catholic Lithuanians to communist persecution.    One of those Lithuanian martyrs, Archbishop Teofilius Matulionis (1973-1962), will be beatified in Vilnius this Sunday.   http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=73713

  The sad situation involving the Moscow Patriarchate’s Annunciation parish in Kolomiya in the Carpathian region of Ukraine continues, but has had a new development – the involvement of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate).  According to one source, an important aspect of the dispute is that the church is an historic 16^th century structure (supposedly owned by the State) and the parish had not taken proper care of the historic church building.  https://risu.org.ua/ua/index/exclusive/journalistic_investigations/29380/ (article discusses the entire history of the church building).  On June 13-14, the Synod of Bishops of the Kyiv-Galician Major Archbishopric of the UGCC held a meeting at the Marian shrine of Zarvanytsia in Ukraine.  http://news.ugcc.ua/news/u_zarvanits%D1%96_v%D1%96dbulasya_s%D1%96mdesyat_shosta_ses%D1%96ya_sinodu_yepiskop%D1%96v_kiievogalitskogo_verhovnogo_arhiiepiskopstva_ugkts_79760.html  According to the report, one of the topics of the Synod was the situation at the Annunciation parish in Kolomiya.  The report states that the Synod affirmed that in the future the UGCC in Ukraine would do everything possible to avoid forceful confrontations and inter-confessional conflicts and not seek to seize temples or any other property with the help of force.  Although I have not seen any reports of the presence of the UGCC at the parish since that time, the UOC (KP) appeared at the parish on June 18 to conduct an “election” in which a majority of the parishioners supposedly voted to join the UOC(KP).  You can view the chaos at the meeting on the following videos:  http://vikna.if.ua/news/category/all/2017/06/20/72253/view;    http://ivano-frankivsk.church.ua/2017/06/19/nova-sproba-provokaciji-vid-vladi-kolomiji-bilya-blagovishhenskogo-xramu/

  A conference was held in Moscow, June 20-21, on “The Ostpolitik of the Vatican, the Soviet Union and the Russian Orthodox Church (1958-1978)."  The website Blagovest-Info has posted brief summaries of the presentations.  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=73660 ;  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=73689

  On Wednesday, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, told journalists that he will “in all probability” meet with President Putin in Moscow in August.  He said, “I believe I will meet President Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church's top officials because this needs to be a high-level visit."  http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/cardinal-parolin-strong-probability-of-visit-to-moscow

  Lastly, President Putin, in his annual “Direct Line” session answering questions called in by Russians, was asked a question relating to the present status of St. Isaac Cathedral in St. Petersburg.  http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/54790   In so doing, he commented on the state of religion under communism.  I have a pasted some of his remarks below.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

  What I can say is that Russia is a secular state.  This is the way it was created, and it will stay this way.  This is my first point.

  Second, after the October Revolution, the state went to great lengths to destroy our spiritual and religious roots, and was unwavering and cruel in pursuing this objective.  Many churches were razed to the ground.

  Back then the state attempted to come up with a quasi-religion and replace the Bible with the Moral Code of the Builder of Communism.  It did not work.  Many cathedrals were demolished; many priests perished, were killed, sent to camps or executed by firing squads.  And the traces of what happened back then are all around us.  Here in Moscow, not far from where we now are, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was razed to the ground.  It was not uncommon for churches to be used as stables or workshops.  Thank God St Isaac’s Cathedral was spared.

• 21 June 2017: Metropolitan Hilarion at Ausros Varta

  To those of you in Poland and others who might be especially interested:

  I thought that you might be interested in the following article:  https://www.orthodoxy.lt/2017/06/20/vtoroj-den-prebyvaniya-v-litve-mitropolita-volokolamskogo-ilariona/ .   Yesterday, June 20, Metropolitan Hilarion made a special trip to the shrine of Our Lady of Ausros Vartai (Ostrabrama) in Vilnius.  See attached photo.  The prior day (June 19) he had celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Spirit Orthodox Monastery on the 30^th anniversary of his tonsure as a monk.   https://www.orthodoxy.lt/2017/06/19/sluzhenie-mitropolita-volokolamskogo-ilariona-alfeeva-v-svyato-duhovom-monastyre/  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/06/20/news147615/  It was at this monastery at Vilnius that he had become a monk.  After the Liturgy on June 20 at the Monastery, there was a special religious procession from the Monastery to the Ausros Vartai shrine.  It is my guess that Metropolitan Hilarion thanked our Mother of Mercy for his vocation in the religious life.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

   

• 15 June 2017: Historic day for Moscow Patriarchate

  A conference on the subject, "Theology in the humanitarian educational space," opened today (Wednesday) at the National Research Nuclear University in Moscow.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/06/14/news147395/  The full text of the address by Metropolitan Hilarion at the conference can be read at https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/06/14/news147419/.   However, the big and exciting news came in the address by Olga Vasilyeva, who was appointed  Minister of Education and Science for the Russian Federation last August.  Vasilyeva believes in the value of theological education and in fact for a period of time before her appointment taught at the Sretensky Seminary in Moscow.   In her address at the conference, Vasilyeva announced that today the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation signed a decree on the recognition of academic degrees in theology in Russia.  She said that this day is “truly historic.”  https://ria.ru/religion/20170614/1496461831.html;   http://en.news-4-u.ru/the-ministry-of-justice-recognized-academic-degrees-in-theology-in-russia.html  This is an extremely important and perhaps final step in the long struggle of the Moscow Patriarchate to overcome an inherited communistic educational system where advanced degrees could be given only for “sciences” and where theology was not recognized as a “science.”  Some interesting background information is provided in an Interfax report, http://www.interfax.ru/russia/566611.  Vasilyeva also announced an increase in budgeted positions for students seeking degrees in theology in state universities.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170614/1496466215.html  It appears to me that recognition of theology relates to the “traditional religions” in Russia – Orthodoxy, Islam, and Judaism, and not to other confessions or faiths. 

   A press release has been issued concerning the Russian Greek Catholic Global Congress, which occurred in San Felice del Benaco, Italy, June 6-9, 2017.  http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=126239  The resolutions of this meeting have also been posted.  http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=126279 .   At approximately the same time, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/articles/feeling-abandoned-russian-catholics-appeal-to-the-pope-1496827805; https://risu.org.ua/en/index/monitoring/society_digest/67268    The article includes the statement:  “A group of Russian Catholics is demanding greater recognition from Pope Francis, saying the Vatican’s appeasement of Moscow threatens its very existence.”

  Although I have attempted to follow the news about the Catholic Church in Russia since 1985, I have heard very little about Russian Greek Catholic activity in Russia since that time.  With the end of communism, the underground Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) emerged from the catacombs, but from my perception there was no underground Russian Greek Catholic Church that emerged.  A brief history of the latter can be read at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Greek_Catholic_Church.  It is true that in December 2004, Latin-rite Catholic Bishop Joseph Werth at Novosibirsk was given the additional responsibility of being the Ordinary for Catholics of the Byzantine rite living in Russia (Ordinarius pro fidelibus Ritus Вyzantini).  However, this includes all Catholics of the Byzantine rite including members of the UGCC living in Russia.

  In the last few days, I have attempted to investigate the extent of ethnic-Russian Greek Catholics in the Russian Federation today.  I have found no specific information on this.  However, there is information on the parishes and some  photos on the website devoted to Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Russia, http://www.rkcvo.ru/ .   Last October there was the annual gathering of the Catholic clergy and religious of the Byzantine rite in Russia.  http://sib-catholic.ru/vstrecha-rossiyskogo-greko-katolicheskogo-duhovenstva-v-moskve/  You can see from the photos that it is a relatively small group.  Presumably some clergy and religious were not able to attend the meeting, but it also probable that a number of those attending were not ethnic Russians.  A complete listing of “Russian Greek Catholic” parishes outside of Russia is provided at https://sites.google.com/site/byzantinecatholicchurch/russian-greek-catholic-church .  Many of the pastors have non-Russian names.

  On Saturday the queue to venerate the relic of St. Nicholas in Moscow exceeded 8 kilometers in length with a waiting time of 13-14 hours.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170610/1496252609.html  The unusual length on this day was due in part to the arrival on the same day of 360 buses from outside the Moscow area.  The total number of persons venerating the relic in Moscow is now over 700,000 with more than 40 days remaining in the visit of the relic in Russia.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 9 June 2017: Stepinac & the next step after Crete

  The fifth meeting of the Joint Commission on Cardinal Stepinac was held in Podgorica, Montenegro, on June 7-8.   The communique, including an English-language version, of this latest meeting was posted today.  http://www.spc.rs/eng/press_release_interchurch_commission_serbian_orthodox_church_and_croatian_bishops_conference   The topic of this fifth meeting was Cardinal Stepinac and the communist persecution during the period 1945-1960.   As was true of the communiques of the prior meetings, no details of the discussions were released.  The most interesting part of the latest communique is the following:  It is anticipated that the last meeting of the Commission will be held in Rome on the 12^th and the 13^th of July 2017, when the current work of the Commission will be summarize.

  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was in Boeotia, Greece, on June 5 to speak at World Environment Day and in Athens on June 6 to speak at the Concordia Europe Summit “Migration Challenging European Identity.”  The texts of his addresses in English can be accessed at https://www.patriarchate.org/    At 8:30 a.m. on June 5, the Ecumenical Patriarch met with Archbishop Ieronymos, primate of the Church of Greece.  It was described as a “warm” meeting.  http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/15239-thermi-sunantisi-arxiepiskopou-me-oikoumeniko-patriarxi-foto;  http://www.amen.gr/article/thermi-synadisi-vartholomaiou-ieronymou .  At least part of the meeting occurred with the media present and is recorded on the following 17-minute video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crzASka26z8 .  The Ecumenical Patriarch thanked Archbishop Ieronymos for the support given by the Church of Greece to the Crete Council.  The Ecumenical Patriarch stated:  "Now, together, we must implement the decisions of the Council.  Already many theological schools and individual theologians are developing them.  A great Inter-Orthodox Theological Conference in Thessaloniki in April 2018 is being prepared, and the aim is to spread in the decisions of this Council broadly as possible to become the possession of the Orthodox faithful." 

