Metropolitan Nikolai of the Czech Lands and Slovakia supports the position of Moscow Patriarchate concerning the actions of the Roman Catholic Church in the territory of Russia

METROPOLITAN NIKOLAI OF THE CZECH LANDS AND SLOVAKIA SUPPORTS THE POSITION OF MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE CONCERNING THE ACTIONS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE TERRITORY OF RUSSIA

His Beatitude Nikolai, Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and the Synod of his Church expressed their attitude to the Vatican’s actions by sending the following message to Pope John Paul II:

ORTHODOX CHURCH IN THE CZECH LANDS AND SLOVAKIA HOLY SYNOD

His Holiness
John Paul II
Roman Pope
Vatican

Your Holiness,

The Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and Slovakia has received with anxiety a report from His Holiness Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, about the establishment of new Roman Catholic bishoprics in the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Orthodox Church sees in this act of the Roman Catholic Church’s leadership the strengthening of the proselytic activities towards its believers, and therefore our Church cannot be indifferent to that. If the Roman Catholic Church meant with that decision something different than a proselytic activity, then, in the sense of the mutual trust and love, it should have discussed its decision with the Russian Orthodox Church, with which, we believe, it wants to co-exist well. Such co-existence also results from the spirit of the Ecumenical Charter, where in Point II, 2 the churches commit themselves to “discuss our plans for evangelization with other churches, entering into agreements with them and thus avoiding harmful competition and the risk of fresh divisions”.

From the statement of His Holiness Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, we can see that the Roman Catholic Church made its decision on the establishment of new dioceses in the territory of the Russian Federation without due consideration or an agreement with the Russian Orthodox Church. It communicated its decision shortly before announcing it, which, in fact, goes against the spirit of the above-mentioned Ecumenical Charter. We can see a way out in the words of the Divine Saviour Jesus Christ, who says how to get along with neighbours: “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” (Mt. 7:12).

If no agreement is reached in the solution of this problem, great mistrust and mutual estrangement will arise between Orthodox autocephalous churches and the Catholic Church, which will mar the already built up ecumenical relations, and mutual wish for unity. It would be a too big toll for the inconsistency in decision-making at the expense of the Christian unity, like the spirit of ecumenical relations has diminished in the past decades because of the restoration of unions.

Your Holiness, we strongly believe that the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church will duly consider the seriousness of this issue and that the issue will be resolved by negotiation with the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church, so that both parties give a good evidence of Christian co-existence when spreading Christ’s tranquility, and get closer to the common unity in today’s world. Otherwise Orthodox Churches would perceive the ecumenical efforts of the Roman Catholic Church just as a diplomatic maneuver in building its own stronger positions. That would harm the unity of Christians and your church in particular. In conclusion, we hope this issue will be resolved in the spirit of Christ’s tranquility.

With love in Christ,

+ Nikolai
Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia