Translated from the
original by Costas Balomenos
The Ecumenical Patriarch. Mr. Barthelemy Α’
W
|
ith the beginning of
the 20th century and specifically
in 1902, the then Patriarch of Constantinople Joachim III, sent to the heads of
the Orthodox Churches a text,
in which he urged them to develop a dialogue
with the heterodox churches.
In their reply, the Orthodox Churches stressed the need
for unity, but they pointed to the difficulties which existed. The Greek
Church, in fact, added that in the past had made similar attempts, but they had
failed.
In January
1920 the Ecumenical Patriarchate
addressed a circular
letter “to the Churches
of Christ around the world”,
in which called them for establishing
of a “society” of Churches, according to the standards of the “League of Nations ” (the current UN)...