  This is the first time that I have seen a reference to this planned major inter-Orthodox theological conference.  It indicates that the Ecumenical Patriarch believes that the next major step following the Crete Council is this major theological conference to discuss ways to educate the faithful on the documents of the Crete Council.  As you know, the four Local Churches (Bulgaria, Georgia, Antioch, and Russia) which did not participate in the Crete Council appear to be advocating the holding of a future council in which all of the 14 Local Orthodox Churches would participate and which would perhaps revise some of the Crete documents.  However, it appears that from the Ecumenical Patriarch’s remark that this is not his immediate plan, but rather the adopted Crete documents should be promoted and implemented and not revised.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 6 June 2017: Funeral in Kyiv & more news

  This morning the pontifical funeral liturgy for Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, who was the primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) from 2001 to 2011 and who died on May 31, was held in Kyiv.  The entire liturgy was live-streamed and can be seen now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZABrObVFuE .  On June 1, Pope Francis sent a personal telegram to the present primate of the UGCC, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk).  The full text of the telegram can be read in English at http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/06/01/pope_sends_condolences_for_death_of_cardinal_husar/1316230 .   I was especially interested in seeing in the telegram a reference to Cardinal Husar’s “efforts to find new ways for dialogue and collaboration with the Orthodox churches.”  Although a papal telegram on the death of a cardinal is to be expected, Pope Francis has gone further and has written a personal letter which was read at the funeral today.  The full text of this letter can be read in English at http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/06/05/170605b.html   The letter is a beautiful and remarkable tribute to the Cardinal.  It refers to “the extraordinary influx of people who in these days have come to pay homage to the mortal remains of the Cardinal and of whom I have come to know.”  According to the Pope, “[t]his presence is an eloquent sign of what he was: one of the highest and most respected moral authorities of recent decades for the Ukrainian people.”  The Pope referred to the Cardinal’s qualities:  “He regularly intervened in the life of your country as a wise teacher; his way of speaking was simple, understandable to all, but very profound.  His was the wisdom of the Gospel, it was the bread of the Word of God broken for the simple, the suffering, for all those who sought dignity.  His exhortations were gentle, but also very demanding for all.  He prayed tirelessly for all, aware that this was his new duty.  And many felt they were represented, addressed and comforted by him, believers and non-believers, even overcoming confessional differences.  Everyone felt that a Christian was speaking, a Ukrainian impassioned by his identity, always full of hope, open to the future of God.  He had a word for everyone, he was able to ‘feel’ people with the warmth of his great humanity and his exquisite gentleness.”

  Personally, I was impressed by Cardinal Husar’s words at the Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Lviv in June 2001 that some “sons and daughters of our Church deliberately harmed their neighbors and countrymen” and for this the Cardinal asked forgiveness.   It was a Church that had suffered so much persecution during the Soviet era asking for forgiveness of its own sins.  I also remember that Cardinal Husar, although no longer primate of the UGCC, attended the funeral liturgy for Metropolitan Volodymyr of Kyiv and All Ukraine (Moscow Patriarchate) in July 2014.   http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=108595

  Because of my interest in Orthodox – Catholic relations, I have been waiting to see what the Orthodox reaction in Ukraine would be to the Cardinal’s death.  Although the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate) has extended its condolences, I have found no indication on the Internet of any statements made by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).  The only current item on the website of the UOC-MP relating to the UGCC has been an article on June 4 asserting that Greek Catholics had attempted to capture a parish of the Moscow Patriarchate in Kolomiya in the Carpathian region of Ukraine.  http://news.church.ua/2017/06/04/greko-katoliki-u-svyato-trijci-vchinili-sprobu-zaxoplennya-xramu-upc-v-kolomiji/   This is somewhat unusual in that recent allegations of “capturing”churches are usually directed to the Kiev Patriarchate and not to the UGCC.  This article included a one-minute video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ColUEGoXqrE .  This UOC –MP video consists of selected parts from a longer 7-minute video by the Ukrainian television channel HTK, http://vikna.if.ua/news/category/if/2017/06/04/71692/view;   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRkpTgbF8ZE .  With respect to Cardinal Husar personally, the Moscow Patriarchate, including Metropolitan Hilarion, objected last year to the comments made by Cardinal Husar in July 2016 in the following interview:  http://news.ugcc.ua/interview/blazhenn%D1%96shiy_lyubomir_ne_mozhna_odnochasno_molitisya_za_mir_%D1%96_biti_kulakom_po_nos%D1%96_77148.html  It is possible that these are some of the reasons for the present silence of the Moscow Patriarchate with respect to the death of Cardinal Husar.  It is also possible that the Moscow Patriarchate may have said something, and I have simply not heard it.

  With respect to another subject, an English-language translation of the communique of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, relating to its meeting May 14-24, is now available on the Church’s website for North and South America.  http://serborth.org/05262017.html   This meeting occurs annually each spring.  With respect to the Crete Council, the English communique contains only one sentence:   The assembly accepted the report on the work of the Crete Council, the Great and Holy Council, held in June of last year.   Interestingly, the original Serbian communique inserts the word “regarding” [односно] before the “Great and Holy Council,” so as to read: “the Crete Council regarding the Great and Holy Council.”  http://www.spc.rs/sr/saopshtenje_za_javnost_svetog_arhijerejskog_sabora_1  This word may have been used to satisfy some Serbian bishops, such as Bishop Irinej of Backa, who regard the Crete Council as a very important event that precedes a future “Great and Holy Council.”  Aside from this point, the sentence certainly seems to support the results of the Crete Council.

  The Assembly also authorized the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church to “to cease all liturgical and canonical communion” with the Romanian Orthodox Church over the latter’s “anti-canonical intrusions in the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church.”  Thus, the Assembly authorizes the Holy Synod to take this step if the jurisdictional dispute cannot be resolved.  According to the Assembly’s 2012 communique, this dispute relates to “ certain bishops and clergy from neighboring Romania continu[ing] to come to certain cities and towns in Eastern Serbia, that is, the Dioceses of Timok and Branicevo, and carry[ing] out priestly activities there without the knowledge or permission of the responsible bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.”  http://www.spc.rs/eng/communique_holy_assembly_bishops_serbian_orthodox_church_1 

  The long line waiting to venerate the relic of St. Nicholas at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow continues.  The daily totals of persons venerating the relic can be seen at http://nikola2017.moseparh.ru/ .  As of the end of the day yesterday, the grand total was 376,200.  The entire waiting process has been very well organized with stations along the way providing food and beverage, toilet facilities, and medical facilities.  On May 22, Patriarch Kirill met with the Catholic delegation, led by Archbishop Francesco Cacucci of Bari, that had accompanied the relic from Bari to Moscow.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/05/22/news146367/   At the meeting Archbishop Cacucci made an interesting remark with respect to the Church’s uniform practice (for over 900 years) of always denying requests for part of the relics in Bari to visit other areas.  Archbishop Cacucci told the Patriarch:  “ Almost every day, requests come to us to share the relics of St. Nicholas, and what has happened is clearly the privileged status of our attitude towards the Russian Orthodox Church and personally to you, Your Holiness.” 

  The Apostolic Nunciature to Ukraine has issued a statement relating to the two bills (No. 4128 and 4511) which are pending before the Ukrainian Parliament (Rada) and to which the Moscow Patriarchate and others have expressed very strong objections.  https://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/catholics/apostolic_nunciatura/67054/   According to the statement, the Vatican has expressed “concerns” about these proposed laws relating to religion.  Metropolitan Hilarion has discussed the two bills in an interview with the Italian newspaper la Repubblica.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/05/23/news146430/

  Lastly, on June 1, Metropolitan Hilarion presented the fourth volume of his 6-volume set on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/06/02/news146970/  This volume is devoted to the parables of Jesus.  

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 22 May 2017: St. Nicholas arrives in Russia

  The relic of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, flown from Bari, Italy, arrived today in Moscow to an amazing reception.  Of course, it is not a bone, a left rib once near the heart of the Saint, that is being honored, but the Saint himself.  I believe that it is safe to say that never in the history of Christianity has Saint Nicholas been so honored as he has been today and will be in the next two months in Russia.  At a press conference in Bari yesterday, Metropolitan Hilarion stated that it is no exaggeration to say that St. Nicholas is the most revered saint (угодник) of God in Russia and that more churches in Russia are dedicated to him than any other saint.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/05/21/news146154/ 

  This morning Metropolitan Hilarion celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the crypt of the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari.  At the end of the Liturgy, there was the formal transfer of the Saint’s relic to Metropolitan Hilarion.  You can watch an excellent and very interesting 3-minute video of the transfer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkQlXP13HCs .  In the video, the rib is placed in the beautiful ark made in the Sofrino workshop in Russia for the relic.  You will be able to see an image of St. Nicholas on the cover of the ark, and the hands of the image are holding the actual rib which is protected under armored glass.  I thought that this was a very nice feature as it enables the probable millions of faithful who will venerate the relic in Russia in the next two months to see the actual relic.  The two Catholic clergymen, most prominent in the video, are Archbishop  Francesco Cacucci of Bari-Bitonto and Father Ciro Capotosto O.P., rector of the Basilica of San Nicola.  Both are members of the Catholic delegation which accompanied the relic to Moscow.  Other members of the delegation include Antonio Decaro, the mayor of the city of Bari, and Michele Emiliano, governor of the region of Puglia.

  The relic to be brought to Russia was actually selected on June 19, 2016.  Because the relics of the Saint are protected by a large concrete block under the altar of the crypt, the rib was selected by means of a probe sent through a narrow passage in the block.  There is a fascinating video showing the bones through the camera of the probe.  You can clearly see the skull and other bones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuQW-uhjJq0      One of the reasons why a rib was selected was that it was small enough to pass through the very narrow (5 cm.) passageway.  A very interesting English-language article relating to the anatomical examination of the bones in 1953 and 1957 can be read at http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/anatomical-examination/.  Some of the bones of St. Nicholas (approximately 500 small fragments) are in the Church of St. Nicholas in Venice (Lido).  The following article shows a drawing of a skeleton with the bones located in Bari denoted in black.  http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/relics-in-the-lido-of-venice/ 

  The arrival of the delegations with the ark at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport is shown in a 36-minutes video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIpRwYoMCkU   The relic was received with full military honors.  On the Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar, the relic arrived on the eve of the feast day of the “Translation of the relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari” (May 9 on the Julian calendar; May 22 on the Gregorian calendar).  In Bari, Catholics celebrated the same feast day on May 9 with a large festival.  http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/bari-festival/ 

  The arrival of the relic at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was covered live by the major Russian television channel Rossia 24.  You can see a video of part of this television coverage at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDRG6Lcp82c .  The ringing of the bells of all of the Russian Orthodox churches of the Moscow and the spectacular procession to receive the relic begin at about 7:00 on the video.  The remarks by Patriarch Kirill can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shQ-Hi1AsQc .  In his remarks, he made a number of references to Pope Francis, and he seems to have directed a number of his remarks to Archbishop  Francesco Cacucci, who is seen quite prominently in the video.  The full text of his remarks has just been posted in the last few minutes.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4898327.html    The following is a Google translation of one of the paragraphs:

  We believe that Saint Nicholas, who is revered by both East and West, will pray to God for all of us.  Today we are still divided, inasmuch as the theological issues which have come from ancient times, do not give us the opportunity to be reunited.  Nevertheless, as many saints saw it, if the Lord wants to unite all Christians, it will not happen according to their efforts,, not because of some church-diplomatic steps, not some theological agreements, but only if the Holy Spirit again connect all who profess the name of Christ.  And we believe that St Nicholas, hearing the prayers of the Christian East and West, is before the Lord, including asking Him to join the Church together.

  I am sure that many of us will say to that – “Amen.”

