Pope urges convincing witness to Christian unity

December 28, 2012 - Pope Benedict XVI has called for a more convincing witness to unity among Christians in the current situation of instability and violence in the middle east. The Pope made the appeal in a congratulatory message sent to the new head of the Damascus-based Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, Metropolitan John Yazigi, who will assume the name Patriarch John X upon enthronement. The 57-year-old Metropolitan was elected Patriarch on Dec. 17 by the synod at Balamand in the north of Beirut, Lebanon, after the death of Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim on Dec. 5, at the age of 92. Pope Benedict wrote, “We have the responsibility, to walk together in order to manifest in a visible way the spiritual reality of communion, which even though incomplete, already unites us.” The Pontiff also wished that relations between the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Catholic Church develop further through forms of fruitful collaboration and that they pursue their commitments in resolving issues that still divide them, thanks to the active and constructive work of The Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. The Pope assured the new head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch of his prayers for God’s comfort and consolation on the victims of violence in the Middle East and that each one be inspired to acts of peace. The enthronement date of Metropolitan John Yazigi has not been fixed as yet.