A Pro-Western Rite Ecumenical Patriarch?

One of the joys I'm finding in this blog is the comment section, where helpful discussions often begin. Occasionally, it also shows what my next post should be. In the comments on our recent post about a Roman Catholic professor's misleading commentary on the Liturgy of St. Tikhon, one of our valued readers wrote, "[At least William J. Tighe] didn't cite criticisms of dubious validity from hierarchs of your own communion."

In fact, that was the first thing he did. He wrote:

I have been told by more than one Orthodox informant that while there are some Orthodox (especially among the Greeks) who repudiate any “western rite” Orthodoxy whatsoever, there are others who, while accepting the legitimacy of WRO, insist that the only legitimate “western rites” are those which originated before the East/West schism, and have had a continuous existence ever since — which would rule out any “Anglican Rite.”

Fortunately, both statements are utterly irrelevant to the Antiochian Archdiocese, home of the Western Rite Vicariate, which is neither run by Greeks nor liturgical resurrectionists. (Mr. Tighe's criteria of rites that "originated before the East/West schism, and have had a continuous existence ever since" would to my knowledge rule out every liturgy currently being celebrated on earth, as none are without modifications since 1054, including the Byzantine rites, plural.)

Critics of the WRV often trumpet opposition to the Western Rite by "the Greeks." In addition to the fact that the Patriarch of Constantinople originally approved J.J. Overbeck's text of the Gregorian Liturgy in the late 19th century (before backing out), in modern times we have Met. ISAIAH's kind publications. To this, we may add this edifying post from a long-lost bulletin of a WRV priest, Fr. Jack. Apparently, a recent Ecumenical Patriarch saluted Western Rite activities. (I would differ only at his unblinkingly favorable view of the French Revolution):

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The following address was given by His All-Holiness, Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople, to a deputation from this Church to the University of Halki:

"Well! Behold a great event! It is a marvellous thing for us to learn of the revival of Orthodoxy in the West. But I am not surprised that this movement comes from France, this France which has already given us so many beautiful and sweet things. It is an historic moment for all Christendom, and it would be a great fault on our part if we didn' t understand that we must work at its realisation. We know that there is in the West great thirst again for the true Christian tradition. We know also that the climate of the Church of Rome, by its authoritarianism so heavy to bear, cannot make possible a true birth in the heart of tradition. May you be the bridge which shall be projected between the Orthodox Church, repository of the true light, and the Roman Church which we love."

And to Fr. [Eugraph] Kovalevsky [later Bp. Jean de Saint-Denys]: "It is an honour for us to come to your aid, you who have devoted all your life to this historic work of French Orthodoxy. France has brought us by its revolution liberty, justice, and fraternity. Perhaps France will bring a new revolution for christianity, thanks to your work." (October 26, 1954).

(Hat tip: Fr. Jack.)