Bishop Serafin from Moscow: The Dialogue Between the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church on the Path to Unity
Fot. Tomasz Koryszko/KUL
We must always remember that, despite all our differences, we are brothers. Through the dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, we can reach an agreement, and where necessary, reconciliation, emphasizes Bishop Serafin Amielniczenkov from Moscow, director of the Orthodox Church’s Synodal Office for Youth in Russia, who was a guest of the VI Congress of Christian Culture in Lublin.
Referring to the keyword of the Congress, which took place on Thursday and Friday at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Bishop Serafin emphasized that dialogue is a discussion between two interlocutors, which leads to getting to know a person through contact with him.
“What the Orthodox and Catholic Church do in ecumenical dialogue makes it possible for us to always speak together, to look at each other, and come to agreement through dialogue, and reconciliation where necessary. May we find a path to the unity announced by Jesus Christ, saying in our prayer to the Father: let them all be one,” said the Orthodox bishop in an interview for TV KUL
The director of the Orthodox Church’s Synodal Office for Youth in Russia added that a “good terrain” for continuing the dialogue between Russians and Poles is the first document in history containing a message of the Catholic Churches in Poland and the Orthodox Church in Russia. This message was signed in August 2012, in Warsaw, by the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Cyril, and the then chairman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Józef Michalik.
Dialog jest poszukiwaniem drogi ku jedności. Orędzie podpisane w 2012 r. przez patriarchę Moskwy i całej Rusi Cyryla oraz ówczesnego przewodniczącego @EpiskopatNews abp. Józefa Michalika, jest przestrzenią, która może pomóc go rozwijać – mówi prawosławny bp Serafin z Moskwy. pic.twitter.com/liy8dHW7aq
— KUL, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (@KUL_Lublin) October 17, 2020
“We must always remember the words that, despite all the differences, we are brothers. Now, where does this brotherhood originate? How can it be understood and introduced into our contemporary life, first among young people? We must remember that we are first and foremost Christians, believers with the same faith in Christ. From this faith, one must draw trust and love for oneself. This is the basis of all cooperation. If we have these significant and important Christian qualities, we will have a future as well,” emphasized Bishop Seraphim.
He added that we are currently living in a difficult and complicated time, in which we have to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. “The Orthodox Church in Russia and the Catholic Church in Poland are both going through a moment that deeply affects their lives. First and foremost, we must adapt to activities at a distance, including education, youth work, and whatever the Church is doing today. Of course, this is a challenge, and, in some ways, it hinders the Church’s mission; but despite the coronavirus crisis, we must remember that no problems or difficulties we are struggling with can hinder our witness for Christ,” said the Orthodox bishop from Moscow.
He noted that, despite the difficulties due to the coronavirus, the Orthodox Church in Russia is trying to conduct programs related to theological education and work with youth.
The authors of the 2012 message called on the faithful to “ask forgiveness for harm, injustices, and any wrong inflicted on one another.” “Every Pole should see a friend and brother in every Russian and every Russian in every Pole,” we read in the document.
Bishop Seraphim took part in the IV Congress of Christian Culture in Lublin upon the invitation of Archbishop Stanisław Budzik, Archishop Metropolitan of Lublin and Rev. prof. Mirosław Kalinowski, rector of John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.
Kochany polskifr;fr ten portal jest dla Polakow we Francji i na to dostaje pieniadze z Polskiego Senatu, wiec prosze skupic sie na zamieszczaniu tu artykulow po polsku i francusku i zaprzestac publikacji artykulow po angielsku, wlosku, hiszpansku itp.
Dziekuje z gory.