ECUMENISM
“Reinforcing the existing links of brotherhood between the Orthodox Churches and being able to act and speak in a coordinated manner, with a single voice and a single heart to the Third European Ecumenical Assembly”: that’s how Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Ecumenical Patriarchate) explains the aim of the meeting held in Rhodes (25-28 June) and attended by 35 representatives of almost all the Orthodox Churches in preparation for the Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu in September. At the end of the meeting, the participants addressed a report to the participants in the Assembly stressing that it is the responsibility of all Christians to pray and work for the unity of the Church. The report also speaks of Europe and the importance of reaffirming the Christian roots of the continent at Sibiu. “The Churches – says the document – must strive to promote such Christian values as truth, freedom, human dignity, morality, justice, peace and solidarity”. The Orthodox Churches also emphasize the importance of the education and formation of the new generations and ask the Churches that are shortly to meet in Sibiu to give “a visible sign” of the safeguard of the environment. Meanwhile the 4th Catholic-Orthodox Patristic Colloquium was held at the Orthodox monastery of Brancoveanu, near Sibiu, from 27 to 30 June. Organized by the “Pro Oriente” Foundation, its theme was “The unity and catholicity of the Church”. 27 professors and researchers of patristics, both Catholic and Orthodox, from 16 European countries, took part in it. “The meeting – says a press release – is a stage in the journey of the Churches to the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu”. “Christians of all the Churches of East and West – says a message to the participants sent by Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity – confess together the words of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed”. These words are “a sign of recognition and communion between believers”. Cardinal Kasper also thanked the organizers of the Colloquium, given that “this year’s conference is revealed as particularly opportune in the light of the work of the official Commission for the theological dialogue between Catholic Church and Orthodox Church that is focusing its activity on questions of ecclesiology”.
