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Istanbul, 30th November 2006 (CNA) - Following
the celebration of the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle
and Patron of the Church of Constantinople, Pope Benedict XVI and Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew I signed a common declaration on the relationship
between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The two gave thanks to God, who
by His work has given them the gift of this “fraternal encounter.”
“We give thanks to the Author of all that is
good, who allows us once again, in prayer and in dialogue, to express the
joy we feel as brothers and to renew our commitment to move towards full
communion,” the two prelates said. “This commitment comes from the Lord’s
will and from our responsibility as Pastors in the Church of Christ. May our
meeting be a sign and an encouragement to us to share the same sentiments
and the same attitudes of fraternity, cooperation and communion in charity
and truth.”
The Pope and Patriarch then began their
declaration by first recognizing, as they have several times in the last two
days, the important steps already taken by their predecessors in the path of
returning to full communion.
The two specifically mentioned the monumental
act by which Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I retracted the medieval
declarations of excommunication made against each other’s Churches.
Benedict and Bartholomew lamented that, “we have not yet drawn from this act
all the positive consequences which can flow from it in our progress towards
full unity,” and exhorted the faithful of their two Churches, “to take an
active part,” in the process of achieving full unity, “through prayer and
through significant gestures.”
The document notes the importance of the
resumption of theological dialogue by the mixed Commission, which occurred
recently in Belgrade, Serbia. “We expressed our profound joy at the
resumption of the theological dialogue,” the declaration said, noting that
the Commission had been interrupted for several years.
“In treating the topic ‘Conciliarity and
Authority in the Church’ at local, regional and universal levels, the
Commission undertook a phase of study on the ecclesiological and canonical
consequences of the sacramental nature of the Church,” the two leaders said.
“This will permit us to address some of the principal questions that are
still unresolved. We are committed to offer unceasing support, as in the
past, to the work entrusted to this Commission and we accompany its members
with our prayers.”
The two prelates reaffirmed their joint
mission to proclaim the gospel and combat, “the increase of secularization,
relativism, even nihilism, especially in the Western world.”
“All this,” they said, “calls for a renewed
and powerful proclamation of the Gospel, adapted to the cultures of our
time.”
Benedict and Bartholomew praised the formation
of the European Union and urged the furthering of basic human rights to all
people, specifically mentioning religious freedom, which they called, “a
witness and guarantor of respect for all other freedoms.”
The two noted that although Europe must remain
open to other religions and their cultural contributions, “In Europe, while
remaining open to other religions and to their cultural contributions, we
must unite our efforts to preserve Christian roots, traditions, and values,
to ensure respect for history, and thus to contribute to the European
culture of the future and to the quality of human relations at every level.”
Mentioning other rights of mankind, the Pope
and Patriarch called for the, “respect for the rights of every human being,
created in the image and likeness of God,” and urged further work, “to
foster economic, social, and cultural development.”
“Our theological and ethical traditions can
offer a solid basis for a united approach in preaching and action,” the
statement said.
“Above all, we wish to affirm that killing
innocent people in God’s name is an offence against him and against human
dignity. We must all commit ourselves to the renewed service of humanity and
the defense of human life, every human life.”
Making mention of the Holy Land, the two
declared their fervent hope, “that peace will be re-established in that
region, that respectful coexistence will be strengthened between the
different peoples that live there, between the Churches and between the
different religions found there.” The document especially urges Christians
to work for unity with one another and to enter into an, “authentic and
honest interreligious dialogue, with a view to combating every form of
violence and discrimination.”
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