Patriarchal Epistle to the Gibraltarians
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To: The Church in Gibraltar
CC: All the Bishops of the Orthodox Catholic Church
From: The Patriarch in Jerusalem
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I grant my Apostolic Blessings and greetings to you my brother bishop and to all the faithful of Gibraltar
From your letter brother, it appears that there are two main issues that have come to your mind, and which require correction and clarification from the Patriarchate. Firstly is the issue of the verse in Matthew 16: 17-19 and its interpretation in regards to the charism of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the second is your concerns as to the beliefs of the Russians.
On the First concern, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, as the head of the primeval see of Christianity, is successor of the Apostle Peter. This as you well know being because Jerusalem, first of all sees was where he resided in office. The Apostles Church still stands in the Holy Quarter of Jerusalem to this day as a firm testament as to this truth. Now this as you well say indeed gives the Patriarch as successor of Peter the power of binding and loosing grantd by our Lord, and quite rightly it is retained and no accomadation is made for this divine truth.
For know that the power of excommunication remains solely with the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who posesses these very instruments through which the door to heaven can be opened and shut. Furthermore I would like to remind the Church in Gibraltar that the Patriarch of Moscow has recognised the primeval primacy of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who has greater position of honour than the Russian Patriarch and acknowledges his universal faculties. The Patriarch of Jerusalem is singular in his unique position as temporal head of the whole Church in addition to the particular church to which you naturally belong (the Moscow Patriarch heading his Particular church within the one Orthodox Catholic Church). The Russian patriarch is equal in stature, but he is unambiguously under the Jerusalem Patriarchate in honour and lacks the petrine supremacy of that office, there is no dualism involved in this union.
On your second concern as to Russian beliefs, The reason this union was possible was precisely because the Russian Church was identical in belief with the Orthodox Catholic Church. Their theology is identical, their faith is the same, their internal structure is indistinguishable. The sole differentiation was in their separation from The Holy Church which was perhaps a product of the Red Death and their geographical isolation. The russians were merely schismatic, and not heretical, this made union a divine necessity in accordance with the will of God. I therefore assure you once again out of paternal concern, that there is No change in the teachings of the Church, nor is there any change in the sacred rites or in any way in regards to the way the faithful are to live their lives. The Church's teachings are timeless and complete and are never to be accomadated with, and you can go to your faithful confident that Gods will has been done, and that the faith has not been dispensed with. Indeed I point you to the very verse you quoted where Christ promised himself his Church that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Have faith brother, Christ himself assured us that the Church he founded would never fall to the powers of the enemy and fall into error. The Church is infallible and I beg of you to have faith in this divine promise.
I urge my brother bishop in gibraltar therefore to have faith, and to hold to his vow of holy obedience to the patriarchate. I pray that I have adequately dispelled the misperceptions the enemy has placed in your mind in a bid to sow division, and ask that you explain to your people the truth of this union and dispel all errors that would seek to divide us. Combat the attempts of Satan to divide and the weaken the Church brother, for God will judge the schismatic who departs from the true Church most harshly, and for the good of souls you must strive to ensure the truth is taught to all those whom have listened to the whispers of the demons and to the statements of the enemies of the Church.
Yours in Christ
The Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Moar RP!
Jeho understood pretty well.
