VATICAN CITY, OCT. 11, 2010 (Zenit.org) - The Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops will see for the first time almost all the ordinaries of the region gathered around the Bishop of Rome.
This is one of the historical elements of the assembly presented at a press conference today by the secretary-general of the synod, Archbishop Nikola Eterović.
Another novelty is that this will be the briefest synod, lasting only 14 days. (It began Sunday and ends Oct. 24). The brevity is due to three principal motives: the smaller number of participants, a simplification of the methodology, and concern for the Catholics of the Middle East (minorities in most of the region) who will be without their pastors.
There are 185 synod fathers, 159 of whom are taking part ex officio. Among them are 101 ordained in the ecclesiastical circumscriptions of the Middle East and 23 in the diaspora, who lead the faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches who have emigrated from the Middle East to other countries.
There are also 19 bishops of neighboring North and East African nations and European and American countries with Christian communities from the Middle East.
Fourteen leaders of dicasteries of the Roman Curia are participating.
The synod fathers include nine patriarchs, 19 cardinals, 65 archbishops, 10 titular archbishops, 53 bishops, 21 auxiliary bishops and 87 religious.
There are nine heads of synods of bishops of the Catholic Eastern Churches sui iuris, and five representatives of international meetings of episcopal conferences.
There are six presidents of episcopal conferences, one coadjutor archbishop, and four retired archbishops, two of whom are cardinals. Also present is the retired Latin patriarch of Jerusalem and the patriarchal vicar.
Thirty-six experts and 34 auditors, women and men, are participating.
Counting the members of the general secretariat, the translators and assistants, as well as those working in the technical services, close to 330 individuals are participating in the assembly.
There are also representatives from six other Easter Catholic Churches: the Ethiopian, the Greek, the Romanian, the Syro-Malabar, the Syro-Malankara and the Ukrainian.
Of the 185 synod fathers, the majority -- 140 -- belong to Eastern Catholic traditions; there are 45 bishops of Latin traditions, 14 of whom are from the Middle East.
In an atmosphere of prayer, reflection and dialogue, the synod should "serve to further the bonds of communion within each of these Churches," said Archbishop Eterović. "Obviously the bonds of communion should also be reinforced between the particular Churches of different traditions."
Eastern Catholic Churches encouraged to maintain identity
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| (Daylife) - Exarch of Greece, Faithful of Eastern Rite (Byzantine), Bishop Dimitrios Salachas (R) chats with an unidentified representative during the opening of a synod on the Middle East on October 11, 2010 at The Vatican. A senior Iranian cleric and a Jewish rabbi are among some of the guests invited by Pope Benedict XVI to attend the synod running from October 10 to 24 to discuss the Middle East. |
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 10, 2010 (Zenit.org) - Benedict XVI is encouraging the Eastern Catholic Churches to conserve their identity, patrimony and traditions.The Pope stated this Saturday in an audience with participants in a congress marking the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Code of Canons of Eastern Churches.
(Daylife) - Syrian Archbishop Flavien Joseph Melki, auxiliary bishop of Antiocha, takes place for the opening of a synod on the Middle East on October 11, 2010 at The Vatican. A senior Iranian cleric and a Jewish rabbi are among some of the guests invited by Pope Benedict XVI to attend the synod running from October 10 to 24 to discuss the Middle East.
The congress was organized by the Congregation for Eastern Churches, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity the Pontifical Oriental Institute, and the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
The Pontiff affirmed that "the 'sacra canones' of the ancient Church, that inspire the Oriental codification in force, stimulate all the Oriental Churches to conserve their own identity, which is simultaneously Eastern and Catholic."
"In preserving the Catholic communion the Eastern Catholic Churches did not at all intend to deny their own tradition," he added.
"As has been many times repeated," the Holy Father said, "the full union of the Eastern Catholic Churches with the Church of Rome that is already realized must not lead to a diminution of the consciousness of the unique authenticity and originality of those Churches."
"For this reason," he continued, "it is the task of all the Eastern Catholic Churches to conserve the common disciplinary patrimony and nourish their own traditions, which is a treasure for the whole Church."Benedict XVI noted that "the same 'sacri canones' of the first centuries of the Church constitute to a large extent the same basic patrimony of canonical discipline that also regulates the Orthodox Churches."
"Thus the Eastern Catholic Churches can offer a peculiar and relevant contribution to the ecumenical journey," he said.
"In the context of the Church's current effort for a new evangelization," the Pope affirmed, "canon law, as the peculiar and indispensable ordering of ecclesial fellowship, will not fail to contribute to the life and the mission of the Church in the world, if all the components of the People of God know how to interpret is wisely and apply it faithfully."
(Daylife) - Participants leave after a mass led by Pope Benedict XVI on the opening of the Synod on the Middle East on October 10, 2010 at St Peter's basilica at the Vatican. Christianity, Islam and Judaism should work for Middle East peace, Pope Benedict XVI said on Sunday, opening a Vatican conference set to include senior Muslim and Jewish leaders for the first time.
