Romanian Assembly Unites European Christians

by Joseph J. Rutchik
September 21, 2007

Nearly 3,000 delegates representing European Christian groups gathered in Sibiu, Romania from September 4-9.  The event was co-hosted by the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the (Catholic) Council of European Bishop's Conferences (CCEE).  The theme of the meeting was "The light of Christ shines upon all: Hope for renewal and unity in Europe."

The European Ecumenical Assembly is held once each decade.  The first took place in Basel, Switzerland in 1989; the second was held in 1997 in Graz, Austria.  This third assembly is the first to take place in a predominantly Orthodox country.

"CEC and CCEE are determined that all that we do together in Sibiu will enable the voice of the Church to be heard more clearly in relation to the issues which affect our continent today - migration, justice, peace, environmental issues, relationship between faiths," said Archdeacon Colin Williams, General Secretary of the CEC.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople offered the opening prayer for the assembly.  Other prominent delegates included Cardinal William Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity; Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk, the chief ecumenical officer of the Russian Orthodox Church; and Rev. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches.

The meeting also came as the Romanian Orthodox Church was seeking to elect a new leader after the death of His Beatitude Teoctist, Patriarch of Romania, at the end of July.  Patriarch Teoctist served as Romania's Orthodox leader for over twenty years. 

The assembly delegates observed a moment of silence for the late patriarch during the opening prayer service.  Patriarch Bartholomew said that the Patriarch Teoctist was "watching over from on high and blessing this important assembly."  On September 12 - mere days after the assembly - Daniel Ciobotea was elected as Patriarch Teoctist's replacement.

One of the pressing concerns was the Vatican's recent document "One True Church," which stated that the Catholic Church was the only true church and that all Protestant denomination were not churches "in the proper sense."

At the opening session of the assembly, Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, addressed the delegates.  He introduced many issues, including the document that has sadly caused such pain and anger.

"The declarations other churches make are not all to our liking, and nor is what they sometimes say about us," he told the delegates.  "But what are we to expect?  Cosy ecumenism and fake ecumenism, which are all about being nice to each other, do not get us very far; the only way forward is dialogue in truth and clarity."

Cardinal Kasper confronted the major theological and liturgical differences between denominations, including the Eucharist.  He said these differences can be "offensive and, for many, a heavy burden. But it does not help to conceal wounds; we need to leave them open, even when there is pain; only then can we treat them and, with God's help, heal them."

In his September prayer intention, Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the importance of this assembly in Europe's quest for Christian unity.  He further showed his support for the event by lighting a candle from Sibiu in the Mariazell Basilica during the celebration of Vespers on Saturday, September 8 - the same time the assembly was crafting the final version of the message from the gathering.

The assembly reached its climax on September 8 and 9 with a citywide celebration of "the light of Christ" on Saturday evening and Sunday morning worship in Sibiu's churches.  These were followed by an "act of common witness" in the Great Square.  Finally, during the closing, delegates adopted an Assembly Message, a tradition in major ecumenical gatherings.

As expected, the final message emphasized Christian unity, urging all churches to renew their common mission "to proclaim Christ as the Light and Savior of the world."  The assembly also exhorted European churches and institutions to be courageous in addressing the needs of the entire world.  Curiously, the final recommendation was a proposal that "the period from the 1st of September to the 4th of October be dedicated to the prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change."

(For more of Cardinal Kasper's message at the assembly, you can go to the Daily Reflections for September 22-24.)