Vatican City, Feb 4, 2008 / 09:31 am
Pope Benedict XVI has decided to accept the resignation of the Patriarch of Syrian-Catholics and in a letter to him, explains that he will temporarily entrust the patriarch’s position to a committee of bishops.
In his letter to His Beatitude Ignace Pierre VIII Abdel-Ahad, the patriarch of Antioch of the Syrian Catholics, the Pope refers to another letter, which the patriarch sent him explaining the reasons for his decision. He notes that he presented his resignation from the office of patriarch “following a period of reflection and prolonged prayer before the Lord".
"I very much appreciate", the Holy Father goes on, "this gesture of ecclesial love, motivated above all by your concern for the spiritual progress of the faithful and for harmony among bishops, and in which I perceive an admirable confirmation of your apostolic zeal".
Having reflected deeply and having listened to the views of your collaborators, the Pope writes, "I felt it my duty to accept your resignation for the noble pastoral reasons that motivated it".