Stranica 2 [2]
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Xo0Aol4ás June 32.
- page two ¬
Greek-united rites were liquidated in favor of the Moscow Church and their
priests and officials placed before the dilemma of submission or else
prison and death. Finally the intercommunion or outright absorption of
all sects without open international ties - like some baptists, so-called
Old Catholics, the Czech national Catholics etc. - was the latest development
By now all Orthodox Churches and all Oriental Christians are forcibly
absorbed into one unity that stretches as far as the Soviet territorial
and political influence goes.
However outside of this area, a deep split is now running through
the Orthodox Church. ‘he ailing Patriarch of Constantinople, Maximos V.,
having resigned in 1948, he was replaced by a great figure, Patriarch
Athenagoras who previously had headed the Greek Church in Boston. He is a
great orator and a man outstanding for his politicai integrity. At the end
of the War, for instance, during the communist-led mutiny of the Greck army,
it was Athenagoras, head of all Grecks in the USA, who couragesusly took
position for the King. He thus opposed both the heavy pressure from Moscow
and certain powerful elements of the Roosevelt Administration who favored
a red Republic in Greece and for that reason worked at the overthrow of the
rule of King George. As he was called to Constantinople in 1948, Patriarch
Athsnagoras had to deal with an extremely difficult situation: only a few
kilometers away from his See lay the territories of Russian influence, a ~
powerful giant who had decided to absorb Oriental Christianity by force and
threat. Patriarch Athenagoras saw the salvation of his Church only in
peaceful unification of all the orthodoxs outside the Russian orbit. Despite
strongest Soviet agitation, he approached the patriarchs and metropolitans
of France, Western Germany, the United States, Canada, Hast Asia and Greece.
After greater or lesser difficulties and hesitations, all these groups
re-established old and closest ties with Constantinople. But in view of a
common defense against communistic atheism, Patriarch Athenagorss took the
initiative of af still more important moves, Since 1054 Byganz had broken
with Rome and had proudly called itself the “Second Rome"; since 1453,
with Mohammedan power established in Co:.stantinople, no Patriarch had ever
placed his foot in Byzanz' first sanctuary, the hagia Sofia. fatriarch
Athenagoras decided to discard those casturies-old dissenssions and to work
towards the establishment of a common front of God-believers. e offered
gooperation to the Moslems ana recently - for the first time in 500 years ¬
was allowed although Patriarch to make the gesture of reconciliation and to
enter the hagia Sofia. Wore far-reaching than his talks with Mohammesan
authorities are the opening Patriarch Athenagoras made towards the Vatican.
For the first time after 900 years of separation, a Patriarch of Constan¬
tinopel, - and this already on the day of his inthronization, - spoke of the
most venerable Church of the "older Home", Discussions with the Apostolic
Delegation in Turkey started on a very positive basis of mutual understanding
The ‘sudden death of Msgr.eCassolo interrupteu the series of meetings which
will start again présently with the nomination of Msgr.Bertoli as new
Apostolic Delegate to Constantinopel. Patriarch Athenagoras is powerfully
supported in this direction by the Metropolitan of Neo-Caesarea, Chryssstomg |
who studied in Strsbourg and thus has a keen understanding for Catholicism.
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