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 17 June 2017: St. Nicholas will be pleased

  Today the Moscow Patriarchate held a special news conference to discuss the details of the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Moscow and St. Petersburg.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4893883.html   As I previously reported, the relic is a 13-centimeter fragment of a left rib (next to the heart) of the Saint.  It is the first time in 930 years that any of the relics of St. Nicholas have left the Italian city of Bari.  As is evident from today’s conference, the welcome being planned for the relic is amazing.  Metropolitan Hilarion will head the delegation which will travel to Bari on May 20 to receive the relic.  The delegation will also include the choir of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.  The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in Bari on the morning of May 21, and then the relic will to brought to Moscow on a special flight accompanied by the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate and a Catholic delegation headed by the Archbishop of Bari.  In Moscow the relic will be brought to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and will be welcomed at 6 p.m. by the ringing of all of the church bells in Moscow, beginning with the bells of the Kremlin bell tower of Ivan the Great.  Patriarch Kirill will then hold the evening service in the Cathedral.  Pilgrims from throughout Russia and from neighboring countries are expected to come to venerate the relic.  Over 10,000 volunteers are being trained to handle the crowds of pilgrims.  Security will be provided by over 2,000 law enforcement officers.  After Moscow, the relic will be at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg, July 13-28.  A special website with much additional information has been established for the visit of the relic.  http://nikola2017.ru/ 

  The “ecumenism of relics” is also occurring in Greece.   On May 14 the relics of Saint Helena arrived in Athens from Italy for a one-month visit.  http://greekdiplomaticlife.com/2017/05/15/the-holy-relics-of-saint-helena-and-the-holy-cross-arrive-in-greece/   Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, and the ambassadors of ten Orthodox countries were present for the welcoming ceremony.   You can watch all of the welcoming ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttiQoAh01fg .   More details are provided at http://orthodoxie.com/accueil-solennel-des-reliques-de-sainte-helene-a-athenes/ .

  Pope Francis, during his flight from Rome to Fatima, Portugal on May 12, told TASS correspondent Alexei Bukalov:  I believe in Russia.  On this pilgrimage I departed with the thought of Russia.  And not only because your country occupies a special place in the Fatima prophecies of the Virgin Mary.  I attach great importance to the development of relations between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, and I am grateful to the Moscow Patriarchate for its efforts in this direction.  As an example, the Pope mentioned the visit of the relic of St. Nicholas to Moscow and St. Petersburg.  http://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/4248582 

  The annual assembly of bishops of the Serbian Patriarchate began on May 15 in Belgrade.  http://www.spc.rs/eng/holy_assembly_bishops_serbian_orthodox_church_was_opened  The assembly usually lasts for over a week.  It will be very interesting to see what, if anything, the assembly will say about the Crete Council.  Bishop Irinej of Backa has given an interesting interview to a Ukrainian metropolitan.  http://orthodoxie.com/dans-un-entretien-leveque-de-irenee-de-backa-eglise-orthodoxe-serbe-aborde-la-question-du-concile-de-crete-du-nationalisme-dans-leglise-de-leglise-orthodoxe-en-ukraine/  Among other things, he proposes that Gabriel Kostelnik, who led what the Orthodox call the Council of Lvov in 1946, be canonized simultaneously in Ukraine and Serbia.

  Patriarch Kirill sent a letter of condolences upon the death of Father Ludwig Pichler S.J., who directed the choir of the Russicum College in Rome for 61 years.  http://www.blagovest-info.ru/index.php?ss=2&s=3&id=73108   The Patriarch stated that he knew Father Ludwig for many years as “a thorough researcher of church music, a connoisseur of the Eastern liturgical tradition, a sincere Christian.”  During the communist era, Father Pichler was involved in broadcasting to the Soviet Union over Vatican Radio the liturgical music of the Russian Orthodox Church.

  The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity sponsored again a week-long Summer Institute for representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate.  The participants met with Pope Francis after Pope’s general audience on May 10.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/05/16/news145969/   The Pope also welcomed the participants in his remarks during the general audience.

  Lastly, Metropolitan Hilarion spoke at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians, held in Washington D.C. and organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/05/14/news145854/   The Metropolitan’s address in English can be read at https://mospat.ru/en/2017/05/12/news145803/ .

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 4 May 2017: Cairo, Bari, & more

  Today Pope Francis during his weekly Wednesday general audience spoke of his trip to Cairo.  http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2017/05/03/170503c.html  The Pope appeared pleased with the results of his trip, and I have not seen any negative remarks in the media about either the Pope’s or the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to Cairo.  The full English text of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s address on Thursday at the International Conference for Peace in Cairo can be read at https://publicorthodoxy.org/2017/04/30/religions-and-peace/ .   The official English translation of the address by Pope Francis at the Conference can be read at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2017/april/documents/papa-francesco_20170428_egitto-conferenza-pace.html .  Pope Francis first met privately with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and then the Grand Imam and the Pope spoke publically.  The public addresses of both can be watched in full with English commentary by Vatican Radio at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsYGKsPH268 .  As has been frequently true of the meetings between the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Pope’s physical gestures of affection touched at this encounter many people’s hearts.  You can see this in the cheek-to-cheek embraces that the Pope gives the Grand Imam at minutes 17 and 42 of the video.  Both of these brought a standing ovation.  Many in the audience found the embraces very moving.  A researcher at Al-Azhar told the Los Angeles Times with respect to the embraces, “Maybe we’re a bit emotional in Egypt, [b]ut for someone who doesn't speak Italian or Arabic, it's all they need to understand.”  http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-egypt-pope-francis-20170428-story.html   The news agency AsiaNews has posted an interesting article about the Grand Imam who is not popular among many fundamentalist Muslims.  http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Ahmad-el-Tayeb,-the-Grand-Imam-of-Al-Azhar,-the-modernity-of-Islam-and-its-enemies-40617.html

  Pope Francis then met with Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church.  This was followed by a public address by each and by the signing of a Common Declaration.  The full text of the address by Pope Francis and the full text of the Common Declaration in English can be read at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2017/april/documents/papa-francesco_20170428_egitto-tawadros-ii.html#Common_Declaration.   A video with English commentary of all public parts of the encounter as well as the ecumenical service which followed can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd5_ih0CSNI .  As can be seen, it was a very warm meeting.  The following three statements particularly caught my eye:

  (Address by Pope Francis)  As Coptic Orthodox and Catholics, we can always join in speaking this common language of charity: before undertaking a charitable work, we would do well to ask if we can do it together with our brothers and sisters who share our faith in Jesus.  Thus, by building communion in the concreteness of a daily lived witness, the Spirit will surely open providential and unexpected paths to unity.

  (Declaration)  This love finds its deepest expression in common prayer.  When Christians pray together, they come to realize that what unites them is much greater than what divides them.  Our longing for unity receives its inspiration from the prayer of Christ “that all may be one” (Jn 17:21).  Let us deepen our shared roots in the one apostolic faith by praying together and by seeking common translations of the Lord’s Prayer and a common date for the celebration of Easter.

  (Declaration)  Today we, Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II, in order to please the heart of the Lord Jesus, as well as that of our sons and daughters in the faith, mutually declare that we, with one mind and heart, will seek sincerely not to repeat the baptism that has been administered in either of our Churches for any person who wishes to join the other.  This we confess in obedience to the Holy Scriptures and the faith of the three Ecumenical Councils assembled in Nicaea, Constantinople and Ephesus.

  The ecumenical prayer service begins at 1:29:00 of the above video.  The service occurred at the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, where many were killed in a terrorist explosion last December.  The Ecumenical Patriarch and the three popes participated in the service.  The three popes were Pope Francis, Pope Tawadros II, and Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and all Africa (Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria).  One website pointed out that this was the first meeting in history between three popes and an ecumenical patriarch!  https://panorthodoxcemes.blogspot.com/2017/05/blog-post_1.html

  In my last report, I stated that I had not yet seen the full text of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s address at the University of Fribourg.  The full text of this very interesting address, which discusses the Orthodox dialogue with other Christians, with other faiths, and with contemporary society, is now available in French.  https://www.patriarchate.org/-/le-dialogue-comme-clef-pour-la-theologie-contemporaine-allocution-de-sa-saintete-le-patriarche-cumenique-bartholomee-a-l-universite-de-fribourg-le-24- 

  In other news, it was simultaneously announced on April 28 by Metropolitan Hilarion in Moscow (https://mospat.ru/en/2017/04/28/news145494/)  and by Catholic Archbishop Francesco Cacucci in Bari (https://www.arcidiocesibaribitonto.it/pubblicazioni/articoli-on-line/ecumenismo-reliquia-di-san-nicola-in-russia-per-la-prima-volta) that part of the relics of St. Nicholas from the famous shrine in Bari will be in Russia from May 21 to July 28.  It will be the first time in 930 years that any part of the relics have left Bari.  A short video of the press conference in Bari can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pCqwZ_5RSs .  According to the press conference in Bari, the relic to be brought to Russia is a 13-centimeter fragment of a left rib (next to the heart) of the Saint.  The relic will be prepared for transport by the University of Bari and will be flown in a private plane provided by the Russian Federation.  Archbishop Cacucci will accompany the relic on its trip to Russia.  For most of the time, the relic will be venerated in Moscow but will then be in St. Petersburg.  At the press conferences in both Moscow and Bari, it was stressed that the visit of the relic to Russia was discussed at the Havana meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis and that the Pope agreed to it at that time.  The stressing of this point is perhaps to show conservative critics of the Havana meeting that positive fruits are flowing from that meeting.

  As you have probably heard, the Russian Supreme Court on April 20 ruled in favor of the Russian Justice Ministry's lawsuit and designated Jehovah's Witnesses as an extremist organization which should be banned.  Metropolitan Hilarion has now stated that the Moscow Patriarchate supports this decision, although the Moscow Patriarchate was in no way involved in the legal proceedings and was not consulted.   http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=13749 (short English report on the Metropolitan’s views); https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/05/03/news145539/ (full Russian text of the Metropolitan’s remarks).  On the other hand, the secretary-general of the Russian Catholic Bishops Conference has expressed serious concerns with respect to the Court’s decision.  http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/05/01/russian-catholic-official-criticises-ban-on-jehovahs-witnesses/

  Lastly, the English-language website of Pravoslavie.ru has continued to provide all of the very latest reports of Orthodox resistance to the Crete Council.  Today it posted an article about an open letter of protest written by Metropolitan Ambrose of Kalavryta (Church of Greece) to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.   http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/103176.htm  You may recall that Metropolitan Ambrose and Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus were the two Greek hierarchs specifically criticized by the Ecumenical Patriarch last fall for their opposition to the Crete Council.  As far as I can determine, Metropolitan Seraphim has not been vocal on the subject after the bishops of the Church of Greece issued their “letter to the people” last January relating to the Crete Council.  As you can see from the article, Metropolitan Ambrose continues to protest.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 26 April 2017: Bartholomew & Longin

  Today (Tuesday), Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew made his first visit to Taize.  The full text of his address in French can be read at http://www.la-croix.com/Urbi-et-Orbi/Documentation-catholique/Eglise-en-France/Pour-patriarche-Bartholomee-levenement-Taize-agit-comme-parabole-conversion-reconciliation-2017-04-25-1200842301 .  The following remarks by the Ecumenical Patriarch especially caught my attention:

  To reconcile is above all to cure the evils of history, the scars of time, mutual misunderstandings, conflicts of memory, fratricidal hatreds.  In this sense, the division between Christians to which we intend to respond by praying for the unity of the churches is a spiritual wound, with shared responsibilities - whether accepted or not.  Indeed, in the ecumenical era and at the time of the search for unity, there can be no reconciliation without forgiveness….If we want to be true actors of reconciliation, we must take our responsibilities and be ready to take the first step.

