MP gifted a relic of St. Seraphim of Sarov to Pope Francis

[Maria]

http://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xroni ... -fragkisko

[Maria]

Modified Google Translation:

Meeting with Pope Francis was the Chairman of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Ven. Metropolitan Hilarion Hilarion.

The meeting took place at the Vatican today, Thursday, September 15 with a blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The Pope Francis welcomed with cordiality Metropolitan Hilarion, who arrived in Rome as Head of the Russian Delegation of the Joint Committee plenary Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Christian and Roman Catholic Churches.

The President of the External Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, just before the meeting, offered to Pope Francis a reliquary egg-shaped relic with a sacred relic of St. Seraphim of Sarov, a gift from Patriarch Kirill.

The Pope, clearly excited, bowed and kissed the reliquary, asking His Eminence to convey to Moscow Patriarch gratitude and brotherly love.

During the meeting the two sides discussed the situation in the relations between Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics, after the meeting of the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow to Havana last February.

Also one of the central themes of the meeting was the plight of Christians in the Middle East, where both sides stressed the need for further consolidated actions.

Metropolitan Hilarion informed Pope Francis about the initiatives of the Russian Church to provide humanitarian aid to Syria, and congratulated him for the peace efforts he has made.

Finally the two sides were reported to have cooperation in the cultural sector, which proved to be a promising project, such as the exchange of theology students in Moscow and Rome.

[Maria]

And here is the article in French:

The relic was a gift ... not a "borrowing"

http://www.egliserusse.eu/blogdiscussio ... a4864.html

Le métropolite Hilarion de Volokolamsk, président du Département des relations ecclésiastiques extérieures du Patriarcat de Moscou, a été reçu par le Pape François de Rome le 15 septembre 2016 au Palais apostolique du Vatican.
Le métropolite Hilarion s’est rendu en Italie avec la bénédiction de Sa Sainteté le Patriarche Cyrille de Moscou et de toute la Russie, conformément à une décision du Saint Synode, en tant que chef de la délégation de l’Église orthodoxe russe à la XIV session plénière de la Commission mixte pour le dialogue théologique entre l’Église orthodoxe et l’Église catholique romaine. La session aura lieu à Chieti du 15 au 22 septembre.

Le Président du DREE a remis au chef de l’Église catholique romaine, de la part de Sa Sainteté le Patriarche Cyrille, une parcelle de reliques de saint Séraphin de Sarov, incrustée dans un coffret en forme d’œuf de Pâques. Le Pape de Rome a été profondément touché de ce précieux don et a demandé de transmettre à Sa Sainteté le Patriarche sa gratitude et ses salutations fraternelles.

Pendant l’entretien, il a été question de l’état des relations orthodoxes-catholiques depuis la rencontre historique des Primats des deux Églises à la Havane, en février dernier. L’un des thèmes centraux de l’entretien a été la situation tragique de la population chrétienne du Proche Orient. Le Pape François de Rome et le métropolite Hilarion ont constaté que l’expérience de collaboration dans l’organisation de l’aide humanitaire aux chrétiens du Proche Orient, initiée suivant les décisions prises pendant la rencontre de Cuba, s’était montrée positive. Les deux côtés ont souligné la nécessité de poursuivre la coordination des actions dans la région du Proche Orient. Le président du DREE a présenté au Pape les initiatives prises par l’Église russe dans le domaine de l’aide humanitaire aux citoyens de Syrie et a remercié le Saint Pontife de ses efforts pacificateurs

And translated into English:

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, was received by Pope Francis of Rome September 15, 2016, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace.
Metropolitan Hilarion visited Italy with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia, according to a decision of the Holy Synod, as head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Christian Church in the XIV plenary session of the Joint Commission for theological dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The session will be held in Chieti from 15 to 22 September.

The DECR Chairman presented to head of the Roman Catholic Church from His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill, a relic of St. Seraphim of Sarov, embedded in a box in the shape of an Easter egg. The Pope of Rome was deeply touched by this precious gift and asked him to convey to His Holiness Patriarch his gratitude and fraternal greetings.

During the interview, the two discussed the state of the Orthodox-Catholic relations since the historic meeting of the two Primates in Havana in February 2016. One of the central themes of the interview was the plight of the Christian peoples of the Middle East. Pope Francis of Rome and Metropolitan Hilarion noted that the collaborative experience in organizing humanitarian aid to Christians in the Middle East, initiated following the decisions taken during the meeting of Cuba, had proved positive. The two sides stressed the need to continue coordination of actions in the Middle East region. The DECR chairman presented to the Pope the initiatives taken by the Russian Church in the field of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Syria and thanked the Pontiff for his peacekeeping efforts.

[Barbara]

I am surprised Pope Francis was at all moved by receiving a relic of St Seraphim. I would assume he would not even know who it was, as this Pope is so "out of it" that no one could recognize him as a Catholic Pontiff.

Interesting report, thank you, Maria.

[Maria]

Roman Catholics know and venerate St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Actually, it was St. Seraphim of Sarov who led me to the Roman Catholic Church through a book written by John Paul II, so I consider St. Seraphim my slava and have an icon of his life in my home.

In his book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, John Paul II compares St. Dominic Guzman with St. Seraphim of Sarov as both prefigured the Resurrection since their bodies glowed with the Holy Light of Christ. Rarely published is the fact that the Dominicans sent their friars into Georgia and to Constantinople where they established priories to study Orthodox Theology in an attempt to resolve the Great Schism. Shortly thereafter, both priories of men converted to Orthodoxy, but in poverty, they were allowed to keep their white habits. St. Seraphim of Sarov wore a white religious garb in honor of these "white monks" who worked to help lead people to sanctification and glorification.

As a warning, this book also contains heretical teachings that border or cross into Universalism. Therefore, I am not recommending it.

[Barbara]

The Dominicans [ Hyacinth and 3 companion friars from Poland ] went all the way to Kiev. But I never heard of even one of the Dominican friars converting to Orthodoxy. Let alone so many. Is this stated in the book ?

I had never heard this, either, about the reason for St Seraphim's white attire. Apparently there were unconfirmed stories of members of the Order of Preachers reaching parts of Russia, too. It would be interesting to investigate this more.

I see that the Order of Preachers are celebrating their 800th Jubilee this very year, 8 centuries from the foundation of the order by St Dominic [ December 22nd ]. This date late in the year may be why the Jubilee lasts until January 2017.

Anyway, it's a beautiful reliquary, isn't it ?

[Maria]

The story in English: https://mospat.ru/en/2016/09/15/news135747/

The story at NFTU: http://nftu.net/relations-between-mosco ... ican-grow/