www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Ecumenical Patriarch denounces "Third Rome" Theory

In reviewing the different websites and postings concerning the current tumultuous situation that is going on in the UK Orthodox Churches, I came across this article that was posted. I think it may be of interest to some of our different posters.

Ecumenical Patriarch denounces "Third Rome" theory [portal-credo.ru]

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Father Anthony,

This is a fascinating article! Thank you for posting it. Clearly the issues between Constantinople and Moscow have been brewing for ceturies, but they appear to be coming to a head again. I pray for peace between these churches...

Gordo

Bless, Father Anthony!

I remember when Pope John Paul II himself referred to Moscow as "a Third Rome" early in his pontificate. And I remember how a lot of our people weren't happy with that.

Orthodox Kyiv, on the other hand, was sometimes called the "New Jerusalem" and there is a monastery there with that name.

I do believe that His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople has an important international role to fulfill within Orthodoxy and Orthodoxy's relations to Christendom and the world.

Many years to His All-Holiness!

Alex

It's funny: both the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Patriarch of Moscow accuse each other of wanting to be the "Pope of Orthodoxy"!

I'll say "Amen" to Gordo's prayer for peace!

Dave

Prayers for all the squabbling of egos to end.

Perhaps when brothers reconcile with the estranged elder brother, the peace and harmony of the spirit and heart, which can only come from God, will prevail in His Church. We cannot preach what we don't practice. Just a thought.....

Praying for unity of God's church,
and peace and brotherhood in the Orthodox world,
Alice

I find the following by our Patriarch Bartolomew quite humorous, especially considering that the Patriarch of Constantinople was always under the head of the Eastern Roman Empire.

But then again there is truth to it, when we consider the state of the RCC at Avignon. :rolleyes:

I can only hope and pray, that this friction will lead one Church or the other, closer to Rome. God works in mysterious ways.

Zenovia

I post this with all respect to my Orthodox brethren, and if with my words anybody is offended I offer my apologies.

We all know that the primacy of Rome and of Constantinople was agreed in the Ecumenical Councils... isn't the Moscow Patriarchate statements indeed an offense to the spirit of charity and synodality that is traditional to the Orthodox Church?

"The Russian Orthodox Church holds the de facto first place among all of the other Orthodox Churches because of her great spirituality, her ethics and virtues, her tradition, and her political influence; as such, she speaks for the over 350 million Russians throughout the world. Moreover, she exercises influence in all of the Orthodox Churches of the Balkans, as well as in those countries where the Orthodox faithful represent a minority. We are the rightful spiritual heirs of Byzantium."

I find this statement quite arrogant, I mean wasn't the tradition they speak of delivered from Constantinople? Are we not, all Orthodox who follow the Byzantine Rite as well as Byzantine Catholics, spiritual heirs of Constantinople and therefore owe honor and respect to the Patriarchate of Constantinople?

I find this situation very delicate. God have mercy. I add my prayers for all my Orthodox brethren, and pray for humility and charity among all the Apostolic Churches so we may be One again.

God bless

That's why you don't play around with primacies... You just give one to the Pope and that's it! No New or Newer Romes....

Armando,

I have to say that this is probably the cutest thing you have ever said.

Thanks-- You gave me a much needed smile and chuckle today....

In agreement,
Alice

Dear Alice,

Can you give Armando some pointers on dating?

I am very much afraid he is going to start talking to that girl about the papacy . . .

Can you do something with him?

Alex

Dear Friends,

What the Patriarch of Moscow states in the article is nothing new - the Russian Tsars have believed this for centuries.

As for the ROC's "spirituality and ethics" - these are well known to the victims of Russian imperial AND ecclesial colonialism.

I don't want to say anthing further about Moscow though . . . I know it annoys the Administrator to no end . . . he once said I was "anti-Russian," you know .

And when I mentioned this in confession, that I was anti-Russian, the priest hearing my confession began to clap out loud . . . it was quite embarrassing!

I can think of worse things to be called!

Da?

Alex

Oh, I used to but I learned my lesson...
I have already given another tip about the girl I am interested in right now but I will give another one somewhere in this post.

Anyway, the last thing we would want is a split within Orthodoxy. I can only pray everything goes as plan....

Tamam?

P.S: When I said plan, I meant God's plan...

Yes, that could definitely be considered a turn off on the first date!!!
I would say that a man should wait atleast one year before hitting a woman over the head with the error of her heretical ways!

Alice

Dear Alice,

Surely, you mean "schismatic?"

And I hope Armando doesn't turn her off by any ecumenical talk like "my beloved Orthodox sister."

When I was dating, I was so into all this that I tried to get my girl-friend to wear a scapular.

She told me to keep my hands to myself . . .

Alex

LOL!

**********************************************

*We love you Armando. Please accept our teasing with each other, and with you, in the spirit it is meant, and that spirit is pure love and affection!
Where else in the world could you possibly get such diverse and good natured humour from a Ukrainian Catholic from Canada and a Greek Orthodox from the U.S.?!? :p

All the best always,
Alice