  The Ecumenical Patriarch also expressed the hope that the Holy and Great Council “is only the starting point for the renewed exercise of conciliarity as a synonym for the life of the Church.”  This indicates to me that the Ecumenical Patriarch hopes that the Crete Council will be the first of a series of councils in which the Local Orthodox Churches will exercised their conciliarity.  Videos of the prayer service at Taize today can be seen at http://taize.fr/fr_article21836.html .

  On Monday Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew spoke at the University of Fribourg, stating that one should attach more importance to the commonality between denominations that the differences .  https://www.kath.ch/newsd/den-dialog-weiter-denken-der-oekumenische-patriarch-bartholomaios-i-in-freiburg/  I have not yet seen the full text of his remarks at Fribourg.

  On April 24, the Ecumenical Patriarch also addressed the World Council of Churches.  The full text of his English-language address can be read at https://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/other-meetings/address-of-his-all-holiness-ecumenical-patriarch-bartholomew .  A video of his entire address and the remarks by others can be viewed at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGaMFvN0_HI .  One of the subjects covered by the Ecumenical Patriarch was the Crete Council.  He mentioned the language adopted by the Crete Council that the Orthodox Church “considers all efforts to break the unity of the Church, undertaken by individuals or groups under the pretext of maintaining or allegedly defending true Orthodoxy, as being worthy of condemnation.”  Then departing from the text, the Ecumenical Patriarch added: “the fundamentalists, the fanatics, and so on.”

  Yesterday, a very popular Russian website posted an English-language article, entitled “Anti-Ecumenism Pan-Orthodox Council to be held in summer at Ukraine’s Bachensk Monastery.”   http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/102951.htm   The article refers to the “Thessaloniki Inter-Orthodox Synaxis” which was held on April 4.  Although this meeting had been prohibited by the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church of Greece, approximately one thousand persons attended.   The entire “synaxis” was streamed live and can now be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwVeruZv7yA .  The “synaxis” seems to have been completely ignored by the major Greek religious websites.  At the meeting an appeal was made to all clergy of the Church of Greece to cease commemorating the Ecumenical Patriarch.  According to the article, the meeting resolved: “We have suspended association with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople as the main organizer of the Council, and with the representatives and preachers of the pan-heresy of ecumenism, and with all bishops who accept the Crete Council as Orthodox.”  Significantly, it appears that no bishops were present at the meeting.  However, at the meeting, greetings and blessings from Bishop Longin (Zhar), vicar bishop of the Chernivtsi Diocese (UOC-MP) and founder of the Bachensk Monastery, were read to the gathering.  The article states: “the Thessaloniki participants laid plans to hold a Pan-Orthodox anti-ecumenism council at Bachensk Monastery in June-July, in which they intend to anathematize Patriarch Bartholomew and others who they view as supporters of ecumenism.”

  Who is Bishop Longin and what is the Bachensk Monastery?  Bishop Longin, previously known as Father Michael, has touched many hearts by the absolutely wonderful work that he has done with orphans in Ukraine.  His biography can be read at http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/2245564.html .  The Bachensk Monastery, which Father Michael, founded on an empty field in 1994, is located in Ukraine, a short distance from Romania to the south and a short distance from Moldova to the east.  It is located in the Chernivtsi Diocese (UOC-MP), where Metropolian Onufrey of Kiev and All Ukraine (UOC-MP), was the bishop from 1990 to 2014.  Most of the monks and people in the area are Romanian speakers.  The Monastery has six churches with a new cathedral said to be one of the largest in Ukraine (height - 56 m, length - 60 m, width - 40 m) and numerous other buildings including an hotel for pilgrims.  You can view photos of the beautiful complex with English descriptions at http://bukovyna.in.ua/ascension-men%E2%80%99s-monastery-in-bancheny.html and a short video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKuZ7v7Im6k .  This is quite an accomplishment for one person.

  However, Bishop Longin (“Father Michael”) is most well-known for the orphanage “Faith, Hope, and Love” which he founded, located in the village of Molnytsia, approximately two kilometers from the Monastery.  His work with the orphanage is documented in a film entitled “Outpost,” which won the Orthodox film festival grand prize in 2008.  The film has now been posted on YouTube and has had more one million viewers.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDPI1Fr0lyI  Even if you don’t understand Russian, you can watch the wonderful interaction between Father Michael and the children who adore him and consider him their father.  In reading the YouTube comments, most state that they cried through the film and thank God for such a wonderful person as Father Michael.  Patriarch Kirill visited the orphanage in 2011 when he dedicated the huge cathedral at the Monastery.  There is a wonderful and moving video showing Patriarch Kirill meeting the children and seeing the outstanding facilities of the orphanage.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiPDdBveePM  There are up to 400 children at the orphanage with substantial number of children with developmental disorders or AIDS.  For his work with the children, Bishop Longin has received numerous awards including the award of “Hero of Ukrainian” given to him in 2008 by the President of Ukraine.

  However, Bishop Longin is now in the news for his attacks against the Ukrainian government (youth should not enlist in the Ukrainian Army) and against Orthodox hierarchs who support ecumenism.  After the meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, Bishop Longin told the local clergy that he is no longer commemorating the Patriarch in the Liturgy.  He referred to the Havana declaration as a betrayal of the Orthodox faith.  He considered the 30 points in the declaration to be Judas' thirty pieces of silver.  https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/OrthodoxNews/conversations/messages/22446  In a homily on October 14, 2016, Bishop Longin spoke of the heretical words of the Patriarch and referred to Metropolitan Hilarion as the “servant of the Antichrist.”  Bishop Longin referred to the death of Metropolitan Nikodim (the spiritual mentor of Patriarch Kirill) in the presence of the Pope as a miracle –  he said that Nikodim died like a dog while kissing the Pope’s sandal.  Bishop Longin asks, “Why did we not stop when we saw this miracle?”  After the Crete Council, Bishop Longin wrote a letter asking the attending bishops to repent and to return to the Church of Christ.   He referred to the Crete Council as lawless, a robber council, heretical, false, and wicked.   “You become traitors of the country, the people and God!”  http://www.odigitria.by/2016/08/09/vy-stali-predatelyami-strany-naroda-i-boga/   

  Perhaps because of his truly outstanding accomplishments, Bishop Longin seems to have enjoyed greater freedom in his criticism of Patriarch Kirill, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and others.  Last Sunday, Metropolitan Onufry celebrated the Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Bachensk Monastery and then distributed gifts to the children at the orphanage.  http://news.church.ua/2017/04/23/predstoyatel-tradicijno-vidvidav-z-pasxalnimi-gostincyami-ditej-yakimi-opikuyutsya-pri-banchenskomu-monastiri/   In December, Bishop Longin was asked to be part of Metropolitan Onufry’s small delegation which traveled to Tbilisi to attend the celebration of the anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Ilia.  http://news.church.ua/2016/12/25/blazhennejshij-mitropolit-onufrij-prinyal-uchastie-v-liturgicheskix-torzhestvax-po-sluchayu-godovshhiny-intronizacii-katolikosa-patriarxa-ilii-ii-v-tbilisi/?lang=ru  It is not clear that Bishop Longin has agreed to the plan of the “Thessaloniki Inter-Orthodox Synaxis” to hold its pan-Orthodox anti-ecumenism council at the Bachensk Monastery.  If he has, I think it is highly likely that Moscow Patriarchate, including Metropolitan Onufry, will draw the line and prohibit it.

  Lastly, as previously announced, the fourth meeting of the joint commission on Archbishop Stepinac was held in Pozega, Croatia on April 20-21.  The subject was “the attitude of Archbishop Stepinac to the Serbian Orthodox Church from 1941 to 1945"  The communique announced that the next meeting will be held in Podgorica, Montenegro, June 7-8.  It will presumably be hosted by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro, a member of the joint commission.  The topic of this fifth session will be “Archbishop Stepinac and communist persecution from 1945 to 1960.”  http://www.spc.rs/sr/saopshtenje_sa_sastanka_meshovite_komisije_hrvatske_biskupske_konferencije_srpske_pravoslavne_crkve

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 20 April 2017: Francis & Bartholomew in Cairo & other news

  Many of you have probably heard the news that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be attending the International Conference on Peace, hosted by the Islamic University of al-Azhar in Cairo.  Today (Wednesday) the Vatican confirmed that these news reports are correct.  http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7007/0/vatican-confirms-bartholomew-to-meet-pope-during-cairo-trip   Pope Francis will be addressing the Cairo conference in the afternoon of Friday, April 28, 2017.    An interview of the head of protocol for the University was posted today by the Italian religious news agency SIR.  http://agensir.it/mondo/2017/04/19/papa-in-egitto-al-azhar-francesco-puo-condurre-il-mondo-alla-pace/   This article states that the heads of all of the major Christian churches in the Middle East have been invited by the University.  With Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and Pope Tawadros II attending the Conference, I assume that it is likely that a number of other church heads in the Middle East will attend as well.

  ISIS has now claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack yesterday at the security checkpoint approximately 800 meters from the famous Saint Catherine Monastery in the Sinai.   http://egypt.timesofnews.com/egypt-police-kill-gunman-linked-to-attack-near-st-catherines-monastery.html   One police officer was killed in the attack and three were wounded. 

