Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was awarded an honorary doctorate in Theology of the Pontifical School of Southern Italy, in a special ceremony held in Naples, on the occasion of the start of the new Academic Year.

In his speech, delivered in the Italian language, the Ecumenical Patriarch referred, among other things, to the importance of inter-church and inter-Christian dialogue, making a historical review of the efforts to re-approach after the schism of 1054, but also of the tragic consequences of the implementation of its policy Unias from the West, which, he said, marked “one of the darkest pages in the church history of the second millennium, the consequences of which have burdened the relations between the Churches almost to the present day.”

Special emphasis was given by Mr. Bartholomew in the efforts to re-approach the Christians of East and West during the 20th century, mainly after the historic Patriarchal circulars of 1902 and 1920, which contributed decisively to the creation of the Ecumenical Movement and the establishment of the World Council of Churches.

He also referred to his visionary predecessor Patriarch Athenagoras, who with his Encyclical, in 1952, invited all local Orthodox Autocephalous Churches to join the World Council of Churches, the impetus he gave, after the convocation of the Second Vatican Council, to to prepare a future Synod of the Orthodox Church through the Pan-Orthodox Conferences of Rhodes (1961-1963-1964), in the historic meeting with Pope Paul VI in Jerusalem, in 1964, and later in Rome and Constantinople, but also in the mutual lifting of the of anathemas.

Events, His Holiness continued, that characterized the patriarchy of his predecessor and opened “a road of no return to the meeting of all the Christian Churches”.

Then, His Holiness referred to the initiatives and efforts undertaken by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to promote dialogue, after his recovery to the Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople, in 1991, pointing out that his Patriarchate moves on four axes, which he referred to in detail : 1) Visible unity of the Orthodox Church. 2) Dialogue and cooperation with all Christian Churches. 3) Dialogue and collaborations with the religions of the world and especially with Judaism and Islam. 4) Justice, Peace, Unity of Humanity and Safeguarding the Natural Environment.

The ceremony that took place yesterday Thursday at the Pontifical School of Southern Italy was attended by the Roman Catholic archbishop of Naples, hierarchs, clergy, university professors, the mayor of the city, many other personalities, as well as students.