LETTER OF CONDOLENCE FROM ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH TO POPE FRANCIS FOR THE REPOSE OF POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI

Φωτό: Νίκος Παπαχρήστου / Οικουμενικό Πατριαρχείο

Greek/English 

Οικουμενικόν Πατριαρχείον

Letter of Condolence from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to His Holiness Pope Francis for the repose of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Ἁγιώτατε,

It is with great sadness that as this year draws to a close and in anticipation of welcoming the New Year, we also bid farewell to Your direct predecessor on Saint Peter’s Throne of the Sister Church of Rome. We, therefore, offer to You, dear Brother, and to the entire Catholic Church the condolences of the Holy and Great Church of Constantinople, her hierarchs, and our personal commiserations in light of this loss.

While we know that our Brother, Pope Benedict XVI, suffered for the last few years, we acknowledge that he lived a full life, complete with both difficulties and countless blessings. However, his memorable contributions not only to Your Church, but in academia – being one of the greatest theologians of the 20^th century – and in building bridges –evident in his commitment to dialogue, especially with the Orthodox Church – will undeniably leave their mark in history. Relatedly, we sincerely valued his visit to our Sacred Centre here at the Phanar in 2006 and cherished our numerous visits to him at the Vatican.

Once again, in fondly remembering this significant figure, we pray to the “God of all spirits and flesh, Who has trodden down death, destroying the power of the devil, bestowing life on Your world,” to grant eternal rest to his soul where the just repose.

Requiescat in pace! May his memory be eternal! Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη!

At the Ecumenical Patriarchate,
the 31^st of December 2022

Fraternally Yours in the Lord,

✠ Bartholomew

Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome
and Ecumenical Patriarch

Συλλυπητήριο Γράμμα του Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχη προς τον Προκαθήμενο της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας για την εκδημία του αειμνήστου Πάπα Βενεδίκτου

Η Α.Θ.Παναγιότης ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης κ.κ. Βαρθολομαίος απέστειλε συλλυπητήριο Γράμμα προς τον Προκαθήμενο της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας, Αγιώτατο Πάπα Φραγκίσκο, για την εκδημία του αειμνήστου προκατόχου του Πάπα Βενεδίκτου ΙΣΤ’.

“Μας είναι γνωστό βέβαια ότι ο αδελφός μας, Πάπας Βενέδικτος ΙΣΤ’, υπέφερε τα τελευταία χρόνια, αναγνωρίζουμε όμως ότι έζησε μια γεμάτη ζωή, πλήρη από δοκιμασίες και αμέτρητες ευλογίες. Ωστόσο, η αξιομνημόνευτη συνεισφορά του όχι μόνο στην Εκκλησία σας, αλλά και στον ακαδημαϊκό κόσμο – όντας ένας από τους μεγαλύτερους θεολόγους του 20ού αιώνα – και στην οικοδόμηση γεφυρών – που είναι ορατή στη δέσμευσή του για διάλογο, ιδιαίτερα με την Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία – θα αφήσει αναμφισβήτητα το στίγμα της στην ιστορία. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, εκτιμήσαμε ειλικρινά την επίσκεψή του στο Ιερό μας Κέντρο, εδώ, στο Φανάρι, το 2006, και χαρήκαμε τις πολλές επισκέψεις μας προς εκείνον στο Βατικανό.”, αναφέρει ο Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης, εκφράζοντας τα συλλυπητήρια του ιδίου προσωπικώς και του συνόλου της Ιεραρχίας της Αγίας του Χριστού Μεγάλης Εκκλησίας προς τον Πάπα Φραγκίσκο και ολόκληρη την Καθολική Εκκλησία. 

Ακολουθεί το πρωτότυπο κείμενο του συλλυπητηρίου Πατριαρχικού Γράμματος:

Ἁγιώτατε,

It is with great sadness that as this year draws to a close and in anticipation of welcoming the New Year, we also bid farewell to Your direct predecessor on Saint Peter’s Throne of the Sister Church of Rome. We, therefore, offer to You, dear Brother, and to the entire Catholic Church the condolences of the Holy and Great Church of Constantinople, her hierarchs, and our personal commiserations in light of this loss.

While we know that our Brother, Pope Benedict XVI, suffered for the last few years, we acknowledge that he lived a full life, complete with both difficulties and countless blessings. However, his memorable contributions not only to Your Church, but in academia – being one of the greatest theologians of the 20^th century – and in building bridges –evident in his commitment to dialogue, especially with the Orthodox Church – will undeniably leave their mark in history. Relatedly, we sincerely valued his visit to our Sacred Centre here at the Phanar in 2006 and cherished our numerous visits to him at the Vatican.

Once again, in fondly remembering this significant figure, we pray to the “God of all spirits and flesh, Who has trodden down death, destroying the power of the devil, bestowing life on Your world,” to grant eternal rest to his soul where the just repose.

Requiescat in pace! May his memory be eternal! Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη!

At the Ecumenical Patriarchate,
the 31^st of December 2022

Fraternally Yours in the Lord,

✠ Bartholomew

Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome
and Ecumenical Patriarch

 

 Pope Benedict XVI embraces Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople during Mass marking the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul June 29, 2008, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters)