HISTORICAL MOMENTS DURING THE VISIT OF POPE IN CONSTANTINOPLE.

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At beginnings it should we are placed that other is Unit and other Unity of Orthodoxe with Roman Catholic Church, because the Schism of this Churches is big with regard to the theological subjects and only with the Will of God, when the time flourishes. However the Love of Jesus will be supposed to condition their relations, because the God is Love and this they have adopted them (Archbishop of New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch and the Bishop of Rome) and the two churches in the past few year.   

This Love of Jesus was cause and the reason of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the Patriarch the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, in the Church of New Rome witch is Constantinople, where it visited in his second travel from his election Turkey. In Constantinople not only pray together, but they made Common Statement with reports in the safeguarding of Christian roots and gave messages in Turkey for the respect of religious minorities in her course to the E.E.

For that reason the Apodimos.com will is presenting the «HISTORICAL MOMENTS IN CONSTANTINOPLE: The Pope at the Phanar» and «Common Prayer of Pope and Patriarch for Unity» to Greek speaking Hellenes and our Emigrants brothers around world.

HISTORICAL MOMENTS IN CONSTANTINOPLE: The Pope at the Phanar

The Phanar welcomed with splendour Pope Benedict XVI on his first visit to the seat of the Ecumenical Throne. It is one step futher in the direction of the mutual drawing closer of the two Churches.

The Archbishop of New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch welcomed the Bishop of Rome at 1900 hours exactly at the entrance to the Patriarchate. The bells rang out joyfully as the Pope, radiant with gladness, entered the Patriarch Cathedral of St. George, where he was received with all official honours and together with the Patriarch, kissed the Holy Gospel.

As the Pope entered the Patriarchal Cathedral, psalms were chanted, which had been specially arranged and set to music for this unique occasion, and the official Doxology commenced.

Pope and Patriarch together recited the Lord's Prayer in Greek, and before the conclusion of the Doxology, each of the two Primates delivered a formal address of greeting.

Photo: N. Maginas

The Patriarch's words of salutation to his most reverend and beloved brother, as he called the Pope, were particularly cordial. «We welcome you to our sacred and historic City with sentiments of sincere joy and satisfaction», the Patriarch said, continuing with a brief summary of the valuable contribution made by Constantinople to the progress of Christianity.

«Here the great Councils of the Ancient Church assembled to formulate the Symbol of Faith. Here were martyrs and saints, bishops and monks, theologians and teachers, together with a great "cloud of witnesses", the Prophets confessed what they had seen, the Apostles what they taught, the Teachers what they had enunciated as Doctrine, the Church what she had received, the Oikoumene what it had agreed, Grace as it had shone forth, indeed the received truth, the Faith of the Fathers. This is the faith of the Orthodox. This is the faith which sustained the entire world», declared the Primate of the Orthodox Christians.

The salutation of the Orthodox concluded with the phrase «Most beloved Brother, welcome! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. »

From his side, the Pope spoke warmly about the Patriarch, thanking him «for Your hospitality and good will». He said in Greek the phrase «O Theos agape estin» (God is love) and referred in his turn to his predecessors, who opened the way for the dialogue towards the reunion of East and West.

«It gives me great joy to be with you and for the opportunity which is given to us to pray together for the full union of Catholics and Orthodox», the Roman Pontiff said, praying that God will strengthen the common commitment and desire for a common journey towards unity.

The two Primates venerated the portions of the sacred relics of St.John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian, which had been abducted by the Crusaders in 1206 and returned in 2004 by Pope John Paul II.

The Doxology concluded with the «Polychronion» of the Pope and the Patriarch and the blessing by both of all those present.

An indication of how significant this visit is for the Vatican, is the composition of the Pope's retinue, in which some of the most senior officials of the Vatican are taking part, such as the Prime Minister, Cardinal Perrone, and other prominent Cardinals.

IN THE CHAMBER OF THE THRONE

The two Primates proceeded to the main building of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, where the mutual introductions of the two deputations took place. Pope and Patriarch recognised in the personages who composed the two official representations old friends and acquaintances, on the one and on the other side, and there was a particularly positive atmosphere.

