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For Immediate Release
November 28, 2004

CONSTANTINOPLE - The day of November 27, 2004 will forever mark a new beginning in the calendar of the two great cities Rome and Constantinople and will be a focus and a reference point in the history of Christianity.

On this day the holy and sacred relics of St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian were restored to their rightful place from which they were forcibly taken 800 years ago by the crusaders of the 4th crusade in 1204.

In a special ecumenical service held in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II returned the relics of these most revered saints of Orthodoxy, to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in an event that His All Holiness described as the "source of rejoicing and jubilation."

"A holy act is taking place today in which an ecclesiastical anomaly and injustice committed eight centuries ago is being rectified. This brotherly gesture on the part of the senior Church of Rome confirms that in the Church of Christ there are no insurmountable obstacles when love, justice and peace converge in the holy service of reconciliation and unity," said His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his address to the Pope during the service.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America read in the original Greek, the letter of St. John Chrysostom to Pope Innoccentius I, written in the early 5th century.

During the solemn service the relics of the two saints were brought in front of the altar in their alabaster encasements and were ceremoniously turned over to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

The ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica was attended by hundreds of faithful from around the world including a delegation of Greek Orthodox pilgrims from the United States led by Archbishop Demetrios. Dr. Anthony Limberakis and John Halecky represented the Archons of the "Order of St. Andrew the Apostle," who have embarked to a spiritual odyssey to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which will also take them to Ankara, Smyrna and Ephesus.

An aircraft carrying the holy relics and accompanied by the Ecumenical Patriarch, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Archbishop Gregory of Thyateira, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra and Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis left Rome, crossed the Adriatic sea, flew over northern Greece and landed in Constantinople bringing the relics of the two Archbishops of Constantinople back to the city of their See of which they had presided as Archbishops and Patriarchs.

The scene was reminiscent of the Resurrection services as hundreds of faithful holding lit candles, filled the patriarchal compound in the Phanar and awaited the arrival of His All Holiness and the holy relics. Hymns of doxology were chanted, bells tolled joyfully and His All Holiness with the holy relics led the procession through the courtyard to the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George, encircled the altar three times and then placed the holy relics on his throne in honor of the two great fathers of the church who have preceded him in the throne of the Church of Constantinople.

"When we approach and venerate the holy relics with piety we become participants in divine grace and in the gifts of the holy spirit," the Ecumenical Patriarch said in his message, which was read in English by Fr. Alexander Karloutsos.
The doxology services were attended by an official delegation from the Vatican that traveled with the Ecumenical Patriarch from Rome headed by Walter Cardinal Kasper, the chairman of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity.

On Tuesday Nov. 30, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople celebrates the feast of its patron saint and founder St. Andrew, the first-called Apostle of Christ. His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will preside over the Divine Liturgy with the participation of many hierarchs, heads of autocephalous Orthodox Churches around the world.
During the Liturgy the holy relics will be enshrined in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George.