Ecumenical Vespers, January 25, 2014

[Alexander Kuzmin]

Ecumenical Vespers in the Archangels Orthodox Cathedral in Brussel - January 23, 2014 - presided by Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium (Ecumenical Patriarchate), with the participation of Archbishop Simon (Moscow Patriarchate), Bishop Maximos of Evmenia, and "in the presence" of represenatives of the Roman-Catholic, Protestant, Anglican and Armenian Churches.

"In the presence" - this is how they write it now, when you can see that this is a commpn prayer. It also was as a part of a "Week for Christian Unity".

https://picasaweb.google.com/1039921931 ... uary232014#

[Maria]

Notice all the ministers around the solea. Back in the late 1990s when Archbishop Spyridon was in office, St. Sophia Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles hosted an ecumenical vespers service where female methodist ministers and other Protestants read certain prayers that had to be adapted for them as they had refused to mention the Father and the Son, so the service itself is not a regular vespers service. There were extra prayers read for unity (branch theory).

Here is one of the Protestants reading one of those unity prayers

and here is another one:

Here is a photo showing where these Protestant ministers are reading their prayers:

[Maria]

Yes, this is not a mere presence. These Protestant ministers are actively participating in that "Ecumenical" Vespers Service.

And this heterodox minister or cardinal is giving a sermon at the lecturn!!!

Notice that the cardinal is standing on the ambon to deliver his sermon. Neither non-clergy nor heterodox minister should be addressing the congregation in that place!

[Alexander Kuzmin]

Yes, Maria, you are right. Definitely these heterodox clergy were not told that they are "in the presence" with no "participation".

[Barbara]

Thanks for the guiding comments to give the true background of what is going on on that occasion.

Some of the pictures make my skin crawl. But it's important to be aware of how these things work and
to see through the carefully selected word choices employed as euphemisms. Now it's "in the presence of" -
what will it turn into later ?

The Los Angeles ecumenical vespers with tailored prayers for the Protestants to read sounds dreadful. The picture of that woman
minister is so annoying.

[Maria]

Here are some more photos of other ecumenical events with the Metropolitan from the EP.

This one is titled: "Ecumenical Worship in the Anglican Church in Knokke - January 24, 2014"

Ecumenical WORSHIP???

https://picasaweb.google.com/1039921931 ... 2628525826

[Raal]

I can see why this would contribute to declining attendance at orthodox churches. These "orthodox" churches have lost their unique defining quality of being the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church, and I think that the people feel that there is no longer any grace or spiritual healing in them. Thanks for the photos--more evidence that the future one world church is in the making.