Heads and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches met on October 10-11 in Istanbul. The meeting had been initiated by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who declared 2008 the Year of St. Paul on the occasion of the 2000th birthday of ‘the Apostle of the Gentiles’, who is believed to be born circa 8 A.D.

The meeting opened with a brief prayer service at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Protomartyr George at Fanar, Istanbul, Turkey. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, the Russian Orthodox Church was represented at the meetings on October 10 and 11 by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, who read out a message of the Russian Orthodox delegation.

Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia arrived in Constantinople on October 11 to attend the final session of the meeting. The delegation led by His Holiness included His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova and Metropolitan Kornily of Tallinn and All Estonia.

From the airport the Patriarch proceeded to the Patriarchate of Constantinople for a talk with the head of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople. After their talk, the two Patriarchs went to the Patriarchal Church of St. George the Conqueror for the final session of the meeting held on the occasion of St. Paul’s 2000th birthday. In the beginning of the meeting, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople again addressed himself to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church with words of greetings, noting in particular that His Holiness Patriarch Alexy was to mark his 80th birthday in February 2009 and congratulating him on the approaching jubilee.

Patriarch Alexy II thanked him for the greetings and congratulations. He also stressed in his speech the significance of fraternal fellowship for preserving the unity of the Church of Christ in face of the divided world.

In conclusion of the meeting, its document – a Message of Primates of the Orthodox Churches was read out and adopted. The primates and representatives of autocephalous Orthodox Churches put their signatures to it.

On the same day, Patriarch Alexy took part in the opening of the Pauline Symposium. In his address, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said that St. Paul was rightly describes as a theologian of unity. However, the true unity of the Church referred to by the holy apostle ‘can only be realized in dialogue and collegiality, not in any universal imposition of opinion or doctrine.’ After that the floor was given to Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia. In his address, he pointed to the significance of the Pauline legacy today and appealed to the Orthodox brothers “to do all that is possible to prevent divisions, ‘endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace’ (Eph. 4:3)”. He also pointed to the significance of liturgical communion and communion in prayer and work in the field of theological studies for fostering the integrity of the Church.

Next to speak at the first session of the Symposium was Cardinal Andrea Montezemolo.

After the session, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy held a talk with His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople in the hotel he stayed in. Participating in it from the Patriarchate of Constantinople were Metropolitan John of Pergamon, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and the General Secretary of the Holy Synod Archimandrite Elpidiphorus (Lambriniadis). The participants from the Russian Orthodox Church were Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, and Archpriest Nickolay Balashov, Moscow Patriarchate DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations. Questions of bilateral and general Orthodox relations were discussed.

On October 12, 2008 in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George the Victorious at Phanar, Istanbul, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius of Antioch, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostom of Cyprus, His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronimos of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albany, Metropolitan Christophor of the Check Lands and Slovakia, as well as the representatives of the Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish Orthodox Churches who had taken part in the recent meeting of primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches. Among the concelebrants were also members of the Moscow Patriarchate delegation including His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine and Metropolitan Kornily of Tallinn and All Estonia. Litanies, chants and exclamations were voiced in different languages including Church Slavonic.

After the Bible reading, a message of the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches signed on October 11 was read out.

After the service a meeting between Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Alexy took place at Patriarch Bartholomew’s private office. Other participants in the brief talk were the Moscow Patriarchate DECR chairman Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia in Turkey V. Ivanovsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Greece in Turkey F. Ksidas, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul A. Krivenko and the Moscow Patriarchate DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations Archpriest Nickolay Balashov. Various issues were under discussion including the pastoral care for the Russians living in Turkey.

Then the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches visited a Monastery of Our Lady the Life-Giving Source in Valukli, Istanbul, where they venerated the relics of Constantinople hierarchs and prayed for the repose of the late Constantinople Church primates buried in the monastery.

A litia was performed by His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronimos of Athens and All Greece. During the subsequent brotherly repast His Holiness Patriarch Alexy addressed His Holiness the Patriarch of Constantinople with words of gratitude, stressing the importance of the recent primates’ meeting and especially the Eucharistic concelebration. His Holiness pointed out the special importance of church unity to be sought for the good of universal Orthodoxy, overcoming the existing differences and misunderstandings with brotherly love and patience. The Russian Orthodox Church Primate informed those present that due to a heavily charged schedule of the forthcoming services and trips he would not be able to take part in the tour to the Pauline places together with other primates and representatives of the Local Churches and participants in the Pauline Symposium. The Moscow Patriarchate is to be represented by Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldavia in this pilgrimage. At the same time His Holiness the Patriarch assured the audience that, while staying in the capital city of Moscow and visiting the monasteries and churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, he would be lifting up ardent prayers for the honourable pilgrims traveling in the footsteps of the great Apostle Paul.

Sources:  DECR