Pope Francis handed over to Patriarch Bartholomew some relics of St. Peter
For the first time in history the transfer of St. Peter's relics from the Ancient to New Rome took place on June, 29. This happened during the visit of the Delegation of Constantinople to Vatican on the occasion of the celebration of St. Peter and Paul.
Such visits have already become traditional, but only now Pope has given his orthodox brothers this gift as a sign of fraternity.
The process of transferring relics was described by Archbishop Job of Telmessos, Doctor of Theology and representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the World Council of Churches on his Facebook:
"Today, after the Papal Mass for the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, according to the protocol, I went down to the Tomb of St. Peter to pray in front of it with His Holiness Pope Francis. “Wait for me after. I have a gift to give you for the Church of Constantinople. I thought of it last night during prayer.” After a stop in the sacristy, here comes Pope Francis who says to me “Let’s go”. Sitting in his simple little Ford, I ask: “Holiness, where are we going?” “To the Pontifical Palace. The gift is there” replies Pope Francis. Having arrived to the former Pontifical Appartements, we stop in the chapel. I thought the Holy Father either wanted to show it to me, or the stop to say a prayer... “This chapel was set by the late Pope Paul VI. He brought some relics of St. Peter here from the basilica. I don’t live here. I don’t use the chapel. During prayer last night, I thought to myself: these holy relics will be better in Constantinople, in the Phanar. Here are they. Take them with you. Give them to my brother His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. This gift is not from me, it’s from God”. Thus, on the day of St. Peter and St. Paul, for the first time in history, the translation of the holy relics of St. Peter took place from the Ancient to the New Rome. Tomorrow, on the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles, the holy relics will be exposed for veneration in the church of the Holy Apostles in Feriköy where His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch will preside the Divine Liturgy from the throne. Glory be to God who is wonderful in his saints!"
