CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
Russia-Italy: soon an orthodox bishop”After consultations with the Roman Catholic Church “, Moscow’s Patriarch started “the official registration process of the Orthodox Church in Italy”, by appointing for the first time a bishop. The announcement was made during a meeting between President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano and Moscow’s Patriarch Alessio II on July 17 at the Danilov monastery. Trying to address the canonical territory issue, very important for the Orthodox church, that of Italy will not be a dioceses but an ecclesiastical administrative structure for the Russian parishes. Its bishop – who will be appointed in the future- will live in Rome but have its main headquarter in Russia, Bogoliubsk, a little town near Moscow. Until today Italy was run by the Western Europe Metropolitan Innocent de Chersonèse, now responsible for France, Spain, Portugal. Patriarch Alessio said to President Napolitano that Italy has been taken away because “many people belonging to the Russian Church live and work in Italy” .In fact, according to some reports the number of believers are a million. Pastoral care for the believers calls for “an adequate structure” and “the permanent presence of a Russian Bishop in the country”. The patriarch thanked the Italian authorities “for having enabled the construction of Saint Catherine Church in Rome that will be inaugurated this year in December and the relocation of the Russian Orthodox believers to the Church in Bari dedicated to Saint Nicolas.. The Patriarch also highlighted “the good relations” that the Russian Church has with the Italian Catholic Church and especially “the development of fruitful relations with the Italian Episcopal Conference and many dioceses”. The Patriarch’s statement adds that the good relations will be marked by the scheduled visit this year of the archbishop of Milan, , Dionigi Tettamanzi and cardinal, Crescenzio Sepe, archbishop of Naples, together with delegations of “priests and lays”. “The visit is aimed at familiarizing with the life and traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church.”. Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, bishop of Terni and president of Cei’s Episcopal Commission for ecumenism, knows about the project and is very happy. The massive presence of faithful people in the Russian Church in Italy “offers our country an extraordinary opportunity of spirituality and liturgical tradition”. As for relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and Italy he states.” This strong and unique tie is not by chance, thus leading us to think that the primate of the Catholic Church in Italy is the Pope”. Anglicans: bishops in spiritual retreat650 bishops gathered in Canterbury for the 14th Lambeth Conference, have started on Thursday 17 a spiritual retreat. For three days, the bishops will follow a schedule marked by the speech of Canterbury Archbishop and followed by moments of silence, prayers and meditation. “Being in a spiritual retreat- a statement explains- means leaving all problems of ordinary life behind and focusing on spiritual life.” The Lambeth Conference started on Wednesday 16 with an opening speech by archbishop Williams. “I think – the archbishop said – it is important to express our great sorrow for the many brothers and sisters in Communion who have not been able to be with us during these weeks, we are sorry because we need them and they need us “. “I respect and accept the decisions taken but together through prayers we must consider the slashes created to our relations”. Williams reaffirmed his personal commitment “to heal the wounds in our relations”. Aware that this process is “not so easy” he added : “hoping the open wounds can receive the Holy Spirit of our work”.Lutherans: Anabaptists’ forgiveness The main executive body of the Lutheran World Federation paved the way to a pardon statement for the Lutheran persecutions of “Anabaptists”, many of whom died due to violence in the XVI century in Europe. The decision has been taken following the recommendation from the Program Committee for Ecumenical Affairs to the Lutheran World Council Federation during the meeting on June 24-30 in Arusha, Tanzania. During the meeting the Council expressed the hope that a final report on this issue can be presented in 2009.
