This meeting between the two Primates follows on a new relationship between the Churches occasioned by the reunification of ROCOR with the Moscow Patriarchate in May of 2007. Archbishop Demetrios had already sent a congratulatory letter to Metropolitan Hilarion after his election as First Hierarch (Primate) of ROCOR, which also invited him to the Archdiocese.

Metropolitan Hilarion was accompanied by the Very Rev. Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, Secretary of Inter-Orthodox Relations. During the 90 minute meeting with the Archbishop, who is also the Chairman of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), the discussions focused around the new reality of ROCOR in the Pan-Orthodox environment of America. Also present at the meeting were the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Bishop Savas of Troas, Father Mark Arey, Director of Inter-Orthodox Relations and Archdeacon Pandeleimon Papadopoulos.

Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel. 212-570-3556

Senator McCain visited the Archbishop last year on June 27, 2007, when he was running for his Party’s nomination. At that time, the Archbishop had raised issues surrounding the religious freedom and legal protections for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and other human rights concerns. Today’s meeting continued their dialogue.

During their meeting, they discussed issues of common concern to all Americans, e.g., the economic hardships that many are facing and respect for all life. The Archbishop emphasized the importance of education in empowering economic opportunity for all citizens. As for issues specific to the Greek-American community, Senator McCain was fully prepared to speak on religious liberty and human rights issues for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the issues of a solution for Cyprus and the naming questions surrounding FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia).

In a comment after the meeting, the Archbishop said:

"As Saint Paul says in his First Letter to Timothy, 'let supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all people: kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.' Well, in America we have no kings, but we do have elected leaders and representatives of government. As Archbishop, I feel a responsibility to pray for all our leaders and to encourage our Greek Orthodox Faithful to do likewise, as they participate in the political process granted to all Americans by our Constitutionally protected freedoms. Senator McCain is an honorable American who has demonstrated his heroism and love for this country."

Contact: Stavros Papagermanos  
Tel.: 212.570.3556

Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati and Metropolitan Maximos of Pittsburgh chaired the meeting. 

At the first theological session, Father Paul McPartlan of The Catholic University of America offered an analysis of the October 2007 document of the international Orthodox-Catholic theological dialogue, “Ecclesiological and Canonical Consequences of the Sacramental Nature of the Church:  Ecclesial Communion, Conciliarity and Authority.”  Also known as “The Ravenna Document,” this text examines the canonical structures that serve the understanding of koinonia (community) in the Church at the local, regional and world-wide levels.  Father McPartlan is himself a member of the international dialogue.  A Catholic reaction to the document was then presented by Father John Galvin and an Orthodox reaction by Robert Haddad, Ph.D.

At the second session, Father Joseph Komonchak, from Catholic University, presented a select bibliography on synodality and commented on a number of the sources.  Jesuit Father Brian Daley of the University of Notre Dame, presented an overview and commentary of the Cyprus Agreed Statement, the 2006 document of the Anglican-Orthodox theological dialogue, titled “The Church of the Triune God.”  This was followed by brief presentations by Father David Petras and Father  McPartlan on how the two churches might function were there reestablishment of full communion.

At the third session, Metropolitan Maximos presented the paper, “Will the Ecclesiology of Cardinal Ratzinger Influence the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI?”  This was followed by discussion of the Consultation’s efforts exploring primacy and synodality so far.  The discussion continued at the fourth session. 

While at Holy Cross, the members also shared in the spiritual life of the seminary, attending Vespers on Monday evening and a celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the seminary chapel on Tuesday morning, presided over by Metropolitan Maximos. 

Father John Erickson of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, who had been an Orthodox member before he was named seminary dean in 2002, was welcomed back to the Consultation.  He takes the place of Dr. John Barnet, also of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary.  The next meeting is slated for October 23-25, in Montreal, Quebec.  It will be sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has been an official participant in the North American Consultation since 1997. 

In addition to the co-chairs, the Consultation include Orthodox representatives Father Thomas FitzGerald (Secretary), Father Nicholas Apostola, Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Ph.D., Father James Dutko, Paul Meyendorff, Ph.D., Father Alexander Golitzin, Robert Haddad, Ph.D., Father Paul Schneirla, Father Robert Stephanopoulos, Father John Erickson, Father Theodore Pulcini, and Father Mark Arey, General Secretary of SCOBA (staff).

The additional Catholic members are Jesuit Father Brian Daley (Secretary), Thomas Bird, Ph.D., Holy Cross Father Lucien Coutu, Father Peter Galadza, Chorbishop John D. Faris, Father John Galvin, Father Sidney Griffith, Father Joseph Komonchak, Father Paul McPartlan, Father David Petras, Sister Susan K. Wood, Vito Nicastro, Ph.D., and Paulist Father Ronald Roberson, who serves as staff.

The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation is sponsored jointly by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), the Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the Canadian Conference of Cathol For the rest of this News Release, visit the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website