Religious freedom and respect for minorities, for human rights, for the environment, preservation of the Christian values of Europe against laicisation and nihilism, peace in the Middle East and "genuine, real" inter-religious dialogue against “violence and discrimination", a further boost to ecumenical dialogue: these are some of the common engagements and intentions that Orthodox and Catholics must make their own, on the invitation of Benedict XVI and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, in their joint declaration, to mark the end of the meeting held today, November 30th, at the Patriarchate of Istanbul. “May our meeting be a sign and an encouragement for all of us, Catholics and Orthodox, to share the same sentiments and the same attitudes of fraternity, cooperation and communion, in love and truth. The Holy Spirit will help us prepare the big day of the reinstatement of full unity, as and when God likes”. (to be continued)
