Alexei II: our ties will change "for the better" with Benedict XVI
The Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow reiterated the need for "closer" collaboration with the Catholic Church in defence of Christian values, while underscoring the traditional bones of contention with Rome. Last month, important meetings between high ranking exponents of the two Churches took place.
Rome (AsiaNews) With Benedict XVI, relations between the Orthodox Church and the Vatican will change "for the better". The Orthodox patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias, Alexei II, has once again reiterated his great confidence in, and esteem for, this pope who, he is certain, "will become famous and will be remembered". However, Alexei II persisted in underlining "existing difficulties between the two Churches", repeating that a solution called for "concrete facts". Yesterday, in an interview with the Italian press agency ANSA, the patriarch talked about the common challenges facing Catholics and Orthodox in Europe, to which the two Churches must respond with "closer" collaboration.
The Patriarch's words followed the intent of "ecumenical collaboration" that emerged in recent meetings between Catholic and Orthodox religious representatives, who traced common guidelines that Alexei II himself yesterday described as a "great mission: taking the Word of God to people and bearing witness to Christian values before our societies."
For Alexei II, "now as never before, joint efforts by the traditional Churches are necessary to take the light of Christ to the world. It is utterly evident that our objective should not be competition between us, which leads to destruction of reciprocal trust and the emergence of hard feelings." In his interview, Alexei II talked about Nihilism, moral decadence, and also about secularization. Like Benedict XVI, he is certain that "a secular State does not mean marginalizing religion from the public life of society."
The statements of Alexei II came at the end of important meetings between the highest ranking Catholic and Orthodox religious leaders, who reflected on the shared commitment in defence of Christian values in Europe. At the end of April, in Rome, the annual Forum of Italy-Russia dialogue, desired by the Russian President Putin and the then Italian Premier, Silvio Berlusconi, chose as a theme: "The Church and secularism in today's society: the position of the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church." The final report of deliberations behind closed doors cited the words of Mgr Giampaolo Crepaldi Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Bishop Mark deputy chairman of the External Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchate who talked about very strong prospects of concrete "ecumenical collaboration between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches".
From 3 to 5 May in Vienna, a conference organized by the Pontifical Council for Culture and the External Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchate was held. The title was: "Giving Europe a soul. The mission and responsibility of Churches." It was the first time an organism of the Holy See organised such an event in collaboration with Orthodox Patriarchate in Moscow.
But Alexei II continues to underline "difficulties existing between the two Churches", repeating that "concrete facts" are required for their solution. Unresolved problems include the presumed "proselytism" by Catholics "among Orthodox populations on Russian territory", the Uniati in Ukraine and the "Petrine primacy", about which the Patriarch said: "We need to reach a shared vision, and a shared concept about the place of the Pope in the life of the Church."
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