Metropolitan Nicholas' Homecoming at Halki
December 1, 2005
CONSTANTINOPLE - After a long, three year absence, His
Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas was finally able to make a much desired
pilgrimage to the Holy Mother and Great Church of Christ, the Ecumenical
Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Accompanied by the present writer, His Eminence journeyed over the
Thanksgiving holiday weekend to the Queen of Cities, Constantinople, in order to
participate in the celebrations attending the Patronal Feastday of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate, the feast of the Holy First-Called Apostle Saint
Andrew, the founder and protector of See of Constantinople.
After a difficult year of illness and continuing treatments, with the prayers
of the clergy and faithful of the Carpatho-Russian Church in America and his
innumerable friends throughout America and the world, His Eminence entrusted his
journey to his dual patrons, Saints Nicholas and Nectarios, that they might
accompany him to the City that belongs to the Mother of God, and for which all
Orthodox Christians pray. Through her holy prayers, Metropolitan Nicholas
arrived safely in Constantinople, and after a day of rest, he made his
appearance at the Phanar, the Sacred Center of the Orthodox Faith, where, within
the Patriarchal Compound and the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George the
Trophy-bearer, the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church was canonized and
her first Hierarch, the thrice-blessed Metropolitan Orestes (Chornock) was
ordained bishop.
As the porters and clergy recognized Metropolitan Nicholas, who was ascending
the steps to the Gate of the Holy Martyr Patriarch Gregory V, every face broke
into a wide smile and many eyes filled with tears of joy.
The Metropolitan stood before the Gate where Patriarch Gregory was hung by
the Ottomans on Pascha Sunday 1821. He prayed and kissed the Gate that has been
shut since that holy martyrdom and shall ever remain so. (Later, in the
Cathedral of Athens and All Greece, His Eminence would reverence the Holy Relics
of the martyred Patriarch, for they are enshrined in a magnificent marble tomb
in the Cathedral of the Annunciation.)
Immediately upon entering the Patriarchate (which has been housed in the
Monastery of St. George the Trophy-bearer since 1601), Metropolitan Nicholas
went to pray in the Cathedral, and venerate the great treasures that are present
there: the Holy Relics of Saints Euphemia (the very Relics that Metropolitan
Orestes brought back from Constantinople to place in the antimensia that are on
many Altars in the Diocese), St. Theophano and St. Solomone; a portion of the
Column of the Flagellation from the Praetorium in Jerusalem; the Icon of
Panaghia Pammakaristos; and, thanks to the initiative of His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Returned Relics of two of the greatest
Patriarchs of Constantinople - St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John
Chrysostom.
When His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew learned of the
Metropolitan's presence within the compound, he invited him to accompany him to
the beloved island of Halki, where His All Holiness was to host a prominent
journalist.
Traveling over the Sea of Marmara on the Patriarchal yacht, Metropolitan
Nicholas reflected on his days at the Halki Seminary, over 40 years ago.
As the dome of Aghia Sophia loomed in the background and the panorama of the
City spread out before the calm Sea, His Eminence reminisced with His All
Holiness. Many of the faithful of the Carpatho-Russian Diocese are aware how in
1962, with the blessings of Metropolitan Orestes and the sponsorship of the
Exarch of the Ecumenical Throne, Archbishop Iakovos, the future Metropolitan
Nicholas Smisko traveled to Constantinople and the famous Theological School of
Halki.
Those years were not only formative for the young priest Nicholas, but were
of great service to the Church, for the then Patriarch Athenagoras assigned the
priest Nicholas to serve to Russian Churches (St. Andrew and St. Elias) in the
Galata neighborhood of the City. The love of Patriarch Athenagoras for the young
priest Nicholas was a reflection that the Patriarch had for the Carpatho-Russian
people and the Diocese of which he was the godfather. It was Patriarch
Athenagoras (then Archbishop of America) who sponsored the canonization of the
Carpatho-Russian Diocese into the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
When the boat had completed the one hour trip from the City to Halki,
Metropolitan Nicholas boarded a horse-drawn carriage with the Patriarch (there
are no automobiles allowed on the island), and together they wound around to the
top of the Island, where the Seminary sits with a commanding view of
Constantinople, Chalcedon and all the Princess Islands that are strewn like
lilies in the dark waters Sea of Marmara.
The Seminary of Halki, closed by the Turkish government since 1971 on the
grounds that no religious schools are permitted in the secular state of Turkey,
occupies the site of the famous 9th Century Monastery of the Holy Trinity,
founded by St. Photios the Great, himself Ecumenical Patriarch.
Upon their arrival, Metropolitan Nicholas made for the Church of the Holy
Trinity, which stands in the midst for the grand 19th century buildings of the
Seminary. After venerating the precious icons, he found his way to the very
monastic stall (Gk., "stasidion") where he had worshiped so many times during
his years there as a student. He was greeted warmly by the current Abbot of the
Monastery, His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of Moschonisia and introduced to
many pilgrims who had come from Greece for the feast of St. Andrew. After a
little roaming through the halls and classrooms and replete with good memories,
His Eminence joined the Patriarch for a small luncheon and then returned to
Constantinople.
