Church in the World

Alexei attacks ?anti-Christian? Europe

Europe

THE HEAD of Russia?s Orthodox Church has attacked current ?negative anti-Christian tendencies? in Europe, and called on Catholic and Orthodox leaders to work together to defend Christian values.

?There is a current tendency to forget the spiritual roots from which European culture grew ? tolerance, pushed to absurdity, leads at times to a situation where Christians are unable to declare publicly what they consider to be sins and virtues,? said Patriarch Alexei II. ?We hope we can oppose all these negative signs from modern society together with the Catholic Church and its new leader, in whom we place great hopes.?

Speaking during Moscow talks with the President of Italy?s Chamber of Deputies, Pier Ferdinando Casini, on 7 June, the Orthodox leader said he regretted no reference to Europe?s ?Christian identity? had been allowed in the European Union?s controversial constitutional treaty, and that an Italian Christian Democract, Rocco Buttiglione, had been ?persecuted for thinking differently? when nominated as an EU commissoner last autumn.

?Negative anti-Christian tendencies are currently under way in Europe,? Patriarch Alexei continued. ?In these conditions, we, the faithful, can only answer the challenge of the modern world. Our common testimony should be a rampart against violence, terror and moral relativism.?

Catholic-Orthodox ties have been tense in Russia and Eastern Europe over complaints of Catholic proselytism in traditionally Orthodox areas, as well as over the post-communist revival of Greek Catholic churches, which combine loyalty to Rome with the eastern liturgy and are known pejoratively as ?Uniates? by Orthodox leaders. However, several Orthodox leaders have welcomed ecumenical pledges by Benedict XVI, who said in his first post-election Rome statement he was determined to ?cultivate any initiative? for ?contact and agreement? with other Churches.

Speculation about a possible meeting between the Pope and Patriarch Alexei resurfaced after a Moscow visit last week by Bishop Asztrik Varseghi, archabbot of Hungary?s Benedictine Pannonhalma monastery, which came close to hosting a summit during John Paul II?s second Hungarian pilgrimage in September 1994. Bishop Varseghi told his country?s Catholic Magyar Kurir news agency he had agreed on a programme of Catholic-Orthodox monastic exchanges during talks with the patriarch, while also discussing Russian ties with the European Union and the role of religion in ?inter-cultural and inter-civilisational dialogue?.

In his address to the Italian delegation, Patriarch Alexei said Christians had a right ?to serve God in words and deeds?, but appeared to have become ?detestable to a modern society which considers itself free?. He added that inter-Church co-operation should ?exclude all forms of proselytism?, but said he agreed with Catholics on the need to defend Christianity, which formed ?the basis for all European culture.

?Our position coincides with that of the Roman Catholic Church,? he said. ?A return to Europe?s Christian roots could aid reconciliation and ecumenical development between Churches on the European continent. Our aim must be to oppose Europe?s de-Christianisation and revive Christian values.?

Rome sources said Russia?s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, had ?exchanged viewpoints on ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox? during parallel Rome talks last week with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and had invited the Vatican?s Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, to visit Moscow in the autumn.
Jonathan Luxmoore, Warsaw