John Paul II's Panikhida -- which ones were Orthodox and which EC, and other details?

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The panikhida was beautiful. It wasn’t until recently though that I learnt that there are Orthodox participants; I presumed they were all EC. I didn’t even know this was licit, but it’s a beautiful expression from the Orthodox.

Which Orthodox clerics took part in the Panikhida? Did Patriarch Bartholomew himself join? Or how about Patriarch Alexei? Patriarch Teoctist and John Paul II were close – did Teoctist join in? How about the Oriental Orthodox? Was Pope Shenouda part of it?

It is my understanding that the Panikhida is more of a Byzantine thing. What about the Easterners of the non-Byzantine traditions? Did the Patriarch of the Maronites or the Coptic Catholics take part? I think I see an Ethiopian participating, which is a bit of a surprise because they’re from the Alexandrian branch, not the Byzantine, right?

Also, was this the first time Easterners did a panikhida as part of the Papal Funeral? I wasn’t around for the funerals of 1978 and resources about this are slim.

(here is a vid of it if you wanna see youtube.com/watch?v=GNiSU0iDH6Q)
 
I’m almost positive that it was only Catholics up there for it.

Peace and God bless!
 
The bishops in front of the coffin were all in communion with the pope. The Orthodox just observed.
 
To answer the question as to which Eastern & Oriental Orthodox Churches were represented and by whom:

Ecumenical Patriarchate:

His All-Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Costantinopole & Ecumenical Patriarch
His Eminence Gennadios, Archbishop of Italy & Exarch of Eastern Europe
His Eminence Cyril, Metropolitan of Imbros
His Eminence Johannis, Metropolitan of Pergamo
Rev.Deacon Dositheos Anagnostopoulos
Mr. Nicholas Manginas (photographer)

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria & All Africa:

His Eminence Petros, Metropolitan of’Axoum

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem:

Archimandrite Theoktistos, Exarch of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem & Athens
Professor Spyridon Kontoyannis, Docent of the University of Athens

Patriarchate of Moscow:

His Eminence Kirill, Metropolitan of Smolensk & Kaliningrad & President of the Department of External Church Relations of the Patriarchate
Rev. Igor Vyzhanov, Deputy Secretary for Catholic Church Relations of the Department of External Church Relations

Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Moscow):

His Eminence Mitrofan, Archbishop of Pereiaslav-Khmelnitsky & Delegate for External Affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Moscow)

Orthodox Church of Georgia:

His Eminence Daniel [Datuashvili], Metropolitan of Tskhum-Abkhazia
His Eminence Gerasime [Sharashenidze], Bishop of Zugdidi & Tsaishi & Delegate for Inter-Church Relations of the Orthodox Church of Georgia
Rev.Archpriest Giorgi Zviadadze

Orthodox Patriarchate of Serbia:

His Eminence Jovan, Metropolitan of Zagreb, Lubljana & All Italy
His Eminence Lavrentije, Bishop of Sabac-Valjevo

Orthodox Patriarchate of Romania:

His Eminence Daniel, Metropolitan of Moldavia & Bucovina
His Eminence Iosif, Metropolitan of Eastern & Southern Europe of the Orthodox Church of Romania
Rev.Monsignor Ciprian Campineanul, Assistant to the Patriarch
His Eminence Siluan, Assistant Bishop to the /metropolitan of Eastern & Southern Europe
Rev. Deacon Costin Spiridon, Office of Patriarchal Protocol

Orthodox Church of Finland:

His Eminence Leo, Archbishop of Karelia & All of Finland

Orthodox Church of Bulgaria:

His Eminence Neofit, Metropolitan of Russe
His Eminence Dometian, Metropolitan of Vidin
His Eminence Tihon, Episcopal Vicar of the Metropolia of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church for Europe
Rev. Deacon Dionissii

Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands & Slovakia:

Rev. Ladislav Bily, Chancellor of the Metropolitan Curia
Rev Jan Novak, Secretary of the Metropolitan Curia

Orthodox Church of Cyprus:

His Eminence Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Paphos & Deputy to the Archbishop of Nea Justiniana in Cyprus
His Eminence Basilios, Assistant Bishop, Diocese of Trimithos
His Eminence Nikiphoros, Bishop of Kykko & Hegumen of the Holy Monastery of Kykko
Rev.Msgr Dyonisios Papachristophorou, Abbott of the Monastery of Chrysoroyatissa
Rev.Doctor Archimandrita Isaias, Holy Monastery of Kykko

