Russian Patriarch sets criteria for Pope

[Aristokles]

My, my, such a testy room today, kiddies!
At the risk of being repetitive here, I would like to re-iterate that Pope John Paul II may avail himself of Putin’s invitation at any time he wishes as the Head of State for the Vatican via diplomatic protocol. I assume there would be no problem ministering to his flock while there.
However, the Pope does not wish to visit under that circumstance preferring a visit based on ecclesiastical protocol as Head of the Roman Catholic Church. For this ROC approval is required. I’ll not get involved in apologetics from either side on that issue other than to say he must be a brave, good man to risk the rough treatment he endured visiting Greece (shameful in fact). His Romanian visit was much for fulfilling for both sides.
Pray for both parties here.

 

[Orthodoc]

[The Pope wants to be viewed as an invited guest not an invader which the patriarch will surely paint him as if he defies his wisheds that he not step foot into the country.]

If the Pope was so sensitive about being considered as an invader than he wouldn’t have insisted that the return of the Kazan Icon would be tied to his personal retruning said Icon. As a Pole he is very much aware of the history of the Icon and how so many of its miracles are tied into the Icon being attributed to stopping the Polish invasion of Russia.

His conditions not only insulted the Russian Orthodox but all Russians who know the story of the Icon -

MIRACULOUS P.R.-- ROMAN VACATION OF KAZAN MOTHER OF GOD COMING TO AN END

by Yulia Glezarova

NG-Religii, 21 July 2004 - The press service of the Vatican has reported that the Kazan icon of the Mother of God, which has been kept for many years in the personal apartments of Pope John Paul II, will be solemnly delivered to representatives of the Moscow patriarchate on 28 August 2004. According to the head of the Roman Catholic church himself, this is his gift to the people of Russia. A delegation will transport the icon to the motherland, which most likely will be headed by Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

One can only regret that Vatican diplomacy lost many chances to return the icon to the Russian Orthodox church and to its people. Now, after the triumphal return of the Tikhvin image of the Mother of God, the broad gesture of the Vatican seems late and unimpressive.

The miraculous Kazan icon of the Mother of God was always especially revered in Rus. Its history is interwoven with many tragic pages in Russian history. It was discovered in the ruins of Kazan, which Ivan the Terrible captured, and it was stolen and most likely destroyed on the eve of the revolution of 1905, and then it showed up suddenly in a mysterious way in the personal apartments of John Paul II and then became the object of political speculation. However, there is nothing strange about this. The Kazan image of the Mother of God always played a remarkable role in Russian history and politics. It was common to turn to it at a time of foreign invasion with prayer for victory for the “Orthodox host.” The first time the miraculous icon displayed its power was in 1612 in the struggle with Poles who, taking advantage of the Time of Troubles, tried not only to seize Moscow but also to install Catholicism. In a word, the Kazan icon is not simply an icon but a great symbol of Russian history and the Russian state.

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Orthodoc

 

[Maccabees]

Fr Ambrose:

Will somebody please tell him? I have never attacked either of these two saints. I have even defended Padre Pio against the anti-semitic phrase which Katolik attributes to him.

I have problems with Maximilian Kolbe’s vision about the Immaculate on the Kremlin, but I have never attacked him. I respect his death too much. At all times I have written of both of these Franciscans with respect. Will you please stop saying untrue things about me.

Sorry I confused you with Katolik I am sure you would agree his post concerning Pio is out of line. I disagree with you on your sentiments on Fr Kolbe but what else is new.