Phanar head: 21st century aims to restore unity between RCC and Orthodoxy

Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew. Photo: fondsk.ru

On November 16, 2021, the head of the Phanariot Archdiocese in the United States, Archbishop Elpidophoros, during a speech at a meeting of RCC bishops, said that, according to Patriarch Bartholomew, the 21st century is a century of restoring unity between the RCC and the Orthodox Church, reports the Сruxnow.com publication.

Archbishop Elpidophoros quoted Patriarch Bartholomew's recent words to him in October this year as he addressed the National Council of Churches in New York: "The future of the ecumenical movement lies in the dialogue of love, in the creation of new symbols and joint action."

The head of Phanar believes that Orthodox and Catholics "need to open their hearts to the language of dialogue, because this is the ultimate condition for restoring Christian unity."

According to Patriarch Bartholomew, whom Elpidophoros quoted to the Catholic bishops, the 20th century was the "time for a growing restoration of relations," while "the 21st century must be a century of restoration of unity."

"This dialogue of love between our fraternal churches is a clear manifestation of our desire for unity, our desire for communion," said the Phanariot hierarch.

At the end of his speech, Archbishop Elpidophoros presented the Cross of St. Sofia, made in Istanbul, to the Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles, Jose Gomez, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote the hierarch of Phanar in the United States called on Catholics and Orthodox to "dialogue of love", while the Pope hopes that the RCC and Phanar will enter into "complete visible unity".

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