Next up: first among equals / vicarius christi

For those that don't know (it's not in the 3 dictionaries I checked, including the OED)... Sinodality: exercise of authority in communion.

That, of course, is very interesting. I hope to read a lot of what said when it becomes available. The next session (vide infra) will be on the position of the Pope of Rome itself. Without Russia the decisions, should any actually be made, might be hampered. I for one pray daily for church unity. Not some cum buy ya, everyone stand in a circle and give a hug, sort of way, but in a real material communion of churches. I'm not so old so this might be one of the remnants of my youth.

Ravenna, Oct 15, 2007 / 12:13 pm (CNA).- The 10th plenary assembly of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, held in the Italian city of Ravenna last week, came to an end yesterday.

During the gathering, the Catholic and Orthodox members of the commission turned their attention to the theme of "the ecclesiological and canonical consequences of the sacramental nature of the Church - conciliarity and sinodality in the Church," and approved a joint document.

The commission also confirmed that the Russian Orthodox delegation withdrew from the meeting because of the presence of the Church of Estonia.

The Church of Estonia has been declared 'autonomous' by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a status not recognized by the Patriarchate of Moscow." This happened "despite the fact that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, with the agreement of all the Orthodox members present, had offered a compromise solution, that of recording the non-recognition by the Patriarchate of Moscow of the autonomous Church of Estonia."

The theme of the next plenary session, the date and location of which are shortly to be decided, is: "The role of the bishop of Rome in the communion of the Church in the first millennium."