Texts of Athenagoras I

This article brings together a selection of texts by Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I, drawn from speeches, messages and declarations delivered between 1967 and 1971. It is an anthology of primary sources, presented without analytical commentary, giving direct access to the Patriarch's thought. The central idea running throughout is the conviction that love, Christian unity and the mission of the Church in the contemporary world are inseparable: the Orthodox Church is called to offer the world the treasure of its Tradition in a spirit of service, working toward reconciliation among Christians and the transfiguration of humanity. On the theological and historical level, these texts bear witness to Athenagoras's ecumenical commitment, particularly in his dialogue with Paul VI, and illustrate an ecclesiology centered on the Resurrection, deification, and the cosmic dimension of Christmas and Easter.