The Pope – to Phanar delegates: Our goal is fullness of communion

Pope Francis and Archbishop Job (Getcha). Photo: Vatican News

The goal of the dialogue with the Orthodox is complete unity, Pope Francis addressed the members of the delegation of the Church of Constantinople, which was led by the Archbishop Job (Getcha) of Telmessos.

“As Bishop of Rome, I want to reaffirm that, for us Catholics, the purpose of dialogue is full communion in legitimate forms of diversity, not a monotonous levelling, much less absorption,” the online edition Vatican News of the head of the Roman Catholic Church reported.

Pope Francis acknowledged that he sees the possibility of restoring full union between Catholic and Orthodox faithful through "respect for specific identities and harmonious coexistence in legitimate forms of diversity".

“The Holy Spirit creatively awakens the diversity of gifts, harmonizes them and leads to the true unity, not a homogeneity, but a symphony of many voices of merciful love,” he said.

He called to reciprocate roots, the good that the Lord sowed and developed in each of the Churches and not to be afraid of dialogue and specific cooperation during further joint meetings.

“In this sincere transparency pleasing to the Lord, we will meet and try to better appreciate our identity. We will grow in knowledge and mutual affection. We will feel that for all the differences, in fact, there is much more that unites us and inspires us to move forward together,” concluded Pope Francis.

Recall the delegation of the Patriarchate of Constantinople arrived in the Vatican on June 27, 2019 on the occasion of the triumph of Sts Peter and Paul. The Orthodox delegation at the Vatican was led by Archbishop Job (Getcha) of Telmessos, a representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople at the World Council of Churches and a co-chairman of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches. The delegates of Phanar met not only with the Pope, but also with representatives of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.

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