Orthodox Church of Greece:

His Beatitude Christodoúlos, Archbishop of Athens & All of Greece
His Eminence Ignatios, Metropolitan of Demetrias & President of the Synodal Committee for Inter-Orthodox & Inter-Christian Relations
His Eminence Nectarios, Metropolitan of Corfu
His Eminence Dorotheos, Metropolitan of Syros
Rev.Doctor Protopresbyter Thomas Synodinos, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Athens
Rev. Doctor Archimandrite Ignatios Sotiriadis, Secretary of the Synodal Commission for Inter-Christian Relations

Orthodox Church of Poland:

His Eminence Jeremiasz, Archbishop of Warsaw & Szczecin

Orthodox Church of Albania:

His Beatitude Anastas, Archbishop of Tirana & All Albania
Rev.Deacon Bakalbassi

Orthodox Church in America:

His Eminence Seraphim, Bishop of Ottawa
Rev. Doctor Alexander Rentel, Docent, St. Valdimirs Orthodox Theological Seminary

Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Egypt:

His Eminence Barnaba El-Soryany, Bishop for Orthodox Copts in Italy

Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch & All the East:

His Eminence Mor Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim, Archbishop of Aleppo

Armenian Apostolic Church - See of Etchmiadzin:

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch & Catholicos of All the Armenians
His Beatitude Mesrob II [Mutafian], Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul
His Eminence Khajag [Barsamian], Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the United States in New York
Rev. Doctor Presbyter Geghard Vahuni, Secretary to the Patriarch
Rev. Doctor Presbyter Tatul Anushian, Armenian Patriarcate of Istanbul

Catholicosate of Cilicia of the Armenians - See of Antelias:

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia for the Armenians
His Eminence Bishop Nareg Alemezian, Deputy for Relations with the Catholic Church

Orthodox Church of Ethiopia:

His Holiness Abba Paulos, Patriarch of Ethiopia
His Eminence Abuna Dott. Timotheos [Habtselassie Tesfa], Archbishop & Rector of Holy Trinity Theological College
His Eminence Abuna Filipos [Gebremariam Feleke], Archbishop of Illubabor
Mr. Ato Mulgete Bekele

Orthodox Church of Eritrea:

His Eminence Abuna Shenouda, Bishop of the Eritrean Church in Europe

Assyrian Church of the East:

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos & Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East
His Eminence Mar Bawai Ashur Soro, Bishop of the Eastern United States &
General Secretary of the Commission on Inter-Church Relations & Education Development
 
As regards the hierarchs who actively participated in the funeral prayers, all were Eastern or Oriental Catholic (with the exception of one Latin Cardinal). As someone else remarked, the Orthodox hierarchs observed and, if they prayed, did so silently, not as active participants.

The Patriarch of Alexandria of the Catholic Copts incensed the casket. The prayers werre led by the Patriarch of Antioch and Alexandria, of Jerusalem & All of the East of the Melkites.

Their performance of these roles reflected their respective positions of precedence among the Eastern and Oriental Catholic hierarchy: the Patriarch of Alexandria is first in precedence among the Eastern Patriarchs; the Melkite Patriarch, by virtue of being titled as ‘of Alexandria’, is second in precedence among them. The precedence accorded to Alexandria is of ancient standing.

The deacon who attended the Coptic Patriarch and sang the diaconal responses was a Basilian hierodeacon of the Exarchic Abbey & Territorial Monastery of Saint Mary in Grottaferrata of the Italo-Greico Byzantines.
 
It is my understanding that the Panikhida is more of a Byzantine thing. What about the Easterners of the non-Byzantine traditions? Did the Patriarch of the Maronites or the Coptic Catholics take part? I think I see an Ethiopian participating, which is a bit of a surprise because they’re from the Alexandrian branch, not the Byzantine, right?
Representatives of all of the Eastern & Oriental Catholic Churches participated.
Also, was this the first time Easterners did a panikhida as part of the Papal Funeral?
Yes, it was the first time that the Eastern & Oriental hierarchs participated specifically in a papal funeral.
 
As regards the hierarchs who actively participated in the funeral prayers, all were Eastern or Oriental Catholic (with the exception of one Latin Cardinal). As someone else remarked, the Orthodox hierarchs observed and, if they prayed, did so silently, not as active participants.
Fascinating.

