In the name of the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and
undivided Trinity.
"God is love" (1 Jn 4:9), and love is the God-given
characteristic by which the disciples of Christ are recognized,
the force which keeps his Church together, and the principle there
of peace, unity of mind and heart, and of order, and by the same
token a perpetual and striking manifestation of the Holy Spirit
within it.
Those then who have been divinely entrusted with
the administration of the Churches of God must always take care
of this "bond of perfection" (Col 3:14), and bring it
into use with the greatest attention, solicitude and vigilance.
If it should happen that, as of old, love should
grow cold and unity in Christ be broken, we must in all urgency
lay constraining hands on this evil, and provide a remedy.
It came about that in the year 1054, by decrees
known only to God, it was the lot of the Church to be terribly
storm tossed, so that the general relationships between the Churches
of Rome and Constantinople were thrown into jeopardy, and the
love that kept them together was so far injured that anathema
found place in the midst of the Church of God. The legates from
Rome, Cardinal Humbert and his colleagues, anathematized Patriarch
Michael Cerularius and his two auxiliaries, and Patriarch Michael
Cerularius with his Synod similarly anathematized the document
of the Roman legates, together with those who displayed it and
those involved with them. In view of all this, an obligation became
incumbent on the Churches of Rome and Constantinople to imitate
the divine goodness and love for humankind by jointly putting
these matters right and restoring peace.
Whence now that in these recent times the good pleasure
of God has been made manifest in our regard, and has shown us
the way of reconciliation and peace, by means among other things
of what has been accomplished by the blessed, fruitful, and indeed
mutual care both of the Old and the New Rome for the cultivation
of brotherly relations with one another, it has seemed right to
each of us that we should take steps to correct what happened
in the past, and as far as lies with us to remove what can be
removed from the serried obstacles before us, with a view to the
promotion and increase, the building up and the perfection of
love.
Accordingly we, that is to say our humble self,
together with the very venerable and highly honored Metropolitans,
our beloved brothers and colleagues, considering the present moment
a time acceptable to the Lord, have met in Synod and taken counsel
together. Finding ourselves in fellowship of view and intention
with ancient Rome, we have decided to remove from memory and the
midst of the Church the aforesaid anathema pronounced by Michael
Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and his Synod.
Whence we declare and set down in writing that the
anathema pronounced in the main Chancellery of the Great Church
in our part of the world, in the year of salvation 1054, in the
month of July, of the seventh indiction, is henceforth removed
from memory and the midst of the Church, and is to be regarded
as such by all. And this by the mercy of the God of all pity:
may he, through the intercession of our all-blessed Lady, Mother
of God and ever-Virgin Mary, of the holy glorious Apostles, Peter
the first as leader of the group and Andrew the First-Called,
and of all the saints, grant peace to his Church and guard it
for all ages.
In confirmation of which, and as a lasting sign
and constant witness, the present Patriarchal and Synodal deed
has been enacted, having been drawn up and signed in the sacred
register of our holy Church, and an identical copy having been
sent to the holy Church of ancient Rome, for cognizance thereof
and to be deposited in its archives.
In the year of our salvation 1965, 7 December, of
the fourth indiction.
Athenagoras the Patriarch of Constantinople so declares.
[Subscribed
by:] Thomas of Chalcedon, Chrysostom of Neo-Caesarea, Jerome of
Rodopolis, Symeon of Irinopolis, Dorotheos of the Princes' Isles,
Maximos of Laodicea, Chrysostom of Myra, Cyril of Chaldia, Meliton
of Helioupolis and Theira, Emilianos of Miletus.
