Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to Attend Papal Inaugural Mass

By Vatican Radio
3/19/2013
Vatican Radio (www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/EN1/index.asp)

They see in Pope Francis a person who has accepted a simple lifestyle, one that conforms to the Gospel

An historic first will grace the Mass, March 19, that will inaugurate the pontificate of Pope Francis . After nearly 1,000 years, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople will attend the inauguration of the Pope of Rome.

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople His Holiness Bartholomew I

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VATICAN CITY (Vatican Radio) - An historic first will grace the Mass, March 19, that will inaugurate the pontificate of Pope Francis . After nearly 1,000 years, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople will attend the inauguration of the Pope of Rome.

Delegates from more than 20 Christian churches and ecumenical organizations announced their attendance. However, the presence of His Holiness Bartholomew I is of historic significance.

Considered "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Communion, the Patriarch of Constantinople has not attended the installation of a Pope of Rome in more than 950 years, since Constantinople split from Rome in 1054.

Fr. James Puglisi, who is the Minister-General of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and director of an ecumenical centre in Rome, called Centro Pro Unione, says the participation of Bartholomew I sends a strong signal in favour of ecumenical dialogue.

"First of all, it's a recognition of two local churches, the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople, which has ecclesiological significance. And the second reason is that the Metropolitan of Pergoman, John Zizioulas, who is the co-chair of the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, is going to accompany him," he said.

"So I think the importance of this is a way of showing, from the Orthodox side, the willingness to go further in this dialogue and to breach the divisions that have kept us apart for centuries," he added.

"They see in Pope Francis a person who has accepted a simple lifestyle, one that conforms to the Gospel," he continued. "And emphasizing, first and foremost, that he is bishop of Rome, and I think that was really important.

When he appeared, he spoke to his Church, who now elected him as head. And so, I know the Romans are very pleased with that, but I think it has ecumenical significance that shows that he intends to exercise his ministry, first and foremost, as bishop of Rome."

Representatives from the Oriental Orthodox Church, including the Coptic, Syrian and Armenian Orthodox churches, as well as from the Lutheran, Methodist and Baptist churches are also expected to attend.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who is preparing for his own inaugural ceremony March 21, has delegated Archbishop John Sentamu of York to represent the Anglican Communion.

Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America will also be in attendance, along with Br. Alo�s L�ser of the popular ecumenical Taiz� Community in France.

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The Voice of the Pope and the Church in dialogue with the World

Keywords: Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Francis, Orthodox, full communion, authentic ecumenism, two lungs

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1 - 9 of 9 Comments

jon king
2 months ago
I WAS VERY ENTHUSED BY THE FACT THAT THE INAUGURATION MARKED THE ACCELERATION ON A GLOBAL INTERDENOMINATIONAL DIALOGUE VERGING ON UNITY IN CHRIST. AFTER 950 YEARS, WE WITNESS THE PRESENCE OF THE PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE POPE IN ROME.

FOR ME IT MARKED A SIGNIFICANT FEAT: THE CLOSEST TIME TO HAVE A TRANSITION IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THREE PONTIFICATES IN MY LIFE TIME AND AS I LOOK FORWARD TO WITNESS THE INAUGURATION OF THE BISHOP OF CANTERBURY TOMORROW, MY PROGNOSIS IS THAT THE CHURCH WOULD SOON GROW TO BECOME ONE BODY AGAIN
Pro
2 months ago
Indeed, fellow Christians, I do not intend to play the blame game. I agree that if reconciliation is to happen, both sides need to sit at the table and put aside their differences. Today, we do not live in a theocratic society as we once did and there are no Christian empires to argue over. Merely, as I was reading this article, I felt joy that reconciliation talks are taking place or considered to take place in the future. However, to state unhistorical or debatable facts, is only prohibiting the solution to the problem.

I believe it to be a historical truth, that the Patriarch of Rome excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople when he placed the Bull of Excommunication on the altar of Hagia Sophia during service. When the Orthodox Christians were attacked by muslims, there was no help from the Western Roman Empire. Only when the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Alexandria fell, did the Western Roman Empire launch crusades. One of which, sacked Constantinople and destroyed sacred grounds. When the Orthodox Greeks were occupied and persecuted by the Ottoman Turks for 400 years, where was the Bishop of Rome to aid fellow Christians? When the Patriarch of Constantinople was hanged on the walls of the City, there was no outcry from the West. Now Catholics are persecuted and God help them, now is the right time to talk of reconciliation? It's been 1000 years overdue, my fellow Christians.

My friends, I wish and pray for reconciliation, history is history and it's past. I do not wish to separate Catholics from Orthodox. Let us put our differences behind and move on as equal brothers before Christ. Christ is the Head of our Church and He walks with us all.

Θεού θελοντος
Peter Ellis
2 months ago
It is always troublesome to an Orthodox Christian like myself to continuously read how the Orthodox Church spit from Rome when it was in fact the Papal legate, Cardinal Humbert, who first placed a Bull of Excommunication on the altar of Saint Sophia in Constantinople during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in 1054.
Danny T
2 months ago
@Pro:

That's debatable. True, their was a system of Patriarchates, each seen as having some authority, but ecumenical councils (Milan, that Rome was the highest of them all, and Constantinople, which decreed Constantinople is second only to Rome) were at the back of claims of the Bishop of Rome's supremacy.

Thus, the Patriarch of Constantinople had no authority to excommunicate representatives of the Pope. (Similarly, with the Pope dead, those representatives had no authority. Beyond that, both sides rescinded the excommunications in the 1960s... However, if the Pope was alive at the time, there could be no question of the legality of the action.)
Joe
2 months ago
Our Holy Mother wants Her Church to be united. May She send Her Blessings, Amen.
Moderate the language, please
2 months ago
As the church has been split for nearly a millenium, I would suggest to our Western, Latin brothers, that the utmost sensitivity be used in the reporting of the process of potential reconcilliation.

As an Orthodox faithful, language of who is at fault leads to the same divorced outcome. Reconcilliation will only occur when accusations cease and mutual responsibility for the outcome is born by both churches. As in marriage, reconcilliation between parties takes place in a realm of mutual respect.
andrew
2 months ago
Pro
What matters is that a divided Church became an easy target for the Muslims. Be aware that it is the devil's intention to keep it that way. Know therefore, scattered disciples will be gathered once more and sent out into the world, to banish the devil and his slaves.
Apuri Simon
2 months ago
I love this! His Holiness Batholomew I visiting us for the inaugration of the Pope! May The Holy Spirit unit all of us in The body of Christ.
Pro
2 months ago
Constantinople did not split from Rome. Rome split from the Patriarchal Council, which was comprised of Patriarchate of Constantinople, Patriarchate of Antioch, Patriarchate of Alexandria and Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

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