Catholic World News : Pope, Orthodox Patriarch join in prayer

Catholic World News : Pope, Orthodox Patriarch join in prayer

News of positive relations between Rome and Constantinople (as well as the other ancient Churches of the East not presently in communion with the Holy See) is always encouraging. Restoring that bond of unity again would be of immense importance for Christendom.

Pope, Orthodox Patriarch join in prayer

Vatican, Mar. 6, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople met and prayed together at the Vatican on March 6.

After a brief conversation, the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch went to the Urban VII chapel of the apostolic palace for a time of prayer, saying the Lord's Prayer together in Latin.

The Orthodox patriarch was in Rome to join in ceremonies marking the 90th anniversary of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Patriarch Bartholomew was a student there in the 1960s, earning a doctorate before his ordination to the Orthodox priesthood in 1969.

Pope Benedict and Patriarch Bartholomew, who have pledged their joint efforts toward the restoration of full Christian unity, were meeting for the 3rd time since the Pope was elected to Peter's throne in 2005...