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November 10, 2006
Preparation
The Ecumencial Patriarchate of Constantinople has set up a website for the Pope's visit to Turkey.
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
Comments
The official statement on that site mentions the need for protecting the status of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate in Turkey. That's real important and I hope Pope Benedict is able to make some real headway with the Turkish government on that issue. Turkey is anxious to join the EU, but they must demonstrate a commitment to European values of religious freedom to have a chance.
So this may be just the moment for Turkey to make real concessions, such as allowing the reopening of the Greek Orthodox seminary on Halki. (Some background: by Turkish law the Ecumenical Patriarch must be a Turkish citizen, but there are only several thousand Greek Orthodox left in Istanbul, and the seminary was closed by the Turks in 1971, I think, cutting off a training ground.)
If the Pope made headway on these issues it could really create a new spring in Catholic-Orthodox relations: the Pope would be showing leadership that even the Orthodox might see as "papal".
Posted by: WRY at Nov 10, 2006 8:46:01 AM
WRY: Let's pray fervently for that to happen.
How do I access the site? I assume it's in Turkish, Greek and English!
Posted by: Rose at Nov 10, 2006 10:38:28 AM
Apologies. My tech skills are woefully inadequate, but I found all I had to do was click on the words- and the site I saw was in English.
Posted by: Rose at Nov 10, 2006 10:53:19 AM
I note that "His ALL Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch etc" receives "His Holiness Pope Benedict." I guess we will let him have the extra qualifier. The last shall be first, and all that.
Susan Peterson
Posted by: Susan Peterson at Nov 10, 2006 12:17:46 PM
Perhaps, if we felt the need of a modifier, we could refer to the Pope as His pro multis Holiness.... ;)
Posted by: Tim Ferguson at Nov 10, 2006 1:08:35 PM
Let's not repeat the errors of the Ages, sarcastic epithets are caustic and habit-forming... linguistically ALL means as much as Alleman/Allemagne did for the hermanos/Germans: the greater good of all the brothers within particular borders, a commonwealth so to speak. He only claims 'all' of the spiritual progeny within his pater familias.
As Christ is the son, Il Papa claims Petrine fraternity, not Petrine paternity (there is only one eternal Father). Pray that he may exert his influence as senior brother with the wisdom and maturity that comes with that authority, and not succumb to the temptations of older-brother envy (recall Amy's cute domestic tales..) depicted in the parable of the Prodigal.
I concede I was tempted to take offense at the optical illusion of a larger font size (arising from use of a majiscule typeface, a peculiar modern invention, considering Hebrew, Latin and Greek used only capitals) but Bart's honorific is a tad longer than Benny's, occupying more space and so appears bigger to our minds eye.
Posted by: Clare Krishan at Nov 10, 2006 2:08:23 PM
Note the date is a new feast for the Eastern Orthodox of the See of St Andrew (not to be confused with the Oriental Orthodox, or Copts, of See of St Mark or Syriac and Malankara Orthodox, or Syro-Malabar Eastern Rite Catholics of St Thomas) called:
Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom
Let's see what the world makes of the meaning of "Ecumenical" on this one!
Posted by: Clare Krishan at Nov 10, 2006 2:36:11 PM
Turkey is a member of NATO and desires to become a member of the EU-here are some 'propositions to consider'
Complete religious freedom, separation of 'church and state' by law as well as fact since Turkey is a secular state
Giving the Catholic Church the right to exist within Turkey and own property and build churches and its institutions
Establish a similar state or situation for the Phanar, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, as Italy did with the Vatican in 1929
Give Hagia Sophia, the "Saint Peter's of the Eastern Church" that had been turned into a mosque for centuries and is now a museum-back to the Patriarch of Constantinople
Reopening the Orthodox seminary on the Island of Halki which was closed in 1971
Posted by: Father Elijah at Nov 10, 2006 11:29:43 PM
