CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
Turkey: Bartholomew I on minorities’ future On October 11 the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I conveyed his cautious optimism on the future of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in Turkey. In a meeting with press officers from the Austrian news agency Kathpress, during their visit to Istanbul, Bartholomew I said, “A number of small steps make us confide that the situations of minority groups in Turkey is slowly improving”. “Human rights’ adoption in Turkey and the progress towards EU adhesion are proceeding with a slow but relentless pace”, he declared. The Patriarch reiterated the decision to remain on the shore of the Bosphorus despite the difficulties that may arise. Bartholomew I acknowledged “improvements for the local Church”. “Today it’s possible to enjoy the rights that had been denied years ago to the Churches, such as the right to accept donations. Moreover, non-Turkish Metropolitan bishops were prevented from becoming members of the Patriarchate’s Holy Synod”. Bartolomew I referred to the “very constructive” visit to Turkey of the newly-elected Greek Premier Georgios Papandreou and to the recent agreement signed in Zurich by Turkey and Armenia. “These signs testify to Ankara’s decision to undertake political distension”. Notably, the many conflicts with Greece “severely harmed the Patriarchate”. “We paid for the conflict”, he remarked. Bartholomew I referred to Turkey’s reforms that are needed “along with a change of heart”, he underlined. During a meeting with Kathpress journalists in Phanar on October 9, Vienna’s Metropolitan orthodox bishop Michael Staikos said that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople will not let itself be manipulated by politics. Bishop Staikos referred to a recent declaration by Egemen Bagis, Turkey’s chief negotiator with the EU, who said that improving the situation of the Turkish minority in Greek-western Thracia would favor the reopening of the Orthodox seminar and of the Theological faculty in the Island of Chalki, on the part of Turkey’s authorities. “These exchanges are unacceptable”, he declared. “The two things are totally unrelated”. “The ecumenical Patriarchate along with the other religious minorities in the Country”, he added, “ought to be granted the status of juridical person”. England: common vespers in Westminster Cathedral Catholic Primate Vincent Nichols will celebrate the vespers along with Anglican Primate Rowan Williams at Westminster Abbey on Friday 16th October. Westminster Abbey is the mother church of Anglicanism and the church in which English monarchs are crowned. The event is part of the “Edwardtide Festival”, dedicated to Saint Edward the Confessor, king of England from 1042 to 1066, whose remains are buried in the Abbey. “It is not the first time that a Catholic Primate visits the mother church of Anglicanism, but this shows that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Bishops’ Chamber of the Church of England are in good terms”, said the Secretary General for Ecumenical Affairs of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference Mgr Andrew Faley. “Anglican and Catholic bishops had a meeting in Leeds in November 2007. They also had a one-day meeting of reflection and prayer last year and will meet again, for the third time, in 2010”. “The dialogue between the two churches is lively. Catholic and Anglican bishops are co-operating to spread the Christian message in England and Wales, which are currently facing an ever-growing secularization”.Romania: pilgrimage for Saint ParaschevaThe city of Iasi, North-Eastern Romania, has been turned into the main pilgrimage site of Moldavia for the Feast of St Parascheva, “the light of Moldavia”, protector of the city and of the whole region. Since last Saturday, that is in less than two days, some 25,000 pilgrims have prayed before her holy relics which are kept in the metropolitan cathedral of Iasi. One million people are expected to attend the closing celebrations on 14 October. Saint Parascheva, who is venerated by the Romanian Orthodox Church and by other Oriental-rite Churches, was born in Epivat (Turkey) during the first half of the 11th century. She spent her life serving the poor and the weakest before dying at the age of 27. Her relics, associated to a number of miracles, were first kept in Epivat, her home town. They were then translated to Trnovo, capital of Bulgaria, before being moved to Belgrade until 1521 and to Constantinople for another 120 years. In 1641, the relics were finally brought to Iasi where they are currently venerated.
