www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News "We are the voice of the Orthodox in the Church"

Hello all.

Last week I had the great privilege of interviewing His Beatitude Gregorios III, of the Melkite Church.

I have published a full transcript of the interview on my blog, which I invite you to read.

HB speaks about the situation of the Christians in the Middle East, but then also about the particularities of the Eastern Catholic Churches. He reveals that these churches have received permission to ordain married men in diaspora communities, and claims that they see themselves as the "voice of the Orthodox" in the Catholic Church.

On a personal note, I must say I was touched by how genuinely friendly he was. A real treat to interview him!

Read the interview here [tinyurl.com]

http://tinyurl.com/nrddaaq

Dear Filipe,

A brilliant interview - congratulations! You hit all the most important (and exciting) points with His Beatitude!

Would that all EC Hierarchs had the perspicacity that His Beatitude does!

When he said, "I am the Pope of my Church," it reminded me of what liturgical scholars discovered during their "excavation" of the Ambrosian Rite liturgy.

That liturgy has always commemorated "the Pope."

But they soon discovered that by "Pope," the Ambrosian liturgy actually referred to the "Archbishop of Milan!"

Go figure!

Alex

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