EP calls different Paschal dates a "scandal"
( Orthodox Times ) - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew extended in his homily his heartfelt wishes to all the non-Orthodox Christians who celebrated the Holy Easter on Sunday, March 31, after presiding over the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Theodore of the Community of Vlanga. “On this day, the timeless message of the Resurrection resonates more profoundly than ever, as our non-Orthodox Christian brethren and sisters commemorate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead, celebrating Holy Easter. We have already sent our representatives to all the Christian Communities of the confessions here, to extend our heartfelt wishes of the Holy Great Church of Christ and our Patriarchal congratulations. But also from this position we extend a heartfelt greeting of love to all Christians around the world who celebrate Holy Easter today. We beseech the Lord of Glory that the forthcoming Easter celebration next year will not merely be a fortuitous occurrence, but rather the beginning...
The degree to which the Antiochian Orthodox misread Vatican II was cause for some tragicomic moments- In 1974, Elias IV sent Georges Khodr on a (at the time) secret mission Rome to ask Paul VI to voluntarily suspend communion with the Melkite Catholics so that they could reunite with their Mother Church (as Melkite leaders were then starting to refer to the Antiochian Orthodox). In Khodr's account of the hour-long meeting years later, "Paul VI kept silent and I understood that he was not prepared for such an opening..."
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's appropriate to condemn the Council in toto. I think there are many strong parts of the Council and even Abp. Marcel Lefebvre said there were many parts of the Council that can and should be meditated on. It's possible to only partially condemn the Council.
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