Vandaag, op het feest van de heilige paus Clemens I, de derde opvolger van de apostel Petrus, ontvingen op het secretariaat van de Katholieke Vereniging voor Oecumene, een hartelijke groet van het St. Clement’s Center in Kiev. Dit orthodox studiecentrum dat zich inzet voor de dialoog tussen kerken en culturen, weet zich geinspireerd door paus Clemens. Het werd opgericht in 2007. Hieronder het bericht uit Kiev. Er spreekt een groot verlangen uit naar eenheid en vrede. Het is een christeljike roeping om daarvan te getuigen.
Dear friends!
We cordially congratulate you with St. Clement’s day!
Today the world feels a special need in the witness of unity and peace. To be a sign of this unity in the world is both a privilege and a responsibility, to which Christians have been called at all times.
Now, among all divisions of our world, our gaze is captivated by the beauty of the undivided Church, and we listen attentively to the words of St. Clement, the Pope of Rome. This great prophet of unity was at the beginning of the Church’s history. His heart bleeding in response to any division, he urged his brothers:
let us fall down before the Lord, and beseech Him with tears, that He would mercifully be reconciled to us, and restore us to our former seemly and holy practice of brotherly love. For [such conduct] is the gate of righteousness, which is set open for the attainment of life, as it is written, “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go in by them, and will praise the Lord: this is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter in by it.” (Ps. 117:19-20)
Yours in Christ,
Archimandrite Philaret (Egorov),
Constantin Sigov,
Vadym Zalevskyi
and the teams of the St. Clement’s Centre : Communion and Dialogue of Cultures
and “Dukh i Litera” (Spirit and Letter) Research and Publishing Association