In the first part of this study we deal with the relation of Saint Τheodore the Studite to the cities of Thessaloniki and Jerusalem. Having as our main source his massive epistolography, we discuss his views on the place of the patriarch of Jerusalem Thomas and the pope of Rome in the Church. Thomas is the “first” (primus) within the “pentarchy” of the patriarchs, in the so called “five-headed body of the Church” (πεντακόρυφον ἐκκλησιαστικόν σῶμα), where the pope belongs as well. According to Theodore all the patriarchs are “equal”, in the “pentarchy”, the ecclesiological form of the Church’s life of the first millenium. Among them the pope is the first in “order and honour” for being the leader of the “Romaic Church”, “the patriarch of the West”. This title is the traditional one among others, which the pope uses ever since. However, its recent omission from the last edition (2006) of the “Annuario Pontificio”, puts more obstacles to the constant efforts for mutual understanding and sincere and fruitful theological dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman-Catholic Church. The second part of the study is related to the ecclesiology of “communion” and we make some comments on this central principle of theology. The concept of “communion” should apply to all the ecclesial institutions and it could greatly contribute, in a very positive and constructive way, to the discussions of the problem about the office of “primus” and the way of exercising it in the Catholic Church, with specific reference to the “primacy” of bishop of Rome, in terms of the ecumenical movement and the ecclesial rapprochement. The concept of “communion” may even place the stumbling block of the ecclesial unity, i.e. the “office” of the pope, in the traditional framework, which is the paradigm of the “pentarchy of the patriarchs”. In other words, the way of Church’s life during the first ten centuries. In the last section we briefly discuss the rebeginning of the second phase of the Official Theological Dialogue between the Roman-Catholic and the Orthodox Church (Belgrade 18-25 September 2006), the official visit of pope Benedict 16th to Constantinople (30 November 2006) and the official visit of archbishop of Athens and all Greece Christodoulos to Rome (14 December 2006). These very important events it is hoped that will push forward the essential progress of this dialogue, which some time in the future may lead the two Churches to the full “communion” of faith and sacramental life.

Not so long ago phenomenon of death was fundamental dimension of human being for continental philosophy. After Second World War postmodern culture deconstructed the “Subject” and the Age of Enlightenment’s values and the phenomenon of death also. It turned into the language game, metaphor, in other words, moved into the space of texts and linguistic. Now people in developed societies behave as if death does not exist. The main hidden barrier to the investigation of human mortal nature – “shame of death” (F. Aries). People shame of aging and therefore death and avoid them. In the modern world there is a domination of technological immortality’s logic, i.e. aging/death is considered as a fatal mistake of Nature, which may be and must be corrected. Collapse of the Soviet communist system was the accomplished logic of immortality of limit-less man, who encountered inevitability of absolute historical and cultural limit. Unfortunately, phenomenon of death of the Soviet and post-Soviet person remained without serious attention of both Russian and West culture. However, from my point of view, logic of Soviet “mangod”, Soviet ideology and empire’s collapse hold answers on most cardinal issues of modern period of world history. The matter is not the returning to the religious values, but next step to the image of mortal being and, therefore, to the mortal human being, who is aware and demand human limits in practice.

This paper offers some reflections on the nature of ecclesial unity. We believe, that often concepts of unity stemming from secular humanism influence notions of ecclesial unity, which has a negative effect on theological development. We operate in the framework of orthodox theology and ecclesiology and attempt to offer some avenues for a more constructive discussion of ecclesial unity, which would ultimately find its reflection in the nature of the church as such. We argue, that visible unity is the goal of every christian, but this visible unity has to be seen in the context of an invisible unity of the church centred on Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Further, that the church should be seen primarily as a living organism, which is comprised by persons and the struggle for unity is at the same time a struggle for personhood.