After this, the two leaders withdrew to the Patriarch's office for a private discussion, accompanied by only two advisors each. On behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Archbishop Demetrios of America and Metropolitan John of Pergamos. On behalf of the Vatican, the Cardinals Perrone and Kasper.

After the meeting, the Pope had the opportunity to meet some of the official visitors to the Phanar, including the Minister for Macedonia and Thrace and the Grand Logothete Theodoros Angelopoulos. An exchange of gifts took place between the two deputations.

An hour and thirty minutes after his arrival, the Pope left the Patriarchate, to which he will return tomorrow in order to attend the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy for the Patronal Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Metropolitan John of Pergamos accompanied the Pope as far as the Nunciature of the Vatican in Constantinople.

It should be mentioned that this is the first official visit to Constantinople by the Head of the Roman Catholic Church in the last 27 years. The previous visit took place in 1979, when the late Patriarch Demetrios welcomed Pope John Paul II to Constantinople. This was a historical continuation of the meetings that took place between Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI, which led to the removal of the Anathemas, imposed by either side, at the time of the great Schism in 1054, leaving  Christendom divided.

PHANAR: Common Prayer of Pope and Patriarch for Unity

The Patriarchal Divine Liturgy for the Patronal Feast of St. Andrew the First-called of the 12 Apostles, presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios, in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI and his entourage, finished a little while ago at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in the Phanar, Constantinople.

The Pope arrived at the Patriarchal Cathedral just after the end of the Mattins service. After the welcome, which the Patriarch reserved for him, the Pope was guided to the so-called Antithronion, immediately opposite the Patriarchal Throne, and followed the Divine Liturgy.

Pope and Patriarch exchanged the Kiss of Peace.

In his allocution, the Ecumenical Patriarch described as «a Blessing of God» the presence of the «Bishop of the Elder Rome» at the Patronal Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and expressed his sorrow that the Union of the two Churches had not yet become a reality.

The Patriarch spoke of the need to arrive at the unity both of faith and of prayer. Therefore, we bow our knee in humility and repentance before the living God and Our Lord Jesus Christ, Whose most Holy Name we bear and Whose unwoven cloak we have nevertheless torn. We confess in sorrow, «that we are as yet unable to celebrate the sacraments united together and we pray fervently for that day, when this sacramental union will be realised in its fullness».

Patriarch Bartholomaios spoke with emphasis about one prayer, one feast and one eucharist. He noted that «The Liturgy teaches us to examine the horizon and our vision, to speak the language of charity and communion, but also that we must co-exist with the other in love, in spite of all the differences, or even divergences, between us. In the wide embrace of the Liturgy, the entire world, the communion of Saints and all of God's creation. The whole universe becomes a "cosmic liturgy", to recall the teaching of St. Maximos the Confessor. This kind of Liturgy will never grow old or become out of date»

«A scandal the divisions»

Pope Benedict in his reply characterised the divisions in Christendom as a "scandal" and prayed from his side that the two Churches would be rendered worthy to be united and once again that there might be common concelebrations of the One Eucharist.

Particularly significant is the fact that Pope Benedict reaffirmed the obligations of his predecessors to pursue the path towards full union and stated that he "fervently" desires that the impediments towards the final union will be overcome.

In a diplomatic manner, the Pope sent his own message to Ankara, calling on the leaders of the world to respect religious freedom.

He prayed that they might one day concelebrate together.

Symbolic gifts

The Patriarch offered to the Pope a Sacred Gospel, printed in Ioannina in 1811, while the Pope in anticipation of the day of full Communion gave the Patriarch a Sacred Chalice, as an example of the desire of the two Churches for a "Common Cup" after the Union.

As they left the Patriarchal Cathedral, the two Church leaders appeared on the balcony of the Patriarchate, where the two symbols of the Patriarch and the Pope were displayed, and from which they blessed all those present, joining their hands aloft. Applause and acclamations followed.

Later, the two Church leaders will place their signatures to the historic Common Declaration.

 

Source : newsportal.rnn.gr