Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Ukraine:Ecumencial Patriarchate Delegation Meets with President Poroshenko,Delivers Letter
A delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople met with President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine in Kiev on 27 July 2018.The delegation was attending the 1030th anniversary celebrations of the baptism of Kievan Rus,ancient predecessor of the modern Ukrainian state,in 988.Representing the First Holy See of the Orthodox Church were His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France;His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon and the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA (Ecumenical Patriarchate);and His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (Ecumenical Patriarchate).
At the meeting,Bishop Ilarion read a letter from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to President Poroshenko,in which the Patriarch stated:
Recognising the high responsibility of the First Holy See Church of Constantinople,which never ceased,and did not reconcile to illegal and non-canonical situations that shocked the natural functioning of the Orthodox Church - during these crucial times,it took the initiative to restore the unity of the Orthodox believers of Ukraine,with the ultimate goal of granting autocephaly (independence) to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.*
By way of context,His All-Holiness recalled:
The newly baptised nation came under the spiritual guidance,unrestrained care and church cover of the Church of Constantinople through the creation of the Metropolis of Kiyiv and All Rus,which became the 60th Metropolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
For his part,President Poroshenko noted that:
This is an historical moment for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Church,to return to the fold of the Mother Church.*
Additionally,Metropolitan Emmanuel made a strong statement of support for autocephaly:
We are proud to be here today to celebrate this anniversary,which is at a very important moment,since the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has paved the way for a new era.The Mother Church already passed the ruling on April 20 of this year - namely,to begin the procedure for achieving the ultimate goal:to provide autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.*
The Ecumenical Patriarchate cannot remain blind and deaf to the appeals that have been repeated for more than a quarter of a century.Sons of the Ukrainian Church and its leaders have the right to their place among the Churches.*
We are sure that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is on your side.You will not be orphaned,because the Mother Church will find a way to become involved in your progress,your success,your growth in the faith of Christ.*
Analysis:It could not be plainer that autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is desired by the Ecumenical Patriarchate,yet the timing remains a complete mystery.Many observers thought this anniversary would be the occasion for the issuance of a tomos of autocephaly.
At the meeting,Bishop Ilarion read a letter from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to President Poroshenko,in which the Patriarch stated:
Recognising the high responsibility of the First Holy See Church of Constantinople,which never ceased,and did not reconcile to illegal and non-canonical situations that shocked the natural functioning of the Orthodox Church - during these crucial times,it took the initiative to restore the unity of the Orthodox believers of Ukraine,with the ultimate goal of granting autocephaly (independence) to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.*
By way of context,His All-Holiness recalled:
The newly baptised nation came under the spiritual guidance,unrestrained care and church cover of the Church of Constantinople through the creation of the Metropolis of Kiyiv and All Rus,which became the 60th Metropolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
For his part,President Poroshenko noted that:
This is an historical moment for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Church,to return to the fold of the Mother Church.*
Additionally,Metropolitan Emmanuel made a strong statement of support for autocephaly:
We are proud to be here today to celebrate this anniversary,which is at a very important moment,since the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has paved the way for a new era.The Mother Church already passed the ruling on April 20 of this year - namely,to begin the procedure for achieving the ultimate goal:to provide autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.*
The Ecumenical Patriarchate cannot remain blind and deaf to the appeals that have been repeated for more than a quarter of a century.Sons of the Ukrainian Church and its leaders have the right to their place among the Churches.*
We are sure that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is on your side.You will not be orphaned,because the Mother Church will find a way to become involved in your progress,your success,your growth in the faith of Christ.*
Analysis:It could not be plainer that autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is desired by the Ecumenical Patriarchate,yet the timing remains a complete mystery.Many observers thought this anniversary would be the occasion for the issuance of a tomos of autocephaly.
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
His Eminence Metropolitan Gavriil of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia,Greece - kampanokrousia: Ο Μητροπολίτης Νέας Ιωνίας και Φιλαδελφείας κ.κ. Γ...
kampanokrousia: The Metropolitan of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia Messrs. C : After a soul pain, we are watching the great tragedy that our country is experiencing in the last few hours, with the destructive fires affecting ...
