It seems that the Greeks and the Latins we are very close to a true Ferrara-Florence

[Paulos Melas]

"Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios to visit Pope Benedict XVI in March

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios is expected to visit Pope Benedict XVI on March 6, Vatican sources said yesterday. The patriarch’s planned visit is scheduled to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the foundation of a Vatican institute that instructs senior priests in matters of Orthodox theology and the operation of churches in Eastern Europe. Vartholomaios attended the institute as a student. The patriarch has met the pope several times since the latter’s appointment in April 2005."

Apparently we are reaching to some short of mutual understanding with the Roman-Catholics, and apparently we are just a breath away from reunification.
Interesting times the one we live at, aren t they?

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w.../01/2008_91912

[akritas]

We must not forget that according to Patriarch, the Pope’s visit to the seat of Orthodoxy was of great symbolic and historical importance. To those who would downplay its significance, he counters that it is “a decisive step in restoring normal and fraternal relations.”

Pope's visit to the seat of the Orthodox Church was taking place during a period when the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Christians living in Turkey are facing a daily struggle for their human rights and religious freedom.

So Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios and Pope Benedict will continue te talks about the significance of theological dialogue between the churches and of course Vatican send also poltical messages as about the Role of the Phanari .

[Tsontos]

What significance would it have today though? And what about the Serbs, Russians, Armenians etc. ? I cant see the Serbs ever wanting reunification. Surely it would just be a "Greek-Papal" unification?

[Paulos Melas]

First of all the Armenians are not eastern orthodox, they are monophysists. They are part of Oriental prechalcydonian Churches along with the Copts the Syriacs and the ethiopians. So we are equally in dialogue with them as we are with Rome.
All eastern orthodoxy including Serbia, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia etc. are very keen for the reunification process - despite the russian concerns for the strenthening of the ecumenical role of the Phanar, and the new position the ec patriarch has start enjoying again as the Head of the East similar to what is the Holy Pope for the West.
So the russians are concerned by the shadowing of the importance of the other patriarchs who nonetheless are equally head of their own churches and the reintroduction of the ancient Pentarchy which includes one Latin bishop (Rome) and four Greek ones (Constatinople,Alexandria,Antioch, Jerusalem) but no slavs.
The Schism between east and west was in fact justfied based on the mutual anathema of Rome and Constatinople, and the inclusion of the fillioque clause by the Latins.
The anathema is lifted 40 years ago, and should the fillioque is finally ommited then Orthodoxy will proceed rapidly in the act of union.
A union that shall strenthen the position of the Phanar in Turkey and shall create a massive communion that will enable both east and west to face the new challenges easier and more effective.

[Tsontos]

There's much less chance of a reconciliation with the Armenians given monophysites have major doctrinal differences with us while the Catholic-Orthodox differences are pretty insigificant in terms of doctrine.

[Draco]

Originally Posted by Tsontos

I cant see the Serbs ever wanting reunification. Surely it would just be a "Greek-Papal" unification?

This is not possible, it has to be a pan-Orthodox unification with consent from all Orthodox synods. If just Greeks unite then other Orthodox will break communion with them; essentially Greeks will have become Uniates and everyone else will have remained Orthodox.

In my opinion, unification will never happen. The Pope demands to be recognized as the monarch of the church and the Orthodox will never give up their ancient system of equal bishop synods (which are basically a self-perpetuating oligarchy).

In the unlikely event that a a miraculous compromise formula can be found, the Serbs will not refuse. The Serbian bishops have a duty to act for the good of the universal church and will certainly not block it for everyone else for the sake of jingoism.

[Draco]

Originally Posted by Tsontos

There's much less chance of a reconciliation with the Armenians given monophysites have major doctrinal differences with us while the Catholic-Orthodox differences are pretty insigificant in terms of doctrine.

Quite the opposite, we are much closer to the Armenians and there are more differences with Catholics (the role of the Pope, filioque, mode of baptism, the kind of bread to be used in the Eucharist...).

Here is a report on ecumenical progress.

...είναι πολλά τα χρόνια που διεξάγονται διάλογοι των Ορθοδόξων με τους Ρωμαιοκαθολικούς, τους Παλαιοκαθολικούς τους Διαμαρτυρόμενους, τους Αγγλικανούς, τους Προχαλκηδονίους... Ο Θεολογικός Διάλογος με τους Ρωμαιοκαθολικούς έχει σταματήσει κι ελπίζεται ότι προσεχώς θα επαναρχίσει. Δυστυχώς ενώ ήταν εν εξελίξει προεκλήθη το πρόβλημα της Ουνίας κυρίως εις την δικαιοδοσία του Πατριαρχείου της Μόσχας και ακόμη τα υπάρχοντα τραύματα δεν έχουν επουλωθεί. Ο διάλογος με τους Αγγλικανούς απέκτησε ένα ακόμη στοιχείο δυσχερές με την απόφαση της ιερωσύνης των γυναικών. Ο διάλογος με τους Προχαλκηδονίους θεωρητικά έχει ολοκληρωθεί, αλλά μέχρι της ενώσεως υπάρχει ακόμη μακρύς δρόμος.

I don't understand something though, if dialogue with the Pre-Chalcedonians (Armenians, Ethiopians, Copts etc) is complete, then why is unification so far away?

[PhiliptheUniterchaeronea]

Doesn't our Church consider the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), first amongst equals?

[Tsontos]

Originally Posted by Draco

(the role of the Pope, filioque, mode of baptism, the kind of bread to be used in the Eucharist...).

These things surely are insignificant compared with the difference over the [dual] nature of the Christ which both we and the catholics have with the monophysites?

As far as I understand it, in late Byzantine times, reconciliation with the monophysites was viewed as a lost and impossible cause; not so with the catholics.

[Victor]

Originally Posted by PhiliptheUniterchaeronea

Doesn't our Church consider the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), first amongst equals?

Correct