  The funeral of Archbishop Jeremiasz (Anchimiuk) of Wrocław and Szczecin was held today in Warsaw.  The Archbishop died on Monday at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.  https://ekai.pl/uroczystosci-pogrzebowe-abp-jeremiasza/  ;  http://www.deon.pl/religia/kosciol-i-swiat/z-zycia-kosciola/art,30040,warszawa-uroczystosci-pogrzebowe-abp-jeremiasza.html   He was the person who most often represented the Orthodox Church of Poland in ecumenical matters.  For many years he headed the Polish Orthodox delegation to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.  He was president of the Polish Ecumenical Council from 2001 to 2016.  Three Catholic bishops attended the funeral including Bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz, who is also a member of the Joint International Commission.    The letter of condolences by Patriarch Kirill can be read at https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/04/17/news145057/.  Many other letters were received including one from the president of the Polish Conference of Catholic Bishops.  http://episkopat.pl/kondolencje-przewodniczacego-kep-po-smierci-abp-jeremiasza-dokument/

  This weekend the Ecumenical Patriarch is scheduled be at the Orthodox Center in Chambesy to observe the 50^th anniversary of the Center.  http://www.centreorthodoxe.org/nouvelles/manifestastions-festives-22-24-avril-2017  He will then be at the University of Fribourg on April 24 (http://agenda.unifr.ch/e/en/2354/ ) and at Taizé on April 25 (http://www.taize.fr/en)  An interesting article discussing the relationship between Chambesy and the University of Fribourg was posted today.  https://www.kath.ch/newsd/patriarch-bartholomaios-besucht-scharnierstellen-zwischen-ost-und-west/ 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 18 April 2017: Archbishop Jeremiasz of Wrocław died today

  Many of you have probably heard the news that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be attending the International Conference on Peace, hosted by the Islamic University of al-Azhar in Cairo.  Today (Wednesday) the Vatican confirmed that these news reports are correct.  http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/7007/0/vatican-confirms-bartholomew-to-meet-pope-during-cairo-trip   Pope Francis will be addressing the Cairo conference in the afternoon of Friday, April 28, 2017.    An interview of the head of protocol for the University was posted today by the Italian religious news agency SIR.  http://agensir.it/mondo/2017/04/19/papa-in-egitto-al-azhar-francesco-puo-condurre-il-mondo-alla-pace/   This article states that the heads of all of the major Christian churches in the Middle East have been invited by the University.  With Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and Pope Tawadros II attending the Conference, I assume that it is likely that a number of other church heads in the Middle East will attend as well.

  ISIS has now claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack yesterday at the security checkpoint approximately 800 meters from the famous Saint Catherine Monastery in the Sinai.   http://egypt.timesofnews.com/egypt-police-kill-gunman-linked-to-attack-near-st-catherines-monastery.html   One police officer was killed in the attack and three were wounded. 

  The funeral of Archbishop Jeremiasz (Anchimiuk) of Wrocław and Szczecin was held today in Warsaw.  The Archbishop died on Monday at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.  https://ekai.pl/uroczystosci-pogrzebowe-abp-jeremiasza/  ;  http://www.deon.pl/religia/kosciol-i-swiat/z-zycia-kosciola/art,30040,warszawa-uroczystosci-pogrzebowe-abp-jeremiasza.html   He was the person who most often represented the Orthodox Church of Poland in ecumenical matters.  For many years he headed the Polish Orthodox delegation to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.  He was president of the Polish Ecumenical Council from 2001 to 2016.  Three Catholic bishops attended the funeral including Bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz, who is also a member of the Joint International Commission.    The letter of condolences by Patriarch Kirill can be read at https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/04/17/news145057/.  Many other letters were received including one from the president of the Polish Conference of Catholic Bishops.  http://episkopat.pl/kondolencje-przewodniczacego-kep-po-smierci-abp-jeremiasza-dokument/

  This weekend the Ecumenical Patriarch is scheduled be at the Orthodox Center in Chambesy to observe the 50^th anniversary of the Center.  http://www.centreorthodoxe.org/nouvelles/manifestastions-festives-22-24-avril-2017  He will then be at the University of Fribourg on April 24 (http://agenda.unifr.ch/e/en/2354/ ) and at Taizé on April 25 (http://www.taize.fr/en)  An interesting article discussing the relationship between Chambesy and the University of Fribourg was posted today.  https://www.kath.ch/newsd/patriarch-bartholomaios-besucht-scharnierstellen-zwischen-ost-und-west/ 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 14 April 2017: No evening prayer at Hagia Sofia

  It was widely reported that President Erdogan of Turkey would hold evening prayer at the famous Hagia Sofia today, Good Friday.  https://www.thenationalherald.com/158035/turkish-president-erdogan-pray-hagia-sophia-holy-friday/   The time for evening prayer in Istanbul today is 7:43 p.m. (Maghib) and 9:22 p.m. (Isha).  These times have now passed, and there is absolutely no indication that Erdogan went to Hagia Sofia to pray.  The Russian news agency RIA has reported that the Hagia Sofia Museum operated normally today.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170414/1492264588.html  The official website of the president of Turkey lists only a speech at Konya on the president’s agenda for today.  https://www.tccb.gov.tr/ 

  On April 12, Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus wrote another one of his inflammatory letters – this one to President Erdogan.  The letter is an attack on Islam, Mohammed, and the Koran.  At the end of the letter Metropolitan Seraphim invites Erdogan to be baptized by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Phanar with President Putin as his godfather.  The letter was widely publicized in Greece.  http://www.kathimerini.gr/905040/article/epikairothta/ellada/o-mhtropoliths-serafeim-kalei-ton-erntogan-na-vaptistei-xristianos-me-anadoxo-ton-poytin ; http://www.amen.gr/article/epistoli-mitropoliti-peiraios-pros-proedro-erdogan .  The entire 37-page letter can be read, with the aid of the Chrome translation tool, at http://imp.gr/. 

  You may recall that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew threaten to sever communion with Metropolitan Seraphim because of his attacks on the Crete Council.  Interestingly, Amen.gr has reported that Metropolitan Seraphim has given a beautiful mosaic portrait of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the latter’s 25^th anniversary as Ecumenical Patriarch.  http://www.amen.gr/article/to-ksexoristo-doro-tou-mitropoliti-peiraios-pros-ton-oikoumeniko-patriarxi   As you can see from the photos provided on this link, it is really a wonderful mosaic likeness.

  On April 12, the same day that the U.S. secretary of state was meeting with both the Russian foreign minister and president, Patriarch Kirill was meeting with the Italian president, Sergio Mattarella.  http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=13703  The Patriarch stated: “The Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church can and should do everything to make the world a more peaceful place, to decrease the level of confrontation between East and West so that we again feel ourselves belonging to one cultural environment, which we call Europe."

  The official schedule of the visit of Pope Francis to Cairo, April 28-29, has now been released by the Vatican.  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/04/03/holy_see_releases_details_of_popes_visit_to_egypt/1303133

  Metropolitan Hilarion has given an interview to the Catholic news agency, AsiaNews.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/04/13/news144637/  The Metropolitan again stressed that the Havana meeting “opened a new page in relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.”

  For this Sunday, when all of us are celebrating Pascha on the same day, I wish you a very joyful and blessed Pascha!!

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 31 March 2017: Hilarion interview & more

  The Moscow Patriarchate’s DECR has now posted an English translation of Metropolitan Hilarion’s interview earlier this week by the Greek website Romfea.gr.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/03/29/news143951/  I was particularly interested in the following statement by Metropolitan Hilarion relating to the Crete Council:

  At present, we continue looking into the decisions of the Council in Crete, with our theologians working. At some point we will have to evaluate these documents, but we believe that our basic task, as it was before the Council and as it is after the Council, is to strengthen the inter-Orthodox unity and to restrain from any steps that can undermine this unity.

  In my opinion this statement indicates that the Moscow Patriarchate is not in a rush to state its position with respect to the various documents approved by the Crete Council.  I also infer from the statement that Moscow will seek to exercise a leadership role in mediating the differences between non-participants such as Bulgaria and Georgia and the Local Orthodox Churches that did participate, so as to strengthen inter-Orthodox unity.  It is my guess that if Moscow proposes changes in the Crete documents, the proposed changes will be framed in language that Moscow believes will maximize the possibility of acceptance by both sides.

  The German Catholic news agency KNA has interviewed Bishop Clemens Pickel, who has now become the head of the Catholic Russian Bishops Conference.  https://www.domradio.de/themen/weltkirche/2017-03-23/clemens-pickel-ist-neuer-leiter-der-russischen-bischofskonferenz    In the interview Bishop Pickel was asked about the possibility of a visit by Pope Francis to Moscow.   Bishop Pickel responded:  Now do not label me as a pessimist if I say:  Such a meeting, absolutely in Russia, has no priority for me today.  Papal trips are pastoral trips.  This aspect would not be easy to assert today when visiting Moscow or elsewhere in Russia.  Our Pope is 80.  He has not visited his home since his election.  Also, from a human perspective, we should not be on the top of his list.

  Cardinal Kurt Koch was in Moscow on March 23 for a meeting of the joint working group for cultural cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.  The joint working group “considered several new projects to be realized in the period between 2017 and early 2018, including concerts of spiritual and classical music, art and subject expositions, publishing of books by Patriarch Kirill and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Italian and Russian, as well as students’ exchanges.”  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/03/23/news143802/

  Cardinal William Keeler, Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore, died on March 23.   A website is now available covering the life of Cardinal Keeler.  http://cardinalwilliamkeeler.com/  He became a member of Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in 1986, when he was bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  In July 2000, he hosted the 8^th plenary session of Commission, which was held at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland USA.  The topic of the plenary was “Ecclesiological and Canonical Implications of Uniatism.”  It was probably the most difficult plenary in the history of the Commission.  I was personally there at the seminary for the entire period of the plenary as part of a prayer group praying for the success of the plenary.  As you know, no agreement was reached, and the plenary adjourned without even setting a future meeting.  The Commission did not meet again until six years later.  I personally know that Cardinal Keeler was greatly disappointed by this outcome.  However, throughout the plenary, he remained the most kind and gracious host.

  The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring in Paros, Greece has submitted to the Holy Synod of Greece formal charges of heresy against Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/102025.htm   The ecumenical activities of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Crete Council constitute significant parts of the charges.  The actual letter by the abbot can be read in Greek at https://orthodoxethos.com/post/formal-accusation-of-heterodox-teaching-by-patriarch-bartholomew-submitted-to-the-hierarchy-of-the-church-of-greece .  Although these charges do not pose a serious threat to Constantinople, the charges do reflect the persistent opposition by certain Orthodox conservatives to the Crete Council.

  Lastly, I assume that many of you have already read about the rededication of the Edicule at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on March 22 and the cooperation of the Orthodox, Catholic, and Armenian Churches that made this possible.  http://www.asianews.it/news-en/For-Jerusalem-Churches,-restoration-of-the-aedicule-of-the-Holy-Sepulchre-is-symbol-of-brotherhood-and-co-operation-40267.html  The entire ecumenical rededication ceremony can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOYFzQRuWQY .  Most of the addresses by the various church leaders are in English.  Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem in his address stated: We take this blessed opportunity to express our thanks to our brothers, His Paternity the Franciscan Custos and His Beatitude the Armenian Patriarch, as well as to His Excellency the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate, for the unprecedented fraternal collaboration that has resulted in today’s rededication.   http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2017/03/22/30993#more-30993   I found the observations at the ceremony by Archbishop Pizzaballa especially interesting.  http://en.abouna.org/en/holylands/address-archbishop-pizzaballa-inauguration-holy-sepulcher-aedicule  He stated in part:

  I think that most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all those who have familiarity with the life in the Holy Sepulcher and generally with the life in the Christian Jerusalem couldn’t believe that it would be possible to arrive to this moment.  Many times, when the pilgrims were asking why or when it would be possible to restore the Holy Aedicule, the common answer was: “we will never see that day.”  And in our discussions in the various Church Committees, like the one of the Status Quo, this goal was considered “not achievable.”  But now, despite the common belief, we are here to celebrate this event! …This restoration marks, not only an important technical achievement, the end of an important professional work, but marks above all this new phase in our relations, it is the visible result of this newly restored building, which is the life of the Churches in Jerusalem.

