Orthodox Patriarchs in show of harmony

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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Patriarch Bartholomew said Patriarch Kirill’s visit had a holy meaning. "Your visit designates not only the unshakable bond between the two churches, but also our unity over the inalterable rules of the Orthodox Church," the Anatolia news agency quoted Bartholomew, a Turkish citizen of Greek ethnicity, as saying. "The fact that we held Sunday prayers together is a clear sign of our unity."

Relations between the two Orthodox churches have been strained in the past because churches in some former Soviet states, including Estonia, have broken away from the Russian Orthodox Church and tried to pledge allegiance to Bartholomew instead. Churches in Istanbul and Moscow recently vowed to overcome their differences and achieve greater unity.

"Our existence as a church is for humankind and the universe, not for our self-interest. Hence, we cannot neglect others that are outside of the Orthodox Church just because we have detected the truth," Bartholomew said. "On the basis of this reality, I would like to express my joy in the Russian Orthodox Church’s participation in all the theological debates." He also expressed his wish for peace and prosperity for all of humankind. "We hope that our unity, which was crowned with the Sunday prayer that we have just finished, will give all peoples the hope of peace and love, irrespective of their ethnicity and races," he said.

The two patriarchs held bilateral discussions Saturday and the Associated Press quoted Bartholomew as saying that although they "have had problems," ties remain cordial.

After the talks, Kirill expressed his happiness at visiting Russia’s "good neighbor and ally" Turkey, adding that he had the opportunity to convey his regards to Turkish people with this visit.

Bartholomew said he has known Kirill for a long time, adding that they had cooperated with each other on common issues concerning the Orthodox churches. "We sometimes had problems, yet relations between us and our churches have always been friendly," he said. "The bilateral discussion that we held for two hours was pursued in the same friendly atmosphere. We desire that these bilateral discussions will be both beneficial for the Orthodox community and contribute to the maintenance of peace."

Kirill responded to a question about Russia’s attempts to open a Russian church in the southern city of Antalya by noting that many Russian citizens come to Turkey and marry Turks. Kirill added said he would like to have talks with Turkish authorities about religious tourism, saying that people would be able to worship in the way they desire if conditions become suitable.

Kirill is also set to hold talks in the capital city of Ankara today.