News

Bishop Hilarion requests the Theologian Commission to examine the ambiguous document adopted at the Orthodox-Catholic conference in Ravenna

Moscow, November 16, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church's representative of the under the European Institutions, bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria considers the final document of the 10th meeting of the Joint Orthodox-Catholic Commission in Ravenna should be examined in details by the Synod Theologian Commission.

"The document has got a whole series of doubted conclusions and assertions that are not beard by historical truth," - Bishop Hilarion stated in the interview to Interfax.

By his words, the Ravenna's document "is to be thoroughly examined by a group of the canon law specialists, ecclesiologists and church historians" under the Theologian Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church. Then an official assessment of the Commission must be approved by the Holy Synod of the Russian Church.

The document was not signed by the representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate as they abandoned one of the first Commission's sessions in Ravenna in October this year. They disagreed about a participation of the so-called "Estonian Apostolic Church" established by the Constantinople Patriarchate on the Russian Church's canonical territory in 1996. After that bishop Hilarion stated that the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue may not be considered legitimate without the Moscow Patriarchate's opinion.

In his interview to Interfax he called the Ravenna's assertions doubted, they describe the Catholicity of the Church and Church power on a "universal" level that is on the Ecumenical Church's level. By his words the document's authors commence describing not the modern Roman-Catholic and Orthodox Churches, "yet probably some theoretical Church established on the Church's principles of the Ecumenical Councils period."

The representative of the Moscow Patriarchate has not agreed with the clause 39 of the document where it is asserted that in 1054 after the Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches both the Churches continued assembling councils in the critical situations, and bishops of the Local Churches associated with the Rome See, although it was understood otherwise, and associated with the Constantinople See attended those councils."

"In 2006 in Belgrade I already disputed these assertions and called them contradicted to the ecclesiology self-interpretation of the Local Orthodox Churches." "We are orthodox Christians and consider ourselves of such kind just as we communicate with the Constantinople See, aren't we?" Bishop Hilarion stated.

He thinks, the 45th clause's assertion of the Ravenna document "to examine more thoroughly" a role of the Rome bishop in the communication with all Churches s should be a start point in the next stage of the dialogue's Commission where a primacy in the Ecumenical Church is to be discussed.

"Apparently we will find ourselves in a trap. That is to say: The Roman Catholics would strive to express an ecclesiological model of the Ecumenical Church so that a role of "the first bishop" would be described most closely to that the Rome Pope has got in the modern Roman Catholic Church," - he considers.

In his turn the Constantinople Patriarchate, bishop Hilarion says, "would strive to arrange so that the "the first" hierarch will obtain the rights that he does not have now, but apparently he would have them.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Moscow City Hall denies authorization for gay pride parade, rally in support of ECHR decision on law banning gay propaganda 22 June 2017, 18:06
• Aliyev repeals ban on religious activity of citizens trained abroad 22 June 2017, 15:30
• Georgian president calls discussion of restoration of monarchy 'strange PR move' 21 June 2017, 17:50
• Amur Region resident sentenced for hosting meetings of banned religious association 21 June 2017, 17:21
• Dodon to go to Mount Athos on vacation 21 June 2017, 17:14
• Number of those who want to be Orthodox priests has significantly grown in Russia 21 June 2017, 15:13
• Aliyev deems social justice to be best protection from religious radicalism 21 June 2017, 10:51
• Russia doesn't persecute LGBT but bans forcing this orientation on children – Lavrov 21 June 2017, 10:14
• Kremlin to look into ECHR judgment on law banning gay propaganda amongst minors, waits to see details 20 June 2017, 16:10
• Russian Justice Ministry to appeal ECHR judgment on Russian law banning gay propaganda amongst minors 20 June 2017, 13:28
• Radicalization of Kyrgyz nationals rooted in disregard of religion issues by previous administration - Kyrgyz Security Council secretary 20 June 2017, 13:13
• ECHR orders Russia to pay some 50,000 euros to Russian LGBT community activists 20 June 2017, 13:10
• Georgian patriarch proposes constitutional monarchy 19 June 2017, 10:24
• Kiev gay pride parade participants set upon by group of men three hours after event 19 June 2017, 10:13
• Two policemen sustain minor injuries during LGBT pride parade in Kiev 19 June 2017, 10:02
• The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia urges to remove Lenin's body from the Red Square 19 June 2017, 09:55
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate remains one of the largest religious organizations in Ukraine - Culture Ministry 14 June 2017, 16:38
• Russia faces Ukraine's resistance in returning St. Alexander representation in Jerusalem 14 June 2017, 11:51
• Russian Church Abroad calls to support its Bethany school for Arabian girls 14 June 2017, 11:38
• According to some data, Lenin was depicted carrying a piece of cross, not log 13 June 2017, 17:52
• Islamic countries can resolve all of their disagreements peacefully – Aliyev 13 June 2017, 14:42
• Moscow Patriarchate takes measures to protect from hacker attacks 13 June 2017, 12:26
• New army church consecrated in Kyrgyz airbase 13 June 2017, 12:06
• Siberian Old Believers teach Chinese offices to survive in taiga 13 June 2017, 10:00
• Nazarbayev hopes Islamic world can reach understanding soon 09 June 2017, 11:02
• Three extremists spreading radical Islam ideas convicted in Uzbekistan 09 June 2017, 10:17
• Expert on Orthodox shrines compared contemporary Russia to Medieval Europe 09 June 2017, 10:14
• Some 500,000 pilgrims bow to St. Nicholas remains as 3 km line forms outside the Moscow cathedral 08 June 2017, 19:10
• St. Petersburg Church of Scientology founders arrested 08 June 2017, 18:57
• Russian Orthodox Church's relations with Catholics intensify after meeting with Pope - Patriarch Kirill 08 June 2017, 18:54

Other news