  I also very much enjoyed an 11-minute English-language interview by Vatican Radio of Father Frans Bouwen, W.F., a long-time residence of Jerusalem and member of both the joint commission on the theological dialogue with the Orthodox and the commission with the Oriental Orthodox Churches, regarding the relationships of Christians in Jerusalem.  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/03/27/growing_cooperation_among_christian_churches_in_jerusalem/1301542

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 20 March 2017: Pope Francis to Cairo & other news

  Yesterday (Saturday), Greg Burke, the Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, issued the following statement:  “In response to the invitation from the President of the Republic, the Bishops of the Catholic Church, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and the Grand Imam of the Mosque of Al Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayyib, His Holiness Pope Francis will make an Apostolic trip to the Arab Republic of Egypt from 28 to 29 April 2017, visiting the city of Cairo. The programme of the trip will be published shortly.”   http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/03/18/apostolic_voyage_to_egypt_confirmed/1299515  The spokesperson for the President of Egypt has stated that the visit will include a meeting with Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, and also visits to Egypt’s main Coptic Church to meet Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, and to the Catholic community.  http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2017/03/18/pope-francis-visit-egypt-april-egyptian-presidency/   I have not heard whether Patriarch Theodoros II of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria will come to Cairo for the visit.

  You may recall that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his letter of November 18, 2016, to Archbishop Ieronymos, primate of the Orthodox Church of Greece, specifically criticized Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis, Professor Emeritus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, for “roaming through various sister Orthodox Churches” and inciting “rebellion and misgiving” with respect to the Crete Council.  On March 4, 2017, Father Zisis announced at the church where he has served for many years that he was ceasing to commemorate in the Liturgy his bishop, Metropolitan Anthimos, for his support of the Crete Council which allowed the use of the term “church” for non-Orthodox denominations.   An interesting English-language article about this can be read at http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/101912.htm .  The article states:  Metropolitan Anthimos had previously instructed Fr. Theodore to cease speaking out against the Crete Council, considering his words as fomenting schism.  Following his announcement of ceasing commemoration, the bishop suspended Fr. Theodore from serving or speaking publicly in any of the churches of his metropolis.  He has also summoned Fr. Theodore to spiritual court, excommunicated him from the holy chalice, and stripped him of his honorary title as “Archpriest.”

  On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, four priests on the island of Crete also announced that they would cease commemorating their respective metropolitans.  The four priest condemned the “pan-heresy of ecumenism” and the “pseudo-council of Kolymbari.”  [They refrained from using the word “Crete” for the Council, but rather used the name of the village where the Orthodox Academy is located.]  On March 16, the Holy Synod of Crete called upon the four priests to cease their erroneous conduct.  The Synod also appointed a committee to discuss the matter with the priests within the next few days.  http://orthodoxie.com/le-saint-synode-de-leglise-orthodoxe-de-crete-se-prononce-sur-linterruption-de-la-commemoration-de-ses-eveques-par-quatre-de-ses-pretres/  (French article); http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/13562-i-ekklisia-tis-kritis-gia-tin-diakopi-mnimosunou-kanonikon-episkopon (Greek article).

  There continues to be positive exchanges between the Serbian Orthodox Theological Faculty in Belgrade and its Catholic counterparts in Zagreb and Ljubljana.  On March 6, the Belgrade delegation participated in the celebration of “Thomas [Aquinas] Day” at the Catholic Faculty in Ljubljana.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/stara_prijateljstva_nove_knjige  On March 10, another delegation from the Faculty in Belgrade visited the Catholic Theological Faculty at the University of Zagreb.  During the visit, the Belgrade delegation and the new dean and others from Catholic Faculty were hosted by Orthodox Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/beogradski_zagrebachki_bogoslovi_kod_mitropolita_porfirija 

  In other developments:

  The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate at its meeting of March 9 recognized 15 Western saints from the first millennium and placed them on the calendar (menology) of the Russian Orthodox Church.  http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/4829826.html (journal entry 14)  The vast majority are French saints from before the year 600.  Exceptions were: St. Patrick (Irish); St. Alban (English); and St. Procopius of Sázava (Czech).  Of course, the inclusion of St. Patrick received the most media attention.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/03/17/why-russia-has-two-st-patricks-days-this-year/?utm_term=.479452a7c94c  Although this recognition shows the common spiritual heritage that East and West share from the first millennium, it will also allow Russian Orthodox parishes and institutions in these Western European countries to connect with the early spiritual heritage of those Western countries.  For example, the chapel of the Moscow Patriarchate’s seminary near Paris is dedicated to Sainte-Geneviève of Paris – one of the 15 now recognized saints.

  The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Groisman, visited Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on March 15.  http://www.uocofusa.org/news_170315_3.html  An academic conference on the one-hundredth anniversary of the 1917 Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church was hosted by the Catholic faculty of theology at the University of Vienna, with the support of Pro Oriente, March 2-5.  http://orthodoxie.com/a-vienne-sest-tenu-un-symposium-scientifique-international-dedie-au-concile-panrusse-de-1917-1918/   Patriarch Ilia II in his homily on the Sunday of Orthodoxy stated that he was confident that there will be the happy day when the famous Iveron [“Portaitissa”] icon from Mount Athos will come to Georgia.  http://patriarchate.ge/geo/shevtxovt-ufals-rom-chveni-mwuxareba/ 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 27 February 2017: Deaconesses in the Democratic Rep. of Congo

  On Friday, February 17, 2017, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, consecrated a female catechist as “Deaconess of the Missions.”  This was reported several days ago by several Orthodox websites, but I delayed reporting it because all of the reports used the date, February 17, 2016 – over one year ago.  In investigating the matter further, I have now determined that the year “2016” was an error in the English-language report on the website of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and that correct year is actually 2017.  http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/index.php?module=news&action=details&id=1242   With respect to the ordination, the website reports as follows:

  He [Patriarch Theodoros] also consecrated the Catechist elder Theano, one of the first members of the Missionary staff in Kolwezi, to “Deaconess of the Missions” of the Holy Metropolis of Katanga and read the prayer for one entering the “ecclesiastic ministry” for three Nuns and two Catechists, in order for them to assist the missionary effort of the Holy Metropolis, particularly in the Sacraments of Baptisms of adults and marriages, as well as in the Catechetical department of the local Church.  Note that it is the first time in the history of Missions in Africa that these consecrations have been done.

  The consecration occurred in Kolwezi , a city of approximately half-million in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  It is part of the Katanga Diocese which is headquartered in Kolwezi.  The area is very much of an Orthodox success story.  See http://ierapostolos.gr/news_article.php?ID=113   The Gregoriou Monastery on Mt. Athos has played an important role in this missionary effort.  The present Metropolitan of Katanga is from there.

  The entire conference at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) commemorating the first anniversary of the Havana meeting can now be watched at https://youtu.be/aHvH3S5MTMM .  It includes the major addresses by Metropolitan Hilarion (in English) and Cardinal Koch (in German except the part relating to Ukraine was in French).  As you recall, Cardinal Koch in his address proposed the establishment of a joint commission to examine “the injuries sustained by both sides [Moscow Patriarchate and the UGCC] in the past” as part of a “purification of memory.”  He also proposed a dialogue to examine the current problems, political and national, in order to find "mutually acceptable forms of coexistence."  To date, I have seen no reaction from either the Moscow Patriarchate or UGCC with respect to these proposals.  In his address, Cardinal Koch also made the statement that the Bishops’ Council of the Moscow Patriarchate had expressly declared in 2000 that the Catholic Church has maintained the apostolic succession.  http://www.unifr.ch/iso/assets/files/Tagungen/Koch_D.pdf  I was not aware of this declaration so I did some research, and I did find it in the Jubilee Council’s documents.  It is found in the Basic Principles of the Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Non-Orthodox, adopted by the Jubilee Bishops’ Council.   http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/418840.html?_ctxowner=8942  The specific sentence in the Supplement (Приложение) part of the document reads as follows:  Диалог с Римско-Католической Церковью строился и должен строиться в будущем с учетом того основополагающего факта, что она является Церковью, в которой сохраняется апостольское преемство рукоположений.  (“Dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church was built and should be built in the future, taking into account the fundamental fact that it is a Church, which has preserved the apostolic succession of ordinations.”)

  The third meeting of the Joint Committee of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Croatian Catholic Bishops Conference was held at the Bishop’s Palace (of Bishop Irinej of Backa) in Novi Sad, Serbia on February 13-14, 2017.   http://www.spc.rs/sr/saopshtenje_za_javnost_meshovite_komisije_srpske_pravoslavne_crkve_hrvatske_biskupske_konferencije   The subject of this meeting was the relationship of Archbishop Stepinac to the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) in 1941-45.  The fourth meeting will be held in Požega, Croatia, April 21-22 and will focus on the relationship of Archbishop Stepinac to the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1941-45.  Požega is the see of Catholic Bishop Antun Škvorčević, a member of the Joint Commission, and his diocese includes Jasenovac.  Bishop Antun participated in the visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Jasenovac last September.  Bishop Antun also has been very outspoken about the evils of Jasenovac and has led his clergy on a penitential pilgrimage there.  I believe that there will then be a fifth meeting in July, probably in Serbia, to discuss the role of Archbishop Stepinac after World War II.  Because the Commission is to complete its work in a year, I would guess that there will be a final meeting, maybe in October, to summarize the work of the Commission.

  What will be the outcome of the work of the Commission?  It is difficult to believe that the members of the Commission will be able to reach a consensus on Stepinac.  Even before the establishment of the Commission, members such as Cardinal Bozanic and Bishop Irinej, have stated very strong opposing views on Stepinac.  However, each may come to appreciate, to some degree, the basis for the opposing views of the other.  On a practical level, the two sides may well be able to agree on the authenticity of certain source documents and the truth of certain facts.  This would represent some progress.  However, from the Serbian perspective, the primary objective may be to create doubts about Stepinac in the mind of Father Bernard Ardura, O.Praem., a French priest, who is the head of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences and who is chairing the Joint Commission.  The hope may be that Ardura will convey his final impressions to Pope Francis and that the Pope may postpone indefinitely a decision on the canonization of Cardinal Stepinac.

