www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Thousands Welcome the Leader of Greek Orthodox Church

By Ken Rosato

Excerpt: (Tenafly-WABC, March 14, 2004) � A big moment for New Jersey's Orthodox Christian community. Their spiritual leader -- Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew the First -- is in the garden state this weekend. On Sunday, he attended a standing room only service in Tenafly.

Do you have the rest of his travel plans. We could send a little welcoming committee

Dear Administrator,

Perhaps you could send His All-Holiness the greetings of the entire Byzantine Forum - as to the great friend of Eastern Catholics, and the UGCC, that he is?

You are too busy?

Hmmm . . .

Alex

Will he address the 'final solution' (his words) to the Uniate problem? or is this another green pilgrimage?

"Should not the final solution, in metanoia and truth, of the problem of uniatism which sadly has been perpetuated by an additional persuasive action of unity, a crown of worthy ...?" [Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, St. Andrews Day, 1996]

Joe

I forgot to post the link!

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_031404_church.html

J Thur said:

" Will he address the 'final solution' (his words) to the Uniate problem?"

Could someone please tell me what 'final solution" means?

Thanks

I would have thought that ever since World War II (and the Wannsee Conference in particular) there was little or no doubt as to the meaning of the phrase "the Final Solution" - but if you really don't know, just ask the local rabbi.
Incognitus

An Open Letter to the Ecumenical Patriarch,

"Your All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of New Rome, welcome!

"As for your statements concerning the 'final solution' to the 'Uniate problem,' . . .

"Shame on you, Your All-Holiness!"

Alex

I do not think equating HAH with the Nazis is behaviour worthy of a Christian. If you take the words out of context, you are ingoring that all he was saying was that the idea of the Uniate Churches needs to be solved if there is going to be any ecumenical dialogue. As has been insinuated by some, I do not think any Orthodox hierarch is suggesting that the Eastern Catholic Churches needs be liquidated viz-vix the Nazis....

A peeved off Anton

Dear Anton,

We UGCC'ers are equally peeved off.

His All-Holiness is no idiot. He knows what "final solution" connotes.

And he knows what the Greeks went through with the Turks.

Is he completely ignorant of the situation of the UGCC via the ROC?

I can't believe that.

And I can't believe he would get involved in a situation that doesn't concern him.

If I've sinned by saying this about the Ecumenical Patriarch, then I'm sorry.

But everyone in the UGCC, from His Beatitude Lubomyr on down to me (with the possible exception of Father Deacon Peter) is upset with this.

Alex

Antoni - sorry that you're feeling peeved. But Bartholomew of Constantinople speaks excellent English, and he is not so naive as to be unaware of the meaning of the term "the Final Solution". He said something similar in 1996 in Constantinople, and witnesses who were there were shocked beyond belief.
Incognitus

Dear Anton,

In light of the atrocities committed by the Russian Soviets towards ALL Ukrainian churches, culture, and people during this past century, the EC Patriarch should get on his knees and beg God's forgiveness for making the 'final solution' statement.

Why are you defending the evil words of this old Turk of Greek origin ?

Why not instead write your church Bishop and inform him of the evil ?

Why not instead write the EC yourself and explain to him the evil in his words and intensions ?

Why not start a petition to have this evil human permanently banned from your country ?


The EC sould begin to accept the fact that Constantinople is now ISTANBUL. For those who wish to argue, then we might as well call New York by it's former name of New Amsterdam, and Toronto would be (New)York, and Montreal would be Hochelaga (or Ville Marie). Someone should tell the guy that we live in the 21s century and there has been a lot of history which has precipitated a new world 'atlas'.

The Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul, Turkey has not been able to show intelligent leadership which is desperately needed in the 21st century. It is this very type of leadership which will cause the GOC to shrink in size and eventually vanish.

Hritzko

Dear Incognitus and Hritzko,

Let's be perfectly clear about one thing though . . .

A "final solution" with respect to the UGCC would really bring to an end the entire issue of our patriarchate!

O.K., I'll go do my chores for today . . .

Alex

Oh please...are you able to read into the EPs mind? Do you honesly think that he is suggesting that they be exterminated? Please...he is doing his best to lead the Church and there is no reason to apologise either. The Ottomans mistreated my country for 500 years - do you honestly think that I still harbour any resentment towards them? I would expect more from this forum's members....

Anton

Dear Anton,

No one is suggesting that the EP wants to send all members of the UGCC to any gas chambers!

He clearly meant that Rome should perhaps consider just canning the whole idea of "Eastern Catholics" and get them to choose which church, RC or Orthodox, they wish to belong to.

There is no suggestion that anyone should be killed in the EP's words - except the existence of the Eastern Catholic Churches or the "Uniates" as such.

And that is offensive to us - I hope you can appreciate that.

Do we not have a right to be Eastern Catholics if we wish to be?

What kind of religious intolerance is being exhibited here?

What is upsetting to us "UKRIATES" especially is that we thought the EP was our friend, at least in some way.

Sniff . . .

Have a nice day tomorrow anyway and don't give us a second thought, we'll manage somehow . . .

Alex