Continuing a trend that started with Pope John Paul II, the Roman Catholic Church and the various branches of the Eastern Orthodox Church appear to be continuing efforts to heal a split that started nearly 1,000 years ago:
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Wednesday welcomed a meeting this week in Moscow between a senior Roman Catholic cardinal and the Russian Orthodox patriarch intended to improve relations between the two churches.
The encounter Tuesday took place in a “brotherly climate,” the Vatican said.
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray brought a message from Pope Benedict XVI to his meeting with Patriarch Alexy II, who assured the prelate he would reply personally, the Vatican said.
Tensions between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church have stood in the way of a meeting of the two religious leaders, as well as a papal visit to Russia.
The Russian church accuses Roman Catholics of improperly seeking converts in areas that traditionally would be Russian Orthodox, a charge the Vatican has rejected.
In reports from Moscow on Tuesday, Russian media quoted Etchegaray as saying relations between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are improving and the patriarch and the pope are considering a meeting
We’ve already seen meetings between the Pope (then John Paul II) and the Orthrodox Patriarchs of Romania and Bulgaria. And, the Patriarch of Constantinople attended the funeral of John Paul II, the first time a Patriarch from the Eastern Church had done so since the Great Schism of 1054.
But the Patriarch of Moscow has always been the big hold out.
There were some who wondered if the communication that John Paul had developed with the Orthodox Church would continue with his successor. This announcement would seem to confirm that it not only continued, but has grown to the point where an historic meeting could occur.
August 10th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Yup, 1054, the same year the star that formed the Crab Nebula went supernova. But the church didn’t record that. It was written down by Chinese astronomers.
There is a lot of healing that is going to have to take place. This is a minor difference compared to a few things I have heard about from 600 or 700 years ago. I am hoping that the Pope continues to work towards what John Paul started.
I wonder if Benedict XVI would be willing to accept the title of Roman Patriarch. It could be a matter of conceding that being in charge of a planet is a little much.
August 10th, 2007 at 12:58 am
Raymond,
John Paul II once said something that I think might resonate in the future…..”Europe must breath with both lungs”
Given the non-Christian (i.e., Islamic) forces that are engulging Europe, both East and West, I am beginning to wonder if the Western and Eastern branches of Christianity might just see unity as an advantage in the future.
I know there are doctrinal issues outside of Papal supremacy that are still areas of disagreement, but most of those seem to be minor by comparison, and there are more than a few ways to solve that issue.
August 10th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
But the calendars; how on earth would they reconcile their calendars? Seems about as likely as the reunification of Virginia and West Virginia.
August 10th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Actually, I think reconciling calendars may be the easiest thing of all.
And, if it happens, it could be the first step toward reconciliation.