"POPE FRANCIS GIVEN GLOVES BY FINNISH BISHOPS IN A WARM MEETING"

Bishop Bo-Göran Strand hands a pair of gloves to Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church.  Photo: Vatican Media, / 22 January 2024

Bishop Bo-GöRan Å Strand of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland presented Pope Francis with a pair of gloves during the annual audience of the week of prayer for Christian unity. He called it a "simple gift, to warm the Pope's hand in an otherwise cold world."

Bishop Strand spoke to Pope Francis about aspects of his ecumenical pilgrimage journey, including Pope Francis' visit to the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva in 2018 and the ongoing WCC pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity. Bishop Strand observed that pilgrimage is increasingly becoming a trend in the Nordic countries and that a joint ecumenical pilgrimage meeting will be held in Trondheim in 2030.

Remembering the Biblical passages that tell of a man who went from Jerusalem to Jericho and The Good Samaritan,

Bishop Bo-GöRan Å Strand, consisting of Karin Å Strand, Deacon; father Martti Savijoki SCJ; Pastor Mari Puska; Metropolitan Arseni of the Orthodox Church of Finland; Dr. Kimmo KääRiäInen, Executive Director of the National Council of Churches, Department of International Relations; and Maria Mountraki, member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC)

The delegation of Finnish church representatives pose for a photo with Pope Francis and other representatives of the Roman Catholic Church.  Photo: Vatican Media

Pope Francis declared that "this meeting with you is a sign of life amid the current week of prayer for Christian unity" and thanked the Finnish delegation for their presence.

Pope Francis added, "Let us make sure that this annual ecumenical meeting continues to grow and evolve."

During the week of prayer, Pope Francis stressed in particular how important it is to always "welcome our poor and forgotten brothers," including "those who feel abandoned by God or have strayed from the path of faith and hope."

Historical roots, familiar customs

According to Bishop Å Strand, the meeting demonstrated the ecumenical collaboration that exists in Finland, and visiting Rome, especially during prayer week, is an important tradition for long-term relations between churches.

Bishop ÅStrand told WCC News by phone directly from Rome after speaking with Pope Francis: "Actually, this is the 39th visit to the Vatican on January 19, Saint Henrik's Day, to celebrate his life and work." The ecumenical tradition was started by Archbishop John Vikströ, who asked one of the Lutheran bishops to lead a delegation to meet with the Pope and staff at the Vatican every year.

This year, I will lead an ecumenical delegation to Rome.

According to legend, Saint Henry brought Christianity to Finland along with the King of Sweden, Saint Erik, and died a martyr's death. He became an important figure in the Catholic Church in that country.

According to Bishop Å Strand, it is very important to share history and traditions. This annual meeting in Rome has the aim of meeting with Pope Francis and bringing an ecumenical delegation to Rome to meet with Cardinal Kurt Koch and his team, as well as celebrate a joint service in one of the city's churches.

Pray for harmony.

Strand specifically mentioned the warm and sincere conversations he had with Pope Francis and delegates about the church's current role in a fragile and polarized world. "We have a special appeal to the world towards unity and togetherness." We must instill hope in people to act together, even if the situation seems very difficult.

"Over the years as a local pastor, I have seen the importance of global, but always combined, dogmatic documents and, most importantly, a dynamic local ecumenical life in which churches cooperate whenever possible." Because our forces are gathering.

As bishop of the Diocese of Porvoo, where the Porvoo agreement was established in 1992, "I feel a responsibility to live and act in accordance with the spirit of the agreement." It is a very important tool for local life, recruitment, sacraments, and building stronger relationships with other sister churches in the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic countries.

Bishop Strand was very grateful for the warm welcome he received in Rome, and he specifically stated how pleasant it was for him to speak with the Pope. At this time, he was on his way to prepare for the evening service with the local choir from Porvoo and his Catholic colleague Raimo Goyarrola. The final question of our call is about what prayers we can send to you and your church.

"I would like to pray and ask others to join me in the week of prayer for Christian unity," replied one bishop. To pray for unity, togetherness, and cooperation in a broken world, you will love the Lord, your God, and your neighbor as yourself. As a church, we are called to act for the good of the world.

News Sources : https://www.oikoumene.org/news/finnish-bishop-meets-pope-francis-gifts-gloves-to-keep-warm-in-a-cold-world