This evening I hap hazardly came across this passage on wikipedia.


equally unpopular[citation needed] to both Orthodox and the Papacy was his acceptance of the special relationship that exists between the Orthodox, specifically Greek, and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, wherein the Melkites never severed their ties with the Orthodox[citation needed], and consider their church an especially unique bridge between the separated Churches due to its Patriarchal nature, and the culture of the Near East where the East-West Schism is treated by the laity and many clergy as if it had never happened.


Does anyone know of anywhere I can find more information about this specific Patriarchs action or view ?

Thanks

David

Dewi,

Can you give a link to the particular wikipedia article?

Many years,

Neil

Here it is . wikipedia source

David,

Sorry, I was tired last night and overlooked the thread title - which is why I asked for a link, because I wasn't sure of which Patriarch you were speaking.

If you're looking for some insight on the interaction between His All-Holiness and the Melkites, I can offer a specific anecdote that will give some idea of the relationship they had. To put it in perspective, His Beatitude Maximos IV (Saigh), Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria & Jerusalem, of the Melkites, was the most outspoken of the Eastern Catholic hierarchs at Vatican II. He drew much attention from both West and East - in the latter case, from both Catholic and Orthodox (the official observers representing the Patriarchate of Moscow are reported to have risen as a body and remained standing whenever he addressed the Council, as a sign of personal respect to him and his office).

I've forgotten now whether it was after the closing of the Council or during one of its adjournments, His Beatitude visited Constantinople and was received by His All-Holiness. It was reported by those present that the Ecumenical Patriarch embraced the Melkite Patriarch warmly and said "You spoke for us at the Council", to which His Beatitude is said to have replied "Each time I spoke at the Council, my thoughts were of you.”

Many years,

Neil

Neil,

Marvelous anecdotes. Thank you for sharing.

I believe that he also blessed and "received" Sayedneh Joseph Raya's "Byzantine Daily Worship". He also wrote an Orthodox encyclical letter regarding the same themes as Pope Paul VI in Humana Vitae, although I cannot find that text anywhere on-line.

God bless,

Fr. Deacon Daniel

Thanks for sharing!