Theological dialogue between the Vatican and the Orthodox Churches, suspended for several years, will be resumed in December with a meeting in Rome of the mixed Catholic-Orthodox Commission, said Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, speaking at a press conference in Rome. Kasper explained that the December meeting would prepare the plenary meeting of the “international mixed Commission for theological dialogue between Catholic Church and Orthodox Church” due to be held in Serbia in 2006 and that the Orthodox churches have given their assent. The last meeting of the Commission dates to July 2000. It has not been convened since then due to disagreement on the activities of the (Uniate) Greek-Catholic Churches in Orthodox lands. A solution to the problems linked to Uniatism and proselytism is also the presupposition for any meeting between Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow, and Pope Benedict XVI. “It was the wish of John Paul II said the cardinal and remains the wish of Benedict XVI [to visit Moscow] but we need to work towards creating the conditions”. Kasper then announced that next year the Pope would visit the capital Ankara, as a mark of respect for the Government, and Istanbul, where the Ecumenical Patriarchate has its seat. The Pope, as is well known, had been invited by Patriarch Bartholomew immediately after his election on 19 April, and it first seemed that he could go to Turkey already on the occasion of the celebrations for the feast of St. Andrew, patron of the Patriarchate, on 30 November. But after months of silence, the Government’s invitation has finally been received, indicating a date in 2006. “We know that there are tensions between the government of Ankara and Patriarch Bartholomew said Kasper but when the Pope goes next year, he will visit both the capital of Turkey and Istanbul, where the Patriarchate has its seat”.
