Concerning the Pope's Historic Visit to Romania
The following, from one of Romania's foremost daily newspapers, gives rather clear
evidence of the integrity and indispensability of the True (Old
Calendar) Orthodox Church of Romania. At a time when Orthodox tradition is being
eroded by Western thought and ideologies, and when even some traditionalist Orthodox pine
for "officialdom" (one wonders what the Apostles would have thought of such a
passion!), the official Romanian Orthodox Church boldly receives the Pope of Rome. It was
in the hands of Greek Catholicism that the Romanian Old Calendarists were first persecuted
and slaughtered, long before the advent of the communist yoke; and yet the Patriarch,
himself accused of communist collaboration, treats the the visit of the Pope as a sign of
hope for Christian unity.
Now that American religious leaders are calling us Orthodox murderers and rapists, talk of
religious unity (a desirable goal of course, if it is based on reunion by a return to the
Christian criteria preserved within Orthodoxy) should fall on deaf ears. That the Pope and
the Patriarch of Romania should open their mouths about Christian unity in a country where
the blood of Orthodox traditionalists stains its very soil is a travesty. "Unity" which is nothing more than a vulgar chase by
Orthodox leaders after earthly power, at the cost of Orthodox disunity, is shameful. One
need not mention the role of the Vatican in the tragic history of the Balkans, where much
of what is happening today can be traced to Papal intrigue and betrayal. While this
betrayal is forgotten in Romania, on its borders innocent Serbian civilians are dying
because of the consequences of that very same betrayal.
What a sad and vulgar display. Perhaps those who so love "officialdom" and
"world Orthodoxy," and who are not as diligent as they might be in the
resistance movement against the contemporary prostitution of the Christian way through
ecumenism, should reflect on the words below. They tell us much about where toadies can
quickly lead the ignorant in the name of power.
+ Bishop Auxentios,
Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies
+ + +
The following is the translation offered by the periodical in question.
Revisions have not been made to the curious English usage.
From the MONITORUL, 8 May 1999 (new style)
The Pope will kiss today the Romanian land
The meeting between Patriarch Teoctist and Pope John Paul the 2nd represents the first
step after 1000 years towards the restoration of the Christian unity. This day may become
one of the most important in Romania's history and even of the whole world.
Almost one millenium of clear separation between the Catholic and the Orthodox
Christians will be made history today at 12:00 a.m., when Pope John Paul the 2nd will step
on the ground of Romania. The visit of today is the first one of a Vatican official in
this part of Europe in the last 2000 years, as well as the first visit of a holly pontiff
in a majority Orthodox country.
As he always did when he arrived in a foreign country, the Pope will kiss today the
Romanian land immediately after getting off the airplane.
The All-happy Father Teoctist, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, hopes that
the Pope's visit in Romania will lead to an improvement of the dialogue between the two
Christian Churches. "Being the work of the Holly Spirit, this meeting will guarantee
that we will work further and will do more in the next millenium. The theological dialogue
must be crowned with facts and the Churches must continue these dialogues with courage.
May the light of the resurrection and of our meeting guide our way in the next millenium,
too", the All-happy father Teoctist said.
Premier Radu Vasile declared in his turn that the Pope's visit would confirm the fact
that Romania "has adopted the right path of the western values, keeping also the
Orthodox tradition." He also said that the visit is a historical event determined by
the value represented by Romania and the Romanian people. "Romania is a country that
plays an important role in Europe and deserves to be supported in its efforts. This is the
message that I will transmit to Pope John Paul the 2nd at the Sunday meeting", Vasile
declared.
The politicians consider the Pope's visit an important event for Romania.
Ion Diaconescu, president of the National Christian Democratic Peasant Party
(PNTCD): "The visit of Pope John Paul the 2nd in Romania is a major event which
increases the country's prestige and credibility. The coming of the Holly Pontiff in
Romania might represent also a step forward for the unification of the Christian Churches.
Mircea Ionescu0quintus, president of the National Liberal Party (PNL): "The
Pope's visit represents the Catholic Church's acknowledgement of the Romanian Orthodox
Church's importance and means peace between the Orthodox and the Catholics in
Romania."
Ghiorghi Prisacaru, senator of the Social Democracy Party of Romania (PDSR),
president of the Foreign Affairs Commission: "The visit of the Pope is a historical
moment for the Christianity, as well as for the relations between Romania and
Vatican."
Sever Mesca, deputy of the Great Romania Party (PRM): "The Pope's visit is a very
important moment for Romania. I think we are on the right path towards the rapprochement
between the Orthodox and the Catholic Churches."
+ + +
Pope John Paul II: "Unity will come when the Holy Father has humbly brought all
Christians back to the Apostolic See." Rome, 1987. Perhaps his vision is not a dream,
after all:
AP News Service
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Pope John Paul II pushed ahead Sunday with efforts to break
down barriers that divide Christianity, calling on Orthodox Christians in Romania to
"exchange the embrace of peace."
