ECUMENISM
Russia: Kyrill, one year at the Church’s lead “The life of the Church in this past year has been marked by many important events”. In his Christmas message (January 7) the Patriarch of Moscow and of All Russia Kyrill traced a balance of the past year. Over a year ago Patriarch Alexis II, the historical leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, passed away (on December 5 2008). The local Church Council was subsequently summoned in Moscow to elect his successor. Kyrill, Alexis II’s right-hand man, was elected to the post on January 27. “Fortified by prayers and with the support of the episcopate, the clergy and numerous faithful – Patriarch Kyrill declared in his Christmas message – I reposed my hopes in the Lord and accepted the assignment of patriarchal ministry”. The Patriarch recalls the meetings, visits and trips undertaken during the past year in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan. “I experienced the joy of prayer communion lived with the faithful”, he said. “Wherever I was I saw the radiant faces of people, the sincere expression of profound faith. It was a strong spiritual experience for me” and “the visible witness of the unity of Holy Russia, whose multinational population faith is a force that crosses the borders of society”. In a meeting for Christmas greetings, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin revealed to the Patriarch that 44 million euros are due to be allocated for the restoration of places of worship, and promised the restitution of the Monastery of Novodievici in Moscow to the Orthodox Church. “We will return to religious organizations all of their properties”, he said. Conversely, the relations of Moscow’s patriarchate with the Protestant world have become colder. Past December 15 in an interview with the weekly Der Spiegel bishop Hilarion Alfeyev, responsible of international relations for Moscow’s patriarchate, explained the reasons for the impasse and explained why Patriarch Kyrill could not meet with Margot Käßmann, elected at the presidency of the Council of German evangelical churches. “It is our belief that a woman cannot continue the apostolic succession line, as is the case with Orthodox and Catholic bishops”, Hilarion explained. A personal encounter between Kirill e Käßmann, he said, “would mean that our Church recognizes female priesthood. And our faithful would not understand it”. The Russian archbishop harshly criticized the ethical and moral position of German Protestants who “justify homosexuality from a theological perspective and reach the point of imparting blessings to gay marriages”.Italy: Christian Churches and immigrationConcern not only for the Catholic but also for the Orthodox and Evangelical “brothers” and “sisters” who come to Italy in search for a better life was conveyed by the representatives of the major Christian Churches in Italy in a message issued to the Churches and Church communities on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian unity due to be celebrated January 18-25. On behalf of the Catholic Church the document was signed by Msgr. Vincenzo Paglia, President of the CEI commission for ecumenism and dialogue; by the chairman of the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy Domenico Maselli, and by Metropolitan bishop Gennadios on behalf of the Sacred Orthodox Archdiocese in Italy (Ecumenical patriarchate). In making the point on the common challenges requiring a joint commitment, the Churches mention the “Christian immigration in our Country”, “it is a phenomenon that touches us closely and demands for us a renewed form of generosity. We refer to immigration, hundreds of thousands of Orthodox and Evangelical brothers and sisters who came to Italy in search of a better life. Their arrival is like a prayer addressed also to us so they may receive a response of love. Also Italian ecumenism should listen to this call: we must listen with our heart, open our minds and join hands to receive our brothers and help them grow also in faith”. Germany: “giving hope a face””Giving hope a face”: this is the slogan of the initiative of the archdiocese of Freiburg and of the Higher Council of the Evangelical Church of Karlsruhe, who decided to jointly participate in the Ecumenical Day of Churches planned in Munich next May with the same stall. The decision was announced by the archdiocese of Freiburg with a statement. “We want to show how many different people support ecumenism in the Baden and how many of them have at heart Church unity”, declared Msgr.Robert Zollitsch, President of the German Bishops’ Conference and archbishop of Freiburg. According to figures released by the archdiocese, various ecumenical initiatives due to take place during the Ecumenical Day of the Churches will have the possibility of showing visitors all the possibilities for ecumenism in the parish, deaconate and ecclesial districts as well as in the Churches of the Land and across the dioceses. “Society needs the strong and authentic witness of us Christians”, Msgr. Zollitsch added. “The Catholic Church wishes to convey this faith witness in conjunction with Evangelical Christians and with all those with whom she entertains close relations in the field of Christian religious working communities (ACK)”.
