The Cyrillomethodian Tradition and the Contemporary Dialogue between the Orthodox and the Romeocatholic Church for the Reunification

Abstract

Among the Church researchers, the interest for Cyrillo-Methodian tradition has become extremely topical since the mid-19th century. Roman Catholic theologians have given the initiative for the new review of heritage of the Apostles of the Slavs. In fact, after the First Vatican Council, the Pope has officially started the promotion of a new model of the Roman Catholic Union with the Orthodox Slavs. In the Balkans, in a field expansion of ecclesiastical Union, a prominent figure was Roman Catholic bishop of Đakovo, Josip Juraj Strossmayer (1815-1905). His idea was based on the closeness of the language and culture of South Slavic nations, in order to overcome the existing differences of ecclesial traditions based on the example of the Holy Brothers. Of course, in the perception of the Roman tradition, the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius are treated as “loyal darlings of the Pope”. Serbian bishops in the second half of the 19th and early 20th century have recognized in these activities a Roman Catholic aspirations towards Union, which were perceived as a provocative proselytism and have led up to the open conflict. “The Slavonic model” of unity of the Church today is interpreted in a different way and in different historical circumstances. In the new form, without substantial changes, „The Slavonic model” is re-actualized through “the Ravenna Document”. However, it is indicative that the shift in the imperative of unity of the Church from “the Slavonic” to “the Ravenna model” does not come as a forefront question of ecclesiological teachings of the Holy Brothers as a “bridge” for dogmatic unity of the Orthodox and Roman Catholics, but rather as the question of primacy of the Roman pope. The historical development of the Roman Catholic interpretation of the unity of the Church from “the Slavonic” to “Ravenna model” places in the epicenter of all issues the primacy of the Roman pope, while the unity of the faith is “presupposed”.