  The bilateral relationship between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Catholic Church has been especially strong with respect to Italy.  On February 21 in Moscow, the Russian Church and the Italian Catholic Church held their first meeting under the “Russian-Italian Civil Society Dialogue Forum” (a program launched by Berlusconi and Putin in 2004).  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/02/21/news142551/  The topic of this first meeting was the arts as a means of promoting mutual understanding between nations.  Regularly scheduled meetings between the Russian and Italian Churches will be held on other topics in the future.  In connection with this first meeting, the Italian delegation, headed by Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, met with Patriarch Kirill.  https://mospat.ru/en/2017/02/22/news142668/   A video of the meeting can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfL3ClznMHg.  Patriarch Kirill referred to the recent exhibit at Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery of religious art from the Vatican’s Pinacoteca Gallery as “a great contribution to our spiritual and cultural relations.”  The Patriarch announced that masterpieces [on Biblical themes] from the Tretyakov Gallery will be exhibited at the Vatican next year [end of 2017 and beginning of 2018].  Because of the huge success of the Vatican exhibit, Roma Aeterna, at the Tretyakov, the time period for the Vatican exhibit has now been extended to March 1, 2017.  http://rbth.com/news/2017/02/01/vatican-museums-exhibition-in-moscow-extended-by-10-days-amid-huge-success_693196 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 15 February 2017: Cardinal Koch - a UGCC-MP commission

  A few hours ago, the Institute of Ecumenical Studies of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) has made available the full texts of addresses of the principal speakers at Sunday’s conference, entitled: A Year after Havana – the Dialogue Goes On.  The links to these texts and other news relating to the conference can be found at  http://www.unifr.ch/iso/home/aktuelles.  Both Metropolitan Hilarion and Cardinal Koch gave major addresses.  The English text of Metropolitan Hilarion’s address can be read at http://www.unifr.ch/iso/assets/files/Tagungen/Hilarion_E.pdf .  Except for relations with the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), the Metropolitan gave a very positive assessments between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Catholic Church over the past year.  However, he was very harsh with respect to the UGCC.  He stated: “Over and over again, despite the agreements reached at a high level between the Orthodox and the Catholic Churches at a heavy cost, the Unia still makes its presence felt, sowing enmity and hatred and putting, systematically and persistently, obstacles in the way of reconciliation between the East and the West.”  Metropolitan Hilarion’s comments in this regard are not a surprise as he has been for the last few years extremely critical of the actions of the UGCC in the current Ukraine crisis.

  Cardinal Koch in the final paragraph of his address made an interesting suggestion with respect to relations between the UGCC and the Moscow Patriarchate.  His address is available on the Institute’s website in German and French.  The following is a Google translation of the German with corrections based on my less-than-fluent knowledge of German:

  As regards the painful situation in Ukraine, in particular the relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine, it seems to me that one of the fruits of the meeting of Havana could be the restoration of dialogue, a dialogue on several levels.  At the historical level, it seems to me indispensable – in the framework of an ad hoc commission --   to have  joint work, which will undoubtedly be difficult and long-term and which relates to the injuries sustained by both sides in the past.  Without a “purification of memory,” a common future is difficult to imagine.  At the same time, as Pope Francis recently said,  “To look back is helpful, and indeed necessary, to purify our memory, but to be fixated on the past, lingering over the memory of wrongs done and endured, and judging in merely human terms, can paralyze us and prevent us from living in the present.” (Homily on 25 January 2017).  Therefore, one must also look into the future and open up a dialogue on the present difficulties, which are, in my opinion, not of a theological nature, but regards the national and political dimension, in order to find "mutually acceptable forms of coexistence" as suggested in the Common Declaration.  I hope with all my heart that we will overcome the current difficulties and through this such a dialogue will be possible.

  RISU has posted an article today stating that “Cardinal Kurt Koch has proposed to establish a special commission to settle all misunderstandings between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.” http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/confessional/interchurch_relations/66078/   From my reading of the Cardinal’s speech, it is only clear that the Cardinal is proposing a specific “ad hoc commission” with respect to the historical aspects.  It is difficult to believe that the same individuals would be undertaking the long and painstaking review of the historical events in Brest and Lviv as would be discussing the current crisis in Ukraine.

  Georgian Patriarch Illia is doing well after his gallbladder surgery in Berlin yesterday.  http://patriarchate.ge/geo/sapatriarqos-gancxadeba-13-02-2017/  This report from the Georgian Patriarchate also says that the Patriarchate is not surprised by the detention by authorities of Giorgi Mamaladze, the head of the Patriarchate’s property management department.  According to press reports, the department head was attempting to fly to Germany to poison the Patriarch.   http://georgiatoday.ge/news/5823/Chief-Prosecutor-Says-Archpriest-Planned-Murder-of-High-Rank-Cleric  Additional security measures have now been undertaken to protect the Patriarch in Berlin.  http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=124248  He is expected to remain in the hospital for a week.

  It has been announced that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will receive an honorary degree from the Evangelical-Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen (Germany) on May 30.  http://de.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/02/13/patriarch_bartholomaios_wird_ehrendoktor_in_t%C3%BCbingen/1292220  At the same time there will be a conference of Evangelical and Orthodox theologians.  The conference relates to the 500^th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 8 February 2017: Celebration of Havana anniversary

  February 12, 2017, marks the one-year anniversary of the historic Havana meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis.  The anniversary will be celebrated by a wonderful event sponsored by the Institute for Ecumenical Studies of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) and the Swiss Catholic Bishops Conference.  The event is entitled, “One Year Later, Challenges and Perspectives.”  The principal speakers will be Metropolitan Hilarion and Cardinal Koch.  Prof. Dr. Barbara Hallensleben of the Institute (and also a member of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches) has kindly sent me the program for the event, and I have attached it to this email.  She has also sent me the following link:  http://www.unifr.ch/iso/home/aktuelles .  This link allows you to access a number of interesting reports, articles, and interviews.  One is an English-language interview, dated February 4, of Metropolitan Hilarion.  http://www.unifr.ch/iso/assets/files/Tagungen/Metropolit-Hilarion_Interview_E.pdf  In the interview, he states the reason why he recommended that Fribourg be chosen for the site of the celebration:

  Fribourg is a home to a University with strong Catholic roots.  Fribourg is well known to both Cardinal Koch, who was a bishop in Switzerland for many years and headed the Swiss Bishops’ Conference, and myself, who am a professor at the University.  When we began to think of a place in which we can organize some event to mark the anniversary of the historic meeting in Havana, I proposed Fribourg and my proposal was gladly accepted by the Catholic side.

  In spite of strong criticism of the Havana meeting by some conservative members of the Moscow Patriarchate, Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Hilarion have continued strongly to confirm that it was the right thing to do.  Although Metropolitan Hilarion has not proposed a high-profile event in Moscow or Rome to mark the anniversary, the celebration in Fribourg will certainly be a very positive event and a strong affirmation of what occurred in Havana.

  Anyone working in the field of Catholic – Orthodox relations will certainly be familiar with the wonderful ecumenical work of the Bose Monastery, located west of Milano, Italy, and founded by Enzo Bianchi in 1965.  On January 26, 2017, Brother Luciano Mainardi was elected the new prior of the Monastery, replacing Prior Enzo Bianchi, who has done so much good work in field of Catholic – Orthodox relations.  http://www.monasterodibose.it/en/community/news/community-life/11213-communique-of-the-prior-luciano-manicardi 

  On January 27, 2017, the feast-day of Saint Sava, Serbia’s first archbishop (1174-1236), was celebrated at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade.  Patriarch Irinej participated in the celebration, but so did the apostolic nuncio to Serbia and the Catholic archbishop of Belgrade.  Speakers at the celebration included Professor Dr. Mario Cifrak, Dean of the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Zagreb, and Professor Dr. Robert Petkovsek, Dean of the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Ljubljana.   http://www.spc.rs/eng/celebration_saint_sava_faculty_theology  It is good to see that the Serbian Patriarchate invited Catholics to participate in the celebration of this feast-day.  Although it may seem strange to Orthodox, Saint Sava has been recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church.  The Catholic rationale is that although Saint Sava lived after 1054, the division between East and West had not yet been made definitive in that part of the Balkans during his lifetime.  Most importantly, the Catholic Church recognizes him as a very holy person.

  Lastly, the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Canterbury signed yesterday at the Phanar a joint declaration condemning modern slavery.  https://www.patriarchate.org/-/modern-slavery-a-joint-declaration 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

  9 February 2017: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444705/catholic-church-russian-orthodox-church-ukrainian-greek-catholic-church-fribourg-meeting  

• 28 January 2017 (2): English translation of Holy Synod's statement

  With respect today’s important statement by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, the CEMES website has now kindly added an English translation which immediately follows the Greek text.  https://panorthodoxcemes.blogspot.com/2017/01/i.html   You can now read the statement yourself and do not need to rely on a very imperfect computer translation.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 28 January 2017 (1): Greece - Letter to the People released

  Today, the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece released its much awaited statement, ΤΟ THE PEOPLE OF GOD: FOR THE HOLY AND GREAT COUNCIL OF CRETE.  https://panorthodoxcemes.blogspot.com/2017/01/i.html  ; http://www.ecclesia.gr/greek/holysynod/prostolao/47.pdf  The statement is, of course, in Greek, and I have not yet found an English translation on the Internet.  However, the Google translation tool used on the first link allows you to have a general understanding of its content.  The key introductory paragraph of the statement provides:

  The main purpose of the Holy and Great Council was the strengthening and manifestation of the unity of all the Orthodox Churches and the treatment of various contemporary pastoral issues.

  • Based on the conclusions of the Holy and Great Synod:

  [I believe that it is very significant that the statement recognizes the Crete Council as a “Holy and Great Council.”]  This introductory paragraph is then followed by paragraphs stressing certain aspects of the Council’s conclusions: (1) the recognition of the “’universal authority,’ i.e. Ecumenical” of certain earlier Orthodox councils, occurring between 879 and 1872 [note: the addition of the word “Ecumenical” by the Synod goes further than the precise words used by the Crete Council]; (2) the Orthodox Church is “One” and not a federation of churches, and regional episcopal assemblies should continue; (3) the family is the result of the sacramental union of a man and a woman; (4) the Church constantly stresses the value of abstinence, and an ascetic ethos is characteristic of the Christian life; (5) the Orthodox Church condemns the persecution of Christians, especially in the Middle East; (6) the “dialogue mainly with heterodox Christians (other Christian denominations - sects) [note: the use of the phrase “Christian churches” is avoided in the statement] is based on the duty of the Church to witness in every way the true and apostolic faith,” and “dialogues do not and will never mean any compromise in matters of faith;” (7) “The Orthodox Church is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, as confessed in the Creed,” and the “Church is still awaiting the return of all people, dissidents and heterodox, to Her;” (8) as is true for “all Councils,” “the texts of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church [Crete Council] are subject to detailed and further study; (9) In this regard, the “theological dialogue [with respect to the Crete Council] is not interrupted,” and the dialogue should “keep intact the theological truth” and should “take place without fanaticism and divisions, without conventicle and schisms, which hurt the unity of the Church;” (10) “we want to assure you that all of the Bishops of the Church of Greece remain vigilant and immovable in the Orthodox faith and are devoted to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.”  I am sure that this summary based on the translation tool leaves much to be desired.  Hopefully, a good English translation of the relatively short statement by the Holy Synod will be available soon.  The Church of Cyprus has also published its encyclical relating to the Crete Council.  http://churchofcyprus.org.cy/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/%CE%92%CE%99%CE%92%CE%9B%CE%99%CE%91%CE%A1%CE%99%CE%9F-%CE%99%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%91%CE%A3-%CE%A3%CE%A5%CE%9D%CE%9F%CE%94%CE%9F%CE%A5-.pdf

  On Wednesday evening, Pope Francis concluded the week of prayer for Christian unity at a vesper service at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.  The Ecumenical Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Gennadios.  http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-christian-unity-cant-happen-if-we-linger-on-problems-of-the-past-15924/    An English translation of the Pope’s homily can be read at http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/01/25/pope_urges_christians_to_pray,_proclaim_and_serve_together/1288150    A video of the service is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyvUplayTMc.  One of the observations made by the Pope was the following:  “To look back is helpful, and indeed necessary, to purify our memory, but to be fixated on the past, lingering over the memory of wrongs done and endured, and judging in merely human terms, can paralyze us and prevent us from living in the present.”

