Monday, October 13, 2008

Orthodox Delegate Speaks of Pope as Sign of Unity

Archimandrite Ignatios Sotiriadis
"Your Holiness," he said, "our society is tired and sick. It seeks but does not find! It drinks but its thirst is not quenched. Our society demands of us Christians -- Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Anglicans -- a common witness, a unified voice. Here lies our responsibility as pastors of the Churches in the 21st Century."

"Here," the Orthodox pastor continued, "is the primary mission of the First Bishop of Christianity, of him who presides in charity, and, above all, of a Pope who is Magister Theologiae: to be the visible and paternal sign of unity and to lead under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and according to Sacred Tradition, with wisdom, humility and dynamism, together with all the bishops of the world, fellow successors of the apostles, all humanity to Christ the redeemer."

"This is the profound desire of those who have the painful longing in their heart for the undivided Church, 'Una, Sancta, Catholica et Apostolica,'" he concluded. "But it is also the desire of those who, again today, in a world without Christ, fervently, but also with filial trust and faith, repeat the words of the apostles: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!'"

(Source: Zenit, October 12, 2008)
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5 comments:

  1. Fr. Gregory JensenOctober 13, 2008 at 6:38 AM

    AXIOS! and bravo Fr Ignatios!

    For myself, I am sick of the division between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. We need to be reconciled and sooner rather than later.

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  2. Skyrim GeekOctober 13, 2008 at 7:40 AM

    I hope that his sentiment is shared by many other Orthodox Christians, especially those in the hierarchy.

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  3. Bryan CrossOctober 13, 2008 at 10:02 AM

    Thanks for your comment Fr. Jensen. And I completely agree!

    In the peace of Christ,

    - Bryan

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  4. Fr. Gregory JensenOctober 13, 2008 at 1:19 PM

    Joseph & Bryan,

    May God hear our

    Given that a similarly worded statement was made by the Ecumenical Patriarch at the recent synaxis of bishops in Constantinople, I suspect that the desire for reconciliation is growing among the bishops in the Orthodox Church. But, as my wife reminds me, the future belongs to God.

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  5. George WeisOctober 24, 2008 at 9:25 PM

    That was an awesome statement... needs to be heard by more than just Catholics and Orthodox.

    Thanks Brian!

    -g-

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