Who was the one Latin?

At first I thought it would be the Patriarch of Jerusalem, but on second thought I don’t think he’s a Cardinal.

We need more Eastern stuff like this!
 
The Orthodox Patriarchs who personally attended the funeral, as referenced in the list above, were: His All-Holiness Bartholomew I; His Holiness Karekin II; His Holiness Aram I; His Holiness Abba Paulos; and, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV.

Perhaps the sole surprise in that list is HH Abba Paulos, as HH John Paul II - and the Church, generally, had very close relationships with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Armenian Church, and the Assyrian Church. The notable absence, based on a similarly close relationship between the Churches, was His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I Iwas of the Syriac Orthodox - but that, I suspect, was related to age and travel distance.

His Beatitude Teoctist, of blessed memory, was 90 years old at the time and I doubt that he would have been able to travel to Rome to attend.

The absence of HH Alexei and HH Pope Shenouda were not surprises. For HH Alexei to have attended would have established a precedent that might have required the allowance of a reciprocal visit on a corresponding occasion - an ecclesio-political situation which would run counter to his stance to date vis-a-vis a papal visit to Russia. Age alone would probably have discouraged Pope Shenouda’s attendance - he was about 83 at the time.

With few exceptions, the EO and OO Church delegations were of relatively high level clergy, reflective of the standing in which HH John Paul II was held.
 
Who was the one Latin?

At first I thought it would be the Patriarch of Jerusalem, but on second thought I don’t think he’s a Cardinal.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem at the time was HB Michel Sabbagh, and you are correct, he was not a cardinal.

As to the identity of the cardinal, there was a great deal of discussion on Eastern sites at the time, by some folk who are very knowledgeable as to hierarchs - but, the camera angles made it impossible to determine his identity with certainty.

Speculation centered prominently on Cardinal Schonborn of Vienna as the most likely, and on Cardinal Glemp of Warsaw as being a possibility. In retrospect, I suddenly think of Cardinal Tomas Spidlik of the Czech Republic as being a strong likelihood - if I can find the photo in question again, I’ll take a look at it with that prospect in mind.
 
Were the Orthodox observers the ones who went to the front, stood at the sides, not dressed in Divine Liturgy vestments? Or were those men bishops who weren’t Cardinals so they weren’t Mass concelebrants, but they joined just for the Panikhida?
 
Were the Orthodox observers the ones who went to the front, stood at the sides, not dressed in Divine Liturgy vestments? Or were those men bishops who weren’t Cardinals so they weren’t Mass concelebrants, but they joined just for the Panikhida?
If you’re referring to those you see at the beginning, they are EC/OC hierarchs and clergy. At 2:12 or thereabouts, you can see the EO (a Swiss Guard to the left).

Btw, looking at the list above - where I’ve typed ‘Msgr’ or Monsignor’, it should instead be ‘Monk’ - the perils of translating in the middle of the night. Not sure what I was thinking.
 
If you’re referring to those you see at the beginning, they are EC/OC hierarchs and clergy. At 2:12 or thereabouts, you can see the EO (a Swiss Guard to the left).

Btw, looking at the list above - where I’ve typed ‘Msgr’ or Monsignor’, it should instead be ‘Monk’ - the perils of translating in the middle of the night. Not sure what I was thinking.
Thank you so much for your responses! I want so much to learn about the Eastern Churches but it’s so hard to find resources!

Anyway could you explain why the Deacon did that with his stole over the coffin? I made another post with that question but nobody responded.

At a wake, I saw a priest put his stole on the coffin; I also know that exorcists do that. Is it the same idea? What does it mean when they do that? Normally, would the deacon touch his stole to the coffin and couldn’t because it was set on the ground? Or would he still just wave it over the coffin if it were high enough to touch?
 
In the Eastern Churches, a deacon extends the orarion to call the attention of the worshippers to the liturgical actions or to the words of the Divine Liturgy, or to beg a blessing. Orarions are typically embroidered with the words 'Holy, Holy, Holy" and an analogy has been made that the lifting of it symbolizes of the beating of the wings of the angelic host when proclaiming that prayer.
 
Although not present in Rome, one of the first Panakhidas offered for the late Holy Father was by Patriarch +Filaret of the UOC-KP. He celebrated the first within an hour or so after the death of the Holy Father. President Yushchenko was at one of the memorial services for the Holy Father in Kyiv.
 
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