June 7 (O.S.), 1901, after the fall of Constantine V, he was chosen by eighty-three votes, and the Porte then gave him his berat.[1]
One of the first steps His Holiness took was to present to the synod the following questions for their consideration: the composition of an Encyclical letter to all the other Orthodox Churches with a view of taking some common action (probably a general council) to put an end to all the questions that disturb their mutual good understanding (the aggression of Russia, the Macedonian troubles, the quarrels at Antioch and Cyprus, and, above all, the Bulgarian schism); secondly, he proposed the question of the reunion of Christendom, and especially of union with the Old Catholics (he did not mention the Church of England expressly) as a thing to be yet again attempted, and he submitted to their special attention the question of the Calendar (p. 398), the reform of the monasteries, and possibly a modification of the four long fasts observed by the Orthodox.[2] This measure argues a prelate who is both zealous for the good estate of his Church and wise in seeing her weaknesses. And, indeed, one hears nothing but what is good of Lord Joachim III. Unhappily the old jealousies against the Phanar still go on among the other Orthodox Churches, and so they are little disposed to help his efforts. He sent round a wise and edifying Encyclical,[3] in which he asked the sister-Churches to consider whether some steps could not be taken towards reunion with the other Christian bodies. He divides these other bodies strangely into three classes—the "Western Church" (i.e., of course, the Latins), the "Protestant Church" (which is, indeed, a comprehensive term), and, lastly, the infinitesimal "Old Catholic Church." His
- ↑ The other candidates were Constantine of Chios (seventy-two votes), and Polycarp of Varna (sixty-nine votes).
- ↑ E. d'Or. v. pp. 243–245.
- ↑ The text is published in the Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ ἀλήθεια of April 4, 1903. It is significant that the Church of Antioch is left out from the address at the beginning. The letter is addressed to the "Patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem, and to the autocephalous Churches of Cyprus, Russia, Greece, Roumania, &c." Joachim regarded Meletios of Antioch as a usurper. Of course Bulgaria is ignored too.
