Ecumenical Patriarch praises World Council of Churches at 70th anniversary event

Geneva, June 22, 2018

Photo: oikoumene.org Photo: oikoumene.org
    

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered a homily at Geneva’s Protestant St. Pierre Cathedral on June 17 in honor of the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches in which he called for continuing efforts towards unity, justice, and peace, reports the site of the World Council of Churches (WWC).

The ecumenical service was held in French and English, with hymns and prayers in many languages.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate was one of the founding members of the WCC in 1948, which today unites 350 Protestant, Orthodox, and other churches, representing more than 550 million Christians in more than 120 countries around the world.

As Pat. Bartholomew recalled in his homily, it was the Ecumenical Patriarchate that released an encyclical in 1920 calling for a “League of Churches” on the model of the League of Nations. This vision eventually grew into the WCC.

Pat. Bartholomew opened his homily by quoting the Constitution and Rules of the WCC, which states that the organization “confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the scriptures and therefore seek(s) to fulfil together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

“We celebrate a long common pilgrimage on the path to unity, Christian witness, and the commitment to justice, peace, and the preservation of creation,” the patriarch said during his homily, praising the WCC’s efforts to face the relevant challenges of the day.

He also urged dialogue, patience and openness to overcome differences and difficulties that had arisen since the WCC was founded.

“This activity in the world must be based on our shared prototype of the new man in Christ – an ecclesial experience and vocation that the faithful must live out. Thus, by words and deeds, in ways visible and invisible, the World Council of Churches must proclaim through its witness Christ, and Christ alone,” the patriarch emphasized.

Read the patriarch’s full homily here.

Before he became Ecumenical Patriarch in 1991, His All-Holiness served on the WCC’s Faith and Order Commission and as a member of the WCC’s central and executive committees. He also studied at the WCC’s Ecumenical Institute in Bossey near Geneva.

Follow us on Facebook!

6/22/2018

See also
Pochaev Lavra calls on Russian Church to withdraw from World Council of “churches” Pochaev Lavra calls on Russian Church to withdraw from World Council of “churches” Pochaev Lavra calls on Russian Church to withdraw from World Council of “churches” Pochaev Lavra calls on Russian Church to withdraw from World Council of “churches”
The brethren of the Holy Dormition Lavra in Pochaev, Ukraine addressed a letter to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the hierarchs of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church which met in Moscow from November 29 to December 2, calling for the Russian Church to withdraw from the “World Council of ‘churches’” and to cease participating in ecumenical activities in general. Patriarch Bartholomew emphasizes ecumenical agenda at recent WCC address Patriarch Bartholomew emphasizes ecumenical agenda at recent WCC address Patriarch Bartholomew emphasizes ecumenical agenda at recent WCC address Patriarch Bartholomew emphasizes ecumenical agenda at recent WCC address
The patriarch focused on Constantinople’s historical involvement in the ecumenical movement and last year’s Cretan Council’s place in that work, and also commented on environmental and children’s rights issues. Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches Address of Metropolitan Benjamin of Vladivostok and Primorsk on Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches
April 19, St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, hosted the conference: “The Pan-Orthodox Council: Opinions and Expectations.” Taking part in the work of the conference were prominent bishops, clergy, and laity. Among those called to take part in the conference was one of the most authoritative hierarchs of our Church, Metropolitan Benjamin (Pushkar) of Vladivostok and Primorsk, head of the Primorsk Metropolia. However Vladyka was not able to be present in Moscow, but sent his judgment-presentation to the conference concerning those themes which most concerned him. A photocopy of the document was given to each conference participant. As the opinion of Vladyka Benjamin is important for many children of our Church, we offer this document to the reader’s attention, written in the form of an address to the rector of the university, Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyev.

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×