Friday, July 20, 2018
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Eastern Europe Update:Patriarch of Bulgaria Backs Macedonian Church,While Ecumencial Patriarchate Meets with Patriarch Kirill
Speaking after services for St.Makrina on 18 July 2018 in Sofia,His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos of Bulgaria said he prays that,with God's help,the process for gaining autocephaly,or independence,for the Macedonian Orthodox Church will be facilitated,as it is a good undertaking:
We love our Macedonian brothers,and we shall be happy and joyful with them.*
His Holiness also believes that the Ecumenical Patriarchate will help resolve the issue of autocephaly for the Macedonian Orthodox Church,which is currently seen as uncanonical by the Orthodox world,Orthodox news website Romfea.gr noted.*
Earlier,on 9 July 2018,a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate called on His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at his official residence on Chisty Lane in Moscow.The delegates were His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna (Izmir,Turkey).Also attending from the Moscow Patriarchate Department of External Church Relations were chairman His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk,and vice-chairman Archpriest Nikolai Balashov.
The talks were reportedly centered on the request by the Ukrainian government and the two uncanonical Ukrainian Orthodox Churches to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Father Nikolai of the Moscow Patriarchate's DECR told the RIA-Novosti news agency that:
The parties found the meeting useful,and members of the delegation of the Church of Constantinople promised to convey to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople the position of the Russian Orthodox Church that was expressed at the meeting.
Father Nikolai informed the Interfax-Religion news agency that :
In the meeting,the parties frankly and openly stated their positions on a number of issues that present mutual interest,including the situation in Ukraine.
We love our Macedonian brothers,and we shall be happy and joyful with them.*
His Holiness also believes that the Ecumenical Patriarchate will help resolve the issue of autocephaly for the Macedonian Orthodox Church,which is currently seen as uncanonical by the Orthodox world,Orthodox news website Romfea.gr noted.*
Earlier,on 9 July 2018,a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate called on His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at his official residence on Chisty Lane in Moscow.The delegates were His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew of Smyrna (Izmir,Turkey).Also attending from the Moscow Patriarchate Department of External Church Relations were chairman His Eminence Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk,and vice-chairman Archpriest Nikolai Balashov.
The talks were reportedly centered on the request by the Ukrainian government and the two uncanonical Ukrainian Orthodox Churches to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Father Nikolai of the Moscow Patriarchate's DECR told the RIA-Novosti news agency that:
The parties found the meeting useful,and members of the delegation of the Church of Constantinople promised to convey to Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople the position of the Russian Orthodox Church that was expressed at the meeting.
Father Nikolai informed the Interfax-Religion news agency that :
In the meeting,the parties frankly and openly stated their positions on a number of issues that present mutual interest,including the situation in Ukraine.
Monday, July 16, 2018
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Monday, July 9, 2018
Friday, July 6, 2018
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Speaks Again on the Ukrainian Issue
According to a news release by the Ecumencial Patriarchate,on 1 July 2018,following the 40-day memorial for His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of Perge,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople,addressed the faithful on the topic of Ukraine:
Even today,if he (Metropolitan Evanagelos) were amongst us,he would have consented to the current and timely matter of settling the Ukrainian ecclesiastical problem for,as the Mother Church,it is reasonable to desire the restoration of unity for the divided ecclesiastical body in Ukraine,a faithful population of tens of millions,baptised and enlightened directly through the providence and missionary activity of our Ecumenical Throne.Besides,as in the past,the Church of Constantinople - while exercising its canonical rights and pastoral care - worked to successfully resolve difficult and complicated ecclesiastical problems,always guided by what is beneficial to the people of God and the preservation of Pan-Orthodox unity.
