ECUMENISM
In 2007 the Viennese Foundation “Pro Oriente” intends to step up its dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church as well as with the Orthodox Churches of southern Europe, while also keeping its efforts to improve relations with Islam at the centre of its activities. The objectives of Pro Oriente for this year were outlined by its President, Johann Marte, during a press conference held in Vienna in recent days. Marte underlined the need to pay particular attention to the Eastern Orthodox Churches, i.e. those that live in Islamic contexts and often feel themselves abandoned by the Christians of the West: the situation of the Christians in the Middle East is especially “dramatic”, added Marte. The Pro Oriente president pointed out that with the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the EU there are now 45 million Orthodox living within the borders of the European Union. “Therefore, Catholic-Orthodox dialogue is no longer purely an inter-ecclesial question, but is of great significance also from a socio-political point of view”, he observed. Marte also remarked that the history of dialogue between Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Church has been punctuated more by prejudices of a historical nature or compromises than by obstacles of theological type. He also announced a conference due to be held in Vienna between 7 and 12 May on a project of historical research, with the participation of experts of Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic confessions from Romania and from Austria, who will meet to attempt an historical reconstruction of the inter-confessional “Union of Siebenbürgen”. The deterioration of the situation of Christians in Islamic countries will, in turn, be at the focus of attention at an international conference in Vienna (12-16 June). “The situation for the Christian minorities is very differentiated”, said Richard Potz, head of the Institute of Philosophy of Law, Religious and Cultural Law. “While in Syria Christians are fairly well off, the situation in Iraq is catastrophic, especially in the South, but also in the rural regions of central Iraq”, he explained. Marte added that the situation at Basra is particularly difficult for local Christians: “Almost all Christians have fled the city, while the relatives of religious have been murdered in a bestial way by Islamic fundamentalists without the “Iraqi authorities or the British troops intervening””. “This situation is all the more tragic”, he added, “if one considers that Iraqi Christians had predicted this scenario”.