That evening, Metropolitan Nicholas was invited to serve for the Feastday of
St. Andrew with His All Holiness and eleven other Hierarchs of the Throne and
from around the world. But before that Liturgy, there were other causes of
celebration and joy.
Throughout the days that preceded the Feast of the First-Called Andrew, the
Patriarchate is teeming with visitors from all over the world. Clerics of every
rank, Orthodox and heterodox, diplomats from within the consular community in
Constantinople and overseas, print and television journalists, and a whole host
of pilgrims swell the courtyard that borders the Patriarchal Cathedral and the
Holy House of the Sacred Myrrh (the Myrrhophylakeion-- where Metropolitan
Nicholas assisted in the Blessing of the Sacred Chrism three years ago, his last
time in Constantinople).
Among all these visitors was a very special one for the Metropolitan, a
former student at Christ the Savior Seminary in Johnstown and a devoted
spiritual son of His Eminence. With great eagerness, the newly elected Bishop
for the Ukrainian Church in Great Britain sought out the Metropolitan. His
Grace, Bishop-Elect Andrej Peshko (as a student at Christ the Savior, "Bogdan")
embraced the Metropolitan with joy and love, kissing his hand and smiling
broadly. His Grace Andrej had come to the Phanar in order to officially accept
his election to the episcopacy and pay his respects to the Patriarch. But he was
anxious to see Metropolitan Nicholas, knowing that not a few days hence, on the
Feast of St. Andrew old style (Dec. 13), the Metropolitan will be one of his
three consecrators, appointed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
On November 30th, with the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called presented
for veneration, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew celebrated the
Divine Liturgy with twelve Hierarchs of the Throne and from around the world.
His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas was among those honored to serve. As the
Liturgy was chanted in Greek, Slavonic, Carpatho-Rusin, Ukrainian and English,
the delegation of the Roman Catholic Church, led by Cardinal Walter Kasper, the
President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, followed the
Divine Service with the crowds who had come for the feast. Monks and nuns, many
bishops and priests, even the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople lined the the
monastic stalls of the St. George Cathedral.
It has been a tradition for many years that on their respective feasts
(November 30 for New Rome, Constantinople, and June 29 for Old Rome) that
Delegations be sent and that greetings be read. At the conclusion of the Divine
Liturgy, His All Holiness delivered the traditional address to the Roman Church
Delegation and among his words were these very important thoughts on the purpose
of dialogue.
"Our invitation for dialogue addresses all people, regardless of faith or
standing, and its final goal is for all to learn the truth that is in Christ and
to taste the great delight that derives from knowing Christ.
Certainly, the course of unification of all has levels and stages of
progress, an is an issue that goes beyond the lifetime of many. The anticipated
goal of this dialogue is not the personal victory of one side of the
participants over the other; the goal is to discover a ray of truth and to
jointly accept it. The discovery and acceptance of the first ray of truth should
then lead to the discovery of yet another one, and so on. The fullness of the
truth, however, cannot be obtained or ensured by means of accuracy in its
expression, because it is chiefly an ontological reality; it is an experience in
Christ; it is Christ. Living in Christ cannot be achieved by means of intellect
alone. It also requires a genuine grafting into Him, as into a well-cultured
olive tree (Rom. 11:23), the Communion of His Body and Spirit (1 Cor. 10:16),
the ascent to Mt. Tabor and participation in the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:2-6),
so that we will be enlightened by the Uncreated Divine Light and recognize
Jesus, Who is walking with us in a different guise and is made known 'in the the
Breaking of the Bread' (Luke 24:35)."
After the response of the Catholic Cardinal, all the Hierarchs in attendance
retired for a luncheon hosted by the Patriarch.
Later that evening, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received Metropolitan in
a private audience. His Eminence made presentations on behalf of the Diocese and
there was a personal exchange of gifts. His All Holiness was jubilant at the
good health of the Metropolitan and expressed his fervent desire that His
Eminence would return to the Mother Church even every year. In fact, His
Eminence will join His All Holiness for the Great Blessing of the Waters at
Tarpon Springs, Florida in January for the 100th anniversary of the St. Nicholas
Greek Orthodox Church in Tarpon Springs.
The Patriarch closed their meeting by extending a special invitation to the
Metropolitan to be present at any inaugural ceremonies, should their shared Alma
Mater, the Theological School at Halki, be reopened.
With blessings and joy, Metropolitan Nicholas departed from the Queen of
Cities this morning, December 1st. He will be in Athens, where St. Paul the
Apostle preached the Gospel, and will celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas on the
new calendar on Tuesday December 6th. Later on that same day, His Eminence will
be received by the American Ambassador to Greece, Charles Ries, at the American
Embassy.
- Contributed by Father Mark Arey
