Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Pope Will Visit Patriarch Bartholomew on Nov. 28; Cath.-Orth. Dialogue May Lead to Christian Unity

Reunification of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches could be near, an Orthodox spokesman said, as Pope Francis prepares his visit to Turkey on November 28, the Catholic News website reports today (November 25, 2014).

Pope Francis' meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Eastern Orthodox Church will be the latest effort to heal the millenium-old schism of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Christian Church split into Western (Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches in 1054 AD in what is called the Great Schism.

Pope Francis is expected to meet privately with Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew -- spiritual leader of the world's Eastern Orthodox Christians -- during his November 28-30 trip.

Dositheos Ananostopoulos -- spokesman of Istanbul's Orthodox Church -- said that the meeting of the heads of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches indicates that the "reunification of both churches" could be near.

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