Focolare Movement

An Appeal for Peace from the Monastery of Halki, Turkey

Nov 28, 2015

Bishops from different Churches meeting on Heybelidad Island, Turkey, call for peace in the Middle East and pray for the reopening of the School of Theology on the island.

20151128MonasteroHalkiThe first part of the Ecumenical Meeting of Bishop Friends of the Focolare concluded on November 27th in the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity on Halki Island. Cardinal Francis Kriengsak evidenced how the unity amongst the different Christian Churches is at the service of the whole human family. “The diversity is a gift and a mutual enrichment,” he said “but that is possible only by listening without judgement, with the dialogue of life, with the sharing of experiences, with an acceptance that brings the different charisms into harmony.” The challenges and particularities of every church concerning pressing issues are contained in this mutual understanding. 20151128JesusMoranIn the morning, Focolare co-president, Jesús Morán, identified several challenges of today’s world, including: globalisation, ultra-modernity, the advent of a piecemeal third world war; and he presented the answers that a culture of unity can give. Quoting from Bishop Klaus Hemmerle, who was a pioneer of the Meeting, he showed the necessity of a listening attitude in today’s world, “Teach me your thought,” Hemmerle would say, “so that I can learn my own proclamation again,” only in this way, claimed Morán, would it be possible to achieve an “inexcusable operation of purification from the religious incrustations” present in our churches. It is these that divide us; the world no longer allows us not only to be disunited, but not even to proclaim the message of Christ as we have up until now. After all, the first Christians did not proclaim a new religion, but a full life, the life they had found in Jesus.”     In the dialogue that followed it was clear how deeply those words entered, and there was a strong desire to smooth the way for full and visible communion. Even though the world scene seems to point to the opposite, the co-president invited everyone to hope: “The world as it is today leads me to be more Christian because of this identification with Jesus crucified who permits me to live the deepest Trinitarian communion with my brothers and sisters.” The bishops learned the history of the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity during their short visit. From 1844 it was a seminary for the formation of Greek Orthodox clergy until 1971 when the Turkey Constitutional Court decided that all private institutes of high education be included in the offer of free public education. The Seminary Council was opposed and the famous school of theology where theologians from around the world studied was closed. In 127 years of activity, 950 students graduated from this school; 330 became bishops; 12 were chosen to be Ecumenical Patriarchs; 2 were elected Patriarchs of Alessandria and 3 from Antioch were ordained priests. The current Abbot of the monastery, Metropolitan Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, gave a presentation titled: “The love of mercy and communion amongst Christians,” an interesting historical reading of the path of dialogue between the Church of the East and the West with a particular mentioning of the role played by Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare, in the rapprochement of the two Churches. 20151128TurchiaVescoviAt the conclusion of the first part of the Meeting, the bishops embraced the appeal of Patriarch Bartholomew I, to pray that the School of Theology might be reopened. They also called for the return of the two bishops in Syria, who were kidnapped in April 2013: Greek Orthodox Bishop of Aleppo, Paul Yazigi, and Syro-Orthodox Archbishop Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim, Bishop Friend of the Focolare and faithful participant at all their gatherings. Now the evening has come and rain is falling lightly on the island. The carts are rolling down the hills carrying a much lighter cargo: brother bishops who are committed to living mutual love so that the Risen Jesus can give his light to the world again. Compiled by: Adriana Avellaneda  

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