His Beatitude SVIATOSLAV I is a patriarch. Acoording to conciliar canons the title is proclaimed by the local Church and accorded such by the other patriarchs. Both canonical elements have been met. The head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has been repeatedly proclaimed as such by his own church since Patriarch JOSEPH I [Slipyi] of blessed memory. Other Eastern Catholic patriarchs and heads of Churches have acknowledged him as such, most notably the Melkite patriarch emeritus GREGORY of Antioch. Whether or not the
Major Archbishop of Rome - oops - Pope of Rome pontificates about it would be merely "icing on the cake." As the head of the largest Eastern Catholic Church SVIATOSLAV was a patriarch at his election and continues to be such! Axios! Axios! Axios!
As for being named a cardinal? That is a step down. It woud be like a general and comander-in-chief being made a sergeant. Why and for what purpose? Unless,of course, one wants a front seat at papal events and loves to wear red socks.
Eastern Catholics are members of Churches that are equal with the Roman Church, not susidiary branch offices of the Roman curia with "peculiar customs and strange clothing." This is our heritage of faith that we are talking about. Our communion with Rome is a communion of equals. Is thlived at communion important? Most assuredly. But only as an intrinsic part of a continuing theological understanding born of our Orthodox faith - not of subservience, but of loving communion.
