Pope’s message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople

(November 30, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI on Monday said that growing friendship and mutual respect between the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Roman Catholic Church should forge ahead despite some Christian Churches that refuse to open themselves up to the Holy Spirit by sticking to historical differences. Pope Benedict made the point in a message to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople on the occasion of the feast of St. Andrew, the patron of the patriarchate, observed on Monday. Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity who led a Vatican delegation to patriarchate for the feast, delivered the message to Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul, Turkey. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople holds the primacy of place as the "first among equals" among the communion of some 15 separate Eastern Orthodox Churches. In his message to Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Benedict hailed the work of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the two Churches, especially the last meeting held in Cyprus in October on the role of the Pope of Rome in the communion of the Church in the first millennium. The Pope clarified that the ministry of the Pope should not be interpreted in the perspective of power, but as a service to unity in truth and charity. Pope Benedict urged the two churches to offer common witness by working together in the service of humanity, especially in defending the dignity of the human person, in affirming fundamental ethical values, in promoting justice and peace, and in responding to the suffering that continues to afflict our world, particularly hunger, poverty, illiteracy, and the inequitable distribution of resources. He expressed appreciation for Patriarch Bartholomew’s commitment to the environment, urging the two churches to draw attention to humanity's responsibility for the safeguarding of creation.