  Catholic Archbishop Pavel Pezzi hosted ecumenical events in both Moscow and St. Petersburg this week to observe the Christian unity week.  I was pleased to see that the Moscow Patriarchate sent a representative to both events.  http://www.cathmos.ru/content/ru/publication-2017-01-24-16-40-00.html#.WIo68vkrL7w  (Moscow); http://ru.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/01/21/%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8F_%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B2%D1%8B_%D0%BE_%D1%85%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC_%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B5_%D0%B2_%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8/1287432 (St. Petersburg).  A video of the St. Petersburg event can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RZ7Tnu6eK4 .

  The plenary of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches is being held in Rome this week.  Today, Pope Francis met with the members of the Commission.  An English translation of the Pope’s remarks can be read at http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/01/27/pope_calls_catholics_and_oriental_orthodox_to_work_for_peace/1288620  A short video of the meeting with the Pope can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W724vYGgGx8 .   This week the Commission has been focusing on the historical, theological and ecclesiological aspects of the Holy Eucharist.

  In other news, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the papal nuncio to Great Britain, will be transferred to Rome to serve in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/01/20/papal-nuncio-to-britain-is-transferred-to-rome/   Archbishop Mennini, who was previously the nuncio to the Russian Federation, did much to improve Catholic – Orthodox relations in Russia and still has a strong interest in Catholic – Orthodox relations.  A French translation of the interview of Patriarch Irinej’s about the Serbs in Croatia and the possible canonization of Cardinal Stepinac can now be read at http://orthodoxie.com/interview-du-patriarche-de-serbie-au-quotidien-croate-jutarnji-vijesti-au-sujet-de-leglise-et-de-la-minorite-orthodoxes-serbes-en-croatie-et-de-la-canonisation-du-card/ .  I previously gave you a link to the Serbian text, but the Google translation tool works much better on the French translation.  Lastly, a delegation of the Kiev Patriarchate meet with representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Fanar on January 12.  http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/orthodox/uoc_kp/65756/

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 14 January 2017: Message of the Forum & more

  The Fifth European Orthodox-Catholic Forum, organized by the Catholic Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) and the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the participation of other Local Orthodox Churches in Europe ended today in Paris.  The “message” of the Forum on the topic "Europe in fear of the threat from fundamentalist terrorism and the value of human person and religious freedom"  was released at the end of the meeting.  The full text of the message in English can be accessed at http://www.ccee.eu/news/86-2017/253-13-01-2017-take-heart-i-have-overcome-the-world-john-16-33  It is an excellent statement.  The DECR of the Moscow Patriarchate posted today (in Russian) the address of Metropolitan Hilarion to the Forum.  https://mospat.ru/ru/2017/01/13/news141083/  Yesterday, L'Osservatore Romano had an article concerning the Forum and quoted some comments by Metropolitan Hilarion during the bus trip to Notre Dame Cathedral.  http://ilsismografo.blogspot.com/2017/01/europa-il-forum-cattolico-ortodosso.html  The article reads in part:

  To the question by our newspaper on how the various Christian confessions can react to the fear of Islamism that is spreading in Europe, the Orthodox prelate responded citing first Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. "When he was a bishop in Switzerland, he said that one should not fear a strong Islam, but a weak Christianity," recalled the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk.  "I think that if we show ourselves as strong Christians, there is no reason to fear Islam, because our Christian identity gives us the strength that comes directly from God." 

  February 12 marks the one-year anniversary of the historic Havana meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis.  According to the Russian news RIA Novesti, Metropolitan Hilarion stated today on his return to Moscow that the anniversary will be observed on February 13 by a new meeting between senior hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Vatican.  https://ria.ru/religion/20170113/1485649987.html 

  The Standing Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece at its meeting on January 11 approved the text of the message, “To the People,” which will be printed in brochure form and distributed to the faithful.  The message will reflect the position of the Church of Greece with respect to the Crete Council. http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/12547-sugklisi-ektaktis-ierarxias-ton-martio   As far as I can determine, this text has not yet been made public.  It was also decided to hold an extraordinary meeting of bishops of the Church of Greece on March 8-9.  One of the subjects on the agenda is a report by Metropolitan Chrysostom of Messinia on the progress of dialogue with Roman Catholics.

  One of the principal organizers of opposition to the Crete Council and to the document on relations to the rest of the Christian world has been Protopresbyter Theodore Zisis, Professor Emeritus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.  Zisis was specifically criticized by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his letter of November  18, 2016, to Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece for “roaming through various sister Orthodox Churches” and inciting “rebellion and misgiving” with respect to the Crete Council.  https://panorthodoxcemes.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-trute-traslation-in-english-of.html   The popular Russian website Pravoslavie.ru has now reported on a letter written by Metropolitan Anthimos of Thessaloniki directing Zisis to “stop sowing confusion among the faithful” and on a letter from individuals defending Zisis.  http://www.pravoslavie.ru/100073.html   Metropolitan Chrysostom of Messinia has prepared a circular to his clergy and faithful about the “false prophets” who come to deceive the faithful with respect to the Crete Council.   http://www.amen.gr/article/egyklios-katapeltis-tou-mitropoliti-messinias-kata-psevdo-papadon-kai-apoteixismenon-psevdo-orthodokson

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 11 January 2017: Mount Athos on Crete Council

  On September 23, 2016, the synaxis of monasteries at Mt. Athos decided to establish a special commission to examine the record and documents of the Crete Council.  The commission is composed of representatives from five of the twenty Mt. Athos monasteries – Koutloumousiou, Xeropotamou, Simonopetra, Stavronikita, and Gregoriou.  The report of the commission is now available on the Internet.  An actual photocopy of the signed report (in Greek) can be read at http://orthodoxia.info/news/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/athos.pdf .   A French translation is available at http://orthodoxie.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/circulaire_athos.pdf .  I assume that this decision by the commission is still subject to review by a synaxis of all twenty monasteries.  The final review and decision will then presumably be followed by a letter from the Mt. Athos monasteries (probably by their governing body, the Holy Kinot) to the Ecumenical Patriarch.  Not surprisingly, the Crete document on relations to the rest of the Christian world is the subject of the greatest criticism by the special commission.

  The Fifth European Orthodox-Catholic Forum, organized by the Catholic Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) and the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the participation of other Local Orthodox Churches in Europe is now being held in Paris and will continue until January 12.   This year the subject is "Europe in fear of the threat from fundamentalist terrorism and the value of human person and religious freedom."  To promote candid discussions, there is a limit of a maximum of 12 Orthodox and 12 Catholic participants, and the sessions are not open to the public.  You can see the program, the names of the participants (quite impressive), and photos through the following link:   http://www.ccee.eu/news/86-2017/251-05-01-2017-europe-and-the-fundamentalist-terrorism-the-human-person-and-the-religious-freedom .  A message will be issued at the conclusion of the Forum.  It is good to see that one of the Orthodox participants is from the Patriarchate of Georgia.

  With respect to Georgia, there is now available a French translation of the entire text of the statement of the Georgian Holy Synod with respect to the Crete Council.  http://orthodoxie.com/leglise-orthodoxe-de-georgie-se-prononce-definitivement-sur-le-concile-de-crete/    For English, the Google translation tool works much better on the French text than on the Georgian text.

  During the Christmas season, there were many lengthy media interviews of members of the hierarchy of the Serbian Patriarchate.  In a very long interview, the very influential Bishop Irenij of Backa covered many topics including the Crete Council and the joint Stepinac commission.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/episkop_bachki_irinej_svaki_hrishtshanin_ima_odgovornost_za_sudbinu_sveta   With respect to the Crete Council, one of his remarks was:  “If we look at things realistically, the meeting in Crete was much more than a usual inter-Orthodox conference, as some critics assert, but it was also, unfortunately, much less than a Holy and Great Pan-Orthodox Council.”  We respect to the Stepinac commission, he states that “the dialogue is being conducted in a fair atmosphere, without hard words.”  He also states that he was personally impressed by the knowledge of the Serbian historians who have provided valuable and indispensable contributions to the work of the commission.

  I understand that the next meeting of the commission will occurred February 13-14 in Novi Sad.  This third meeting will relate to the time period of World War II – the most critical period to be considered.  Although the commission’s proceeding are supposed to be confidential until the work of the commission is completed, one journalist, Drago Pilsel, states that the Vatican has agreed to the request by the commission to furnish to it the Vatican – Zagreb communications during the war.  https://rs.sputniknews.com/intervju/201701031109479010-drago-pilsel-intervju-/   (Pilsen is quite a controversial person.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drago_Pilsel )

  On January 8, the Serbian Patriarchate posted a very long interview of Patriarch Irenij by Drago Pilsel.  http://www.spc.rs/sr/patrijarh_srpski_g_irinej_kada_bismo_izdali_arhidjakona_stefana_izdali_bismo_sebe  In the interview, there are many references to relations to Catholics and Croatians.  With respect to remarks by some Croatian bishops that the canonization process for Stepinac is going normally, the Patriarch stressed that the final decision will be made by Pope Francis.  The Patriarch also stressed that the conclusions of the commission will be made on the basis of the truth and not negotiations.   The leaders of the Serbian Patriarchate have spoken very highly of Pope Francis, and I believe that Patriarchate has hopes that when the Pope reviews the “facts,” he will not approve the canonization. 

  In another interview posted on January 5, Patriarch Irenij was asked about the possibility of a papal visit to Serbia.  http://www.kurir.rs/vesti/drustvo/patrijarh-srpski-irinej-srbi-vratite-se-crkvi-citajte-u-kuriru-clanak-2621681  He stated:  “We are pleased that the pope has the desire to visit Serbia, but because of everything that happened in the past and the huge number of [Serbian] refugees from Croatia, a large part of the [Serbian] people is against it.”   He also made clear that the Pope is free to come to Serbia at the invitation of the Serbian government, but that the Pope is a “cultured man” and does not wish to come without the consent of the local religion.  Although not mentioned by the Patriarch, I personally believe that the Pope’s ultimate decision on Stepinac could be a major factor in a decision by the Serbian Patriarchate as to whether to invite the Pope to come to Serbia.  Needless to say, if the canonization of Stepinac is not approved, it would be a major blow to Croatian Catholics.

  On a different subject, it has been announced that Patriarch Kirill will visit Hungary later in 2017.   http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=13524

  Finally, I hope that all of you who celebrated the Nativity of Our Lord on January 7 had a blessed and joyous Christmas!!

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA