Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem published an open letter in which he referred to the dialogue that was held last year in Jordan for the sake of the unity of the Local Orthodox Churches.
On February 26, 2020, a meeting of Primates and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches was held in Amman, Jordan, with the primary view of unity and reconciliation within Holy Orthodoxy.
Patriarch Theophilos stressed that, following deep discussion about the matter, they decided to “to pursue deeper communion and to address our common challenges together” with greater determination.
He underlined the “global health catastrophe” which and led to the falling asleep in the Lord of late Patriarch Irinej of Serbia. As a result, the “pandemic has required us all to look to our own communities, those whom God has called us to serve, to lift up their hearts from despair and turn to the Lord who gives us hope.”
He added that, at the Holy City of Jerusalem, they had been praying because “our fellow human beings in the Holy Land have suffered hardship through the pandemic.”
“God is merciful, and has given to his creatures the knowledge and skill to develop medicines and vaccines to end this deadly pandemic.”
“We also join together in prayer for our brother, His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, and our fellow Orthodox primates, and we look forward to serving together to further the unity of our communion,” His Beatitude added.
Finally, he asked the Lord to be merciful towards us, who have been sinners.
The delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Amman was led by His Eminence Hon Metropolitan Nifon of Targoviste.
Photography courtesy of the Moscow Patriarchate / Fr. Igor Palkin
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