The address of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during the solemn session of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Romania was profound and rich in messages to all directions.
In his remarks, the Ecumenical Patriarch reflected on the history of the Church, the significance of the Ecumenical Councils, the hierarchical structure of the Church, and the blessed institution of the Pentarchy.
“Within this sacred order,” he emphasized, “the Archbishop of Constantinople has been appointed as its servant and minister.”
He added that each of his predecessors who ascended the Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople has faithfully and consistently served this honor, and that the exercise of the responsibilities of this office has firmly established and confirmed in practice the preeminent position of the Archbishop of Constantinople within the Church.
The Ecumenical Patriarch further emphasized that the Church of Constantinople has never perceived her role as one of privilege or authority, but rather as a ministry of service dedicated to teaching, nurturing, and strengthening the structures of ecclesiastical life.
“All this,” he noted, “has been done without pride or self-exaltation, for the Church of Constantinople has never felt nor acted as a ruler, but as a true mother to the children entrusted to her by the Church.”
He also referred to the “hasty changes within Orthodox life” that took place mainly during the 19th century, noting that the Mother Church of Constantinople “knew how to turn bitterness into sweetness, and necessity into a virtue — demonstrating through her patience and forbearance that she truly is and remains the common Mother of all Orthodox Christians.”
In this way, the Ecumenical Patriarch continued, beyond all errors and ethnocentric perceptions of ecclesiastical matters, the Mother Church had the courage to address and resolve the difficult situations that arose.
He spoke further about the importance of autocephaly within the local Orthodox Churches, stressing that this ecclesiastical arrangement exists to serve the Church. “It neither precedes the Church nor stands above her — and most certainly, it cannot exist independently of her,” he affirmed.
He further underscored the vital importance of the Church’s canonical structure. “After so many years,” he said, “it should be clear that nothing positive has come from replacing ecclesiastical criteria based on parishes with those based on ethnicity. It is inconceivable, and in many ways far removed from the spirit of faith, that there should exist so many Orthodox bishops within the same region, all in ecclesiastical communion with one another.
We cannot justify the unjustifiable with new terminology or verbal acrobatics. Nor can we pass down to the Church of tomorrow, as though it were tradition, what is in fact an error. True tradition is only what is right and sound — not what must be discarded.”
He also responded to the “disorderly voices” arising in certain Churches, which claim that the Mother Church has somehow lost her responsibility.
“If what they assert were true,” he said, “then how could these Churches even exist? Their very institutional foundation and structure exist solely thanks to the tireless providence of the Great Church of Christ.”
He went on to explain that those who make such claims “undermine themselves and contribute negatively to the present life of the Church.”
“Yet we do not fear for the future,” he continued, “for the Holy Spirit, which constitutes the very being of the Church, will separate the weeds from the wheat and preserve the bread of life pure.
We regret that we must point these things out, but we cannot remain silent before the erroneous notion that the Archbishop of Constantinople has lost the right of appeal (ekkliton) and the responsibilities that stem from it.”
Photos: Nikos Papachristou