In the first visit by a Roman pontiff to a mainly Orthodox country in nearly 1,000
years, the pope embraced Romania's Orthodox patriarch and declared the time has come
to put "every form of fear and suspicio" between their churches behind
them.
The pope's three-day trip to Romania was also seen as a launching pad for John
Paul's ambitious plans: a meeting with the patriarch of Russia, leader of the
largest Orthodox church, and a trip to Moscow.
"The first time is always the hardest," papal spokesman
Joaquin Navarro-Valls said Sunday.
The Romania trip "had more than opened the door" for better relations with
Moscow, he said. "It's a breakthrough."
But he said there were still no concrete plans for a meeting with Moscow Patriarch
Alexy II, who torpedoed a planned meeting with the pope at the last minute two years
ago.
In a significant gesture by John Paul, Romanian Patriarch Teoctist
announced the pope contributed an unspecified amount of money for construction of a
massive Orthodox basilica in Bucharest.
Orthodox clergy have frequently accused the Vatican of spending its money to build
its own churches and to convert Orthodox believers.
Some 100,000 people filled Union Square in the heart of Bucharest for the Orthodox
service, the first such open-air service by the Orthodox church here. Most attending
were Orthodox, but there were small groups of Catholics scattered in the crowd.
Later in the day, Patriarch Teoctist attended a Roman Catholic Mass in a park, the
pope's last public event before returning to Rome. At least 200,000 people turned
out, most coming to Bucharest from Catholic areas in northern Transylvania.
In his afternoon homily, the pope said that until recently it would have been
"unthinkable" for a Roman pontiff to visit Romania. "Today, after a
long winter of suffering and persecution, we can finally exchange the embrace of
peace and together praise the Lord."
At the end of the Mass, John Paul invited the Romanian patriarch to visit him at the
Vatican. Hearing these words, the crowd responded, shouting repeatedly: "Unity!
Unity!"
Dozens of people passed out from heat exhaustion and not eating, doctors said. Others sung
and murmured prayers, and a wooden fence collapsed as people surged forward to get a
better view of the pope.
John Paul's trip was the first by a Roman pontiff to a mainly Orthodox country since the
Eastern church definitively broke from Rome in the Great Schism of 1054.
The Polish-born pope, who will be 79 on May 18, has made reconciliation among
Christians a principal goal for the start of Christianity's third millennium.
"I express the hope that Christians will find themselves, if not fully united,
closer to full communion,'' the pope said earlier in the day.
In line with John Paul's frequent calls for Christians to recognize their sins of
the past, the patriarch said Christians must recognize their responsibilities
"for the suffering, the madness and the mistakes that they have provoked in the
world over the centuries."
The 84-year-old patriarch, wearing white robes and a Byzantine miter, presided at
the Divine Liturgy. John Paul followed the liturgy seated on the altar, then
addressed the crowd at the end.
John Paul, weakened by ailments over the years, leaned on his silver
staff for support during the 3{-hour service. He walked away slowly, giving his
blessing as the crowd waved tiny Romanian and Vatican flags, but appeared to be
bearing up. He departed for Rome on Sunday night.
At the start of Sunday's service, Orthodox priests prayed for an end to the war in
nearby Kosovo and for the hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians who have been
forced to flee their homes.
+ + +
Bucharest, the pole of Christianity
Evenimentul zilei, Friday, May 7, 1999
by Corneliu Ciocan
Today in Romania arrives, in an
ecumenical visit, Pope John Paul the Second. It is for the first time after the
Great Schism in 1054 that a Pope sets foot on Orthodox soil. The event, of
crucial importance for the history of Christianity, is a proof of the opening
shown by the two sister churches, who have surpassed most of the dogmatic and
diplomatic obstacles. The Papal visit takes place on a special day when the
"Appearance of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem" is celebrated (Orthodox
calendar, New style).
During the Holy liturgy held by the
Pope, the Metropolitan of Moldova will serve instead of the Patriarch.
A last minute change in the schedule of
the Bucharest Papal visit regards His Holiness Teoctist attending the Holy
liturgy held by the Pope at Saint Joseph cathedral on Saturday, May 8, at 10.30.
Because of the very tight schedule and
his religious duties, the Romanian Patriarch has delegated this ceremony to His
Holiness Daniel, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, as the official
representative of the Orthodox Church. His Holiness Daniel, the first in
importance among the High Hierarchs of the Holy Synod after the Patriarch, comes
from a new generation of Romanian Orthodox hierarchy, and is renowned both in
the country and abroad for his charisma, culture and pastoral qualities. The
Orthodox tradition followed for almost fifty years says that the chosen one in
the seat of Moldova and Bucovina will be the succesor for the patriarchal throne
and sceptre.
A note from the Center for Traditionalist
Orthodox Studies: Daniel is not only an outspoken ecumenist, but he considers
communion with Rome one of the most important goals of Orthodoxy. He and his
other "new generation" of clergymen were, of course, very much beloved
by the communist regime. Their reputations as sycophants under the atheist government
has now transferred to their role as advocates of religious syncretism.
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