Envoy says Orthodox-Catholic unity unlikely

09 June 2008, 14:14

Moscow, June 9, Interfax - A complete holy communion between Orthodox believers and Catholics is very unlikely, Russian Orthodox Church Representative to European International Organizations, Archbishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, said in an interview with the newspaper Soyuznoye Veche of the Russia-Belarus Union Parliamentary Assembly.

"I think we should not expect the complete unity of Orthodox and Catholic rites. The division occurred almost 1,000 years ago and it can hardly be repaired," he said.

The archbishop said he does not think the differences between Orthodox believers and Catholics will evaporate in the third millennium.

At the same time, certain theological differences do not hamper cooperation and possible joint protection of common values, he said.

"We will not unite but we can learn to be allies and partners. We should not be rivals, we should be Christians who may differ in certain theological intricacies but have practically the same ideas about morals and social values," he said.

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