Retrieve

Published by The National Herald, November 5, 2004

Patriarch to Retrieve Holy Relics

By Theodore Kalmoukos
Special to The National Herald

BOSTON, Mass. – His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be traveling to Rome on November 26 in order to retrieve the holy relics of Saints John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian, two of the Orthodox Church’s Three Hierarchs (St. Basil the Great being the third).

The relics will be returned to the Greek Orthodox after a recent decision of Pope John Paul II.

The holy relics of the above-named Saints were taken from Constantinople when Latin Crusaders sacked the city during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. The relics have since then been kept at St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Patriarch will be traveling to Rome with Olympic Airways, accompanied by hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, as well as other clergy. The Vatican’s nuncio (i.e., ambassador) to Ankara is also reportedly traveling with the patriarchal delegation.

During his last visit to the Vatican at the end of June (to celebrate the feast day – June 29 – of Rome’s patron Saints, the Apostles Peter and Paul), the Patriarch himself raised the issue directly with the Pope.

On September 8, the Pope sent a letter, which was written in Greek, informing the Patriarch that he would not be able to participate in the celebration of the feast day of Constantinople’s patron Saint, Andrew the Apostle (founder of the Church of Constantinople, according to tradition), on November 30.

The ailing Pontiff’s frail health is considered the main impediment to the anticipated, but now cancelled, papal visit.

In the same letter, the Pope told the Patriarch that he decided to return the holy relics of Sts. John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian.

"Unfortunately, my dear and most respected brother, despite my willingness, I will not be able to accept your invitation of the proposed date. A variety of circumstances are forcing me to postpone the joy of our meeting with Your Holiness and the members of Your Holy Synod," the Pope wrote.

"I am in the most happy position to announce to you that I will honor your request expressed to me, and I will offer the holy relics, as a sacred gesture and offering, the holy relics of your predecessors, the holy Patriarchs, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian," the Pope added.

Gregory and Chrysostom were the Patriarchs of Constantinople in 379-381 and 398-403, respectively.

In his letter, the Pope cited that "the holy relics have been treasured at St. Peter’s Basilica near the tomb of St. Peter, brother of St. Andrew."

The Pope also expressed the wish that "the blessed day will come soon when our disagreements will be surpassed so we may commune with the Holy Body and drink from the same Holy Chalice of the Eucharist."

An official ceremony is expected to take place at the Vatican on November 27 at 11 AM, during which the Pope will hand the holy relics over to the Patriarch.

The Ecumenical Patriarch sent a letter to all Orthodox Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches asking them to each send representatives to Constantinople for the welcoming ceremonies of the two Saints to their original See: "The welcoming of the Saints should be Pan-Orthodox, as it is fitting to the historical significance of this sacred event," the Patriarchate stated in its official communiqué.



Volume 6 Number 45 - Tuesday, November 9th, 2004	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY