Brother Matthew, prior of Taizé: "The road to unity is slow".In the framework of this ecumenical meeting, the Pope delivered a speech on speech He began with the words of the Apostle Peter: "To you grace and peace in abundance" (1 Peter 1:2), as he then pointed out: "With these words of the Apostle Peter I cordially greet you, grateful to His Grace Kyrillos for his kind words and to all of you for your presence and commitment to walk together on the paths of unity, which are also paths of peace".
As a sign of this unity, the Pope mentioned the saints and martyrs, many of whom are shared by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches: "Supported by the saints and martyrs who accompany us united from heaven, let us pray and strive tirelessly for communion and to counteract the lack of peace that plagues so many parts of the earth, including various regions from which you come".
The International Joint Commission
This meeting is being held on the twentieth anniversary of the International Joint Commission for theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the Pope expressed his joy at the presence of a delegation of young priests and monks: "The presence of young people nourishes hope and prayer guides the way!". Francis also recalled the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches, with a special mention of those who visited him last year: Tawadros IIThe Archbishop of Alexandria, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, Catholicos of the Syro-Malankar Orthodox Church, and Ignatius Aphrem II, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.
The Pope recalled that the International Joint Commission held its first meeting in Cairo in January 2004 and that, since then, "it has met almost every year and has adopted three important documents of an ecclesiological nature, reflecting the richness of the Christian traditions that you represent: Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Malankar, Ethiopian, Eritrean and Latin".
On the other hand, the Holy Father indicated that "four delegations of young Eastern Orthodox priests and monks have already come to Rome to get to know the Catholic Church better, at the invitation of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, which I thank, and a delegation of young Catholic priests went to Etchmiadzin last year at the invitation of the Armenian Apostolic Church". Francis pointed out that "involving young people in bringing our churches closer together is a sign of the Spirit, who rejuvenates the Church in harmony, inspires paths of communion." Along these lines, the Pope asked that "this 'dialogue of life'" continue.
Full communion is "urgent and necessary".
Francis pointed out that the "gestures, rooted in the recognition of the one Baptism, are not mere acts of courtesy or diplomacy, but have an ecclesial significance."
Francis expressed his hope that "this anniversary will be an occasion to praise God for the road travelled, remembering with gratitude those who have contributed to it with their theological competence and prayer, and that it will also renew the conviction that full communion between our churches is not only possible, but urgent and necessary 'so that the world may believe' (Jn 17:21)".
Mary, a bridge to the Orthodox Churches
In conclusion, the Pope invited the Commission to entrust its work to Our Lady: "Since the present phase of your dialogue concerns the Virgin Mary in the teaching and life of the Church, I propose that you entrust your work to her, the Holy Mother of God and our Mother.
Also this time we can invoke her together with the words of an ancient prayer, a wonderful prayer that unites us, called in Latin 'Sub tuum praesidium,'" the Pope added, concluding the address with the prayer "Under your protection we take refuge, Holy Mother of God."