We should simply remember the Ecumenical Patriarchate's recent participation and support in the problems that afflicted the Churches of Jerusalem,Cyprus,Albania,and so on.In this spirit,the Great Church of Christ of Constantinople,speaking the truth in love,strives even today for the definitive resolution of the ecclesiastical issues in Ukraine.*
Let us not forget that Constantinople never ceded the territory of Ukraine to anyone by means of some ecclesiastical Act,but only granted to the Patriarch of Moscow the right of ordination or transfer of the Metropolitan of Kiev on the condition that the Metropolitan of Kiev should be elected by a Clergy-Laity Congress and commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch.Listen to what is mentioned in this regard by the Tomos of autocephaly,which was granted by the Mother Church to the Church of Poland:"For it is written that the original separation from our Throne of the Metropolitan of Kiev and of the two Orthodox Churches of Lithuania and Poland which depend on it,and their annexation to the Holy Church of Moscow,in no way occurred according to the binding canonical regulations,nor was the agreement respected concerning the full ecclesial independence of the Metropolitan of Kiev,who bears the title of Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne."
In an interview with the Russian online publication Pravmir.ru,His Eminence Metropolitan Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of Bursa,Turkey (Ecumenical Patriarchate),recalled that:
the granting of autocephaly to the Local Churches for almost 1350 years has been subject to the exclusive jurisdiction and competence of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople.
The criterion and purpose for the Mother Church in this case is not autocephaly in itself,since it is not an end in itself.However,it is given preference from the ecclesiastical point of view as the best and most canonical solution at the moment,because only this can serve the unity of the Orthodox people of Ukraine,which,as you know,is completely disunited.*
Analysis:From everthing that's been said,it indeed seems that we are headed to the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,and perhaps also to the Macedonian Orthodox Church,in the near future.
Even today,if he (Metropolitan Evanagelos) were amongst us,he would have consented to the current and timely matter of settling the Ukrainian ecclesiastical problem for,as the Mother Church,it is reasonable to desire the restoration of unity for the divided ecclesiastical body in Ukraine,a faithful population of tens of millions,baptised and enlightened directly through the providence and missionary activity of our Ecumenical Throne.Besides,as in the past,the Church of Constantinople - while exercising its canonical rights and pastoral care - worked to successfully resolve difficult and complicated ecclesiastical problems,always guided by what is beneficial to the people of God and the preservation of Pan-Orthodox unity.
We should simply remember the Ecumenical Patriarchate's recent participation and support in the problems that afflicted the Churches of Jerusalem,Cyprus,Albania,and so on.In this spirit,the Great Church of Christ of Constantinople,speaking the truth in love,strives even today for the definitive resolution of the ecclesiastical issues in Ukraine.*
Let us not forget that Constantinople never ceded the territory of Ukraine to anyone by means of some ecclesiastical Act,but only granted to the Patriarch of Moscow the right of ordination or transfer of the Metropolitan of Kiev on the condition that the Metropolitan of Kiev should be elected by a Clergy-Laity Congress and commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch.Listen to what is mentioned in this regard by the Tomos of autocephaly,which was granted by the Mother Church to the Church of Poland:"For it is written that the original separation from our Throne of the Metropolitan of Kiev and of the two Orthodox Churches of Lithuania and Poland which depend on it,and their annexation to the Holy Church of Moscow,in no way occurred according to the binding canonical regulations,nor was the agreement respected concerning the full ecclesial independence of the Metropolitan of Kiev,who bears the title of Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne."
In an interview with the Russian online publication Pravmir.ru,His Eminence Metropolitan Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of Bursa,Turkey (Ecumenical Patriarchate),recalled that:
the granting of autocephaly to the Local Churches for almost 1350 years has been subject to the exclusive jurisdiction and competence of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople.
The criterion and purpose for the Mother Church in this case is not autocephaly in itself,since it is not an end in itself.However,it is given preference from the ecclesiastical point of view as the best and most canonical solution at the moment,because only this can serve the unity of the Orthodox people of Ukraine,which,as you know,is completely disunited.*
Analysis:From everthing that's been said,it indeed seems that we are headed to the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,and perhaps also to the Macedonian Orthodox Church,in the near future.
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
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