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Published
by the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,
November 28, 2004
Relics
of Holy Church Fathers Restored to their
Original Resting Place -- A Postive Step
Towards Reconciliation and Unity Between the
Orthodox and Roman-Catholic Churches |
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CONSTANTINOPLE -
The day of November 27, 2004 will forever mark a
new beginning in the calendar of the two great
cities Rome and Constantinople and will be a focus
and a reference point in the history of
Christianity.
On this day the holy and sacred relics of St. John
Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian were
restored to their rightful place from which they
were forcibly taken 800 years ago by the crusaders
of the 4th crusade in 1204.
In a special ecumenical service held in St.
Peter’s Basilica, Pope John Paul II returned the
relics of these most revered saints of Orthodoxy,
to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in an event
that His All Holiness described as the “source of
rejoicing and jubilation.”
“A holy act is taking place today in which an
ecclesiastical anomaly and injustice committed
eight centuries ago is being rectified. This
brotherly gesture on the part of the senior Church
of Rome confirms that in the Church of Christ
there are no insurmountable obstacles when love,
justice and peace converge in the holy service of
reconciliation and unity,” said His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his address to
the Pope during the service.
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America read
in the original Greek, the letter of St. John
Chrysostom to Pope Innoccentius I, written in the
early 5th century.
During the solemn service the relics of the two
saints were brought in front of the altar in their
alabaster encasements and were ceremoniously
turned over to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica was attended
by hundreds of faithful from around the world
including a delegation of Greek Orthodox pilgrims
from the United States led by Archbishop Demetrios.
Dr. Anthony Limberakis and John Halecky
represented the Archons of the “Order of St.
Andrew the Apostle,” who have embarked to a
spiritual odyssey to the Ecumenical Patriarchate,
which will also take them to Ankara, Smyrna and
Ephesus.
An aircraft carrying the holy relics and
accompanied by the Ecumenical Patriarch, His
Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America,
Archbishop Gregory of Thyateira, Metropolitan
Chrysostomos of Myra and Metropolitan Anthimos of
Alexandroupolis left Rome, crossed the Adriatic
sea, flew over northern Greece and landed in
Constantinople bringing the relics of the two
Archbishops of Constantinople back to the city of
their See of which they had presided as
Archbishops and Patriarchs.
The scene was reminiscent of the Resurrection
services as hundreds of faithful holding lit
candles, filled the patriarchal compound in the
Phanar and awaited the arrival of His All Holiness
and the holy relics. Hymns of doxology were
chanted, bells tolled joyfully and His All
Holiness with the holy relics led the procession
through the courtyard to the Patriarchal Cathedral
of St. George, encircled the altar three times and
then placed the holy relics on his throne in honor
of the two great fathers of the church who have
preceded him in the throne of the Church of
Constantinople.
“When we approach and venerate the holy relics
with piety we become participants in divine grace
and in the gifts of the holy spirit,” the
Ecumenical Patriarch said in his message, which
was read in English by Fr. Alexander Karloutsos.
The doxology services were attended by an official
delegation from the Vatican that traveled with the
Ecumenical Patriarch from Rome headed by Walter
Cardinal Kasper, the chairman of the Pontifical
Council for Christian Unity.
On Tuesday Nov. 30, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople celebrates the feast of its patron
saint and founder St. Andrew, the first-called
Apostle of Christ. His All Holiness Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew will preside over the Divine
Liturgy with the participation of many hierarchs,
heads of autocephalous Orthodox Churches around
the world. During the Liturgy the holy relics will
be enshrined in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St.
George.
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