Bishop Irinej: The Pope’s visit In 2013 is Welcome

19/1/2010

The visit of the head of the Roman Catholic Church to Serbia in 2013 and his meeting with representatives of Orthodox churches would give a place of honor to Serbia and her role in the marking of 1,700 years since the bringing of the Milan Edict, stated the bishop of Nis, Irinej.

The visit of the head of the Roman Catholic Church to Serbia in 2013 and his meeting with representatives of Orthodox churches would give a place of honor to Serbia and her role in the marking of 1,700 years since the bringing of the Milan Edict, stated the bishop of Nis, Irinej.

Bishop Irinej told BETA that he does not know whether the head of the Roman Catholic Church would visit Serbia in 2013, but added that “it is the wish of the Pope that this meeting take place in Nis.”

“It is primarily their (the Catholic Church’s) matter, but we had the opportunity to hear that it is the wish of the Pope to meet with representatives of Orthodox churches right here. This would give Serbia and its role in the event a place of honor, and would actually be the first such meeting since the 11th century, since 1054, the year of the schism between the eastern and the western churches,” Irinej said.

“There is even a wish, although this has not been stated officially, that the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, wishes for the meeting to take place right here, in Nis, where Emperor Constantine was born,” said the Bishop of Nis.

He said that the Serbian Orthodox Church would welcome the visit of the Pontiff to Serbia for the marking of the anniversary of the Milan Edict.

“This has been discussed earlier, but on a different basis. This would be a visit with a special reason and the Serbian Orthodox Church would welcome it. This would be an opportunity not only for an ecumenical meeting, but also for a dialogue,” said the bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Source: