Today is the Feast of Saint Peter & Paul. It is traditionally the day in the Roman Church when the metropolitan archbishops come to the Vatican and get the pallium, the woolen symbol of their office. Happens every year. No reason to write about it. Except when the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the titular head of the world's 200 million Orthodox Christians, participates in the service. That is news.
Both the pope and the patriarch processed together, kissed the main altar of St Peter's and sat side by side during the Liturgy of the Word. Both incensed the Gospel books, both received the Gospels from the other's deacons and they read together the Creed (minus the filioque). Of course, when the Liturgy of the Sacrament started, the Patriarch retired to a throne of honor outside of the sanctuary, as the two Churches are not in communion with each other--yet.
This is the closest the two Churches have come in nearly 1000 years. While there is still a long way to travel until the schism is finished, today's actions are a dramatic development on that road to unity. Deo Gratia!
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June 29, 2008
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I hesitate to offer a correction on matters of Vatican liturgy, but I believe the word is "pallium" not "palladium." The former is an ecclesiastical garment; the latter is a metallic element.
Posted by: emsl | June 30, 2008 at 02:59 PM