Leaked of Text on Orthodox /Catholic Unity Discussions Lamented by Christian Unity Council

The document was presented for study at the International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit.org) - The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity is lamenting that a document on papal primacy that is currently being studied by the Catholic-Orthodox mixed commission has been leaked.

The dicastery issued a brief statement clarifying that the text, which appeared Monday on the Italian blog Chiesa, "is a draft text consisting of a list of themes to be studied and examined in greater depth, and has been only minimally discussed by the said commission."

The document in question was presented for study at the most recent meeting of the International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which took place last October in Paphos, Cyprus.

During the meeting, the communique reported, "it was specifically established that the text would not be published until it had been fully and completely examined by the commission."

"As yet there is no agreed document and, hence, the text published has no authority or official status," the note adds.

The document discusses the role of the Bishop of Rome during the first milennium of Christianity, and the theological and historical factors that surround the question of the primacy of the Successor of Peter.