Pope: Christians in the Middle East to be recognized citizens

María Fernanda Bernasconi – Vatican City

With the words of the psalm which says: "How good and how pleasant it is for the brothers to live together in harmony!", The Holy Father warmly welcomed the twenty-six members of the International Joint Commission for theological dialogue between Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches. And he thanked them for having insisted on walking in the aisles of the unit. That is why I encouraged them fraternally to continue in this direction and I expressed my joy at this meeting which is held every two years in Rome on the occasion of the meeting of dialogue that took place. held last year at the headquarters of Santa Echmiadzín. invitation of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Through those present, Francisco praised his venerable brothers and sisters who lead the Eastern Orthodox Churches, while thanking the words previously spoken by Monsignor Kyrillos, the new co-chair of the Commission, to whom he badured his prayer. and wish him good work from the heart. The Pope also recalled with gratitude that his predecessor, the beloved Metropolitan Anba Bishoy, who had recently pbaded away, had been the first co-chair of the Commission, so he joined them in his prayer.

Thank the Lord for the fruits already harvested

The bishop of Rome affirmed that at the end of this work week, which corresponds to the 16th session of his commission, the Lord should be thanked together for the fruits already harvested along the way. Yes, because, as the pope said, "their dialogue is a good illustration of the way in which the various theological formulas end, instead of opposing it," as the Vatican Council has stated. II in the decree on ecumenism. Unitatis redintegratio (N.17)

For this reason, the Pontiff affirmed that he prays and encourages them so that their current reflection on the sacraments helps them to continue the path that leads to full communion, to the common celebration of the Holy Eucharist. In addition, Francisco pointed out that they had devoted this session to a reflection on the sacrament of marriage.

God is a communion of love

And he told them that he "likes to think how much the Book of Genesis says", that is, that man is fully made in the image of God, no not when he is alone, but when he lives in the stable communion of love, "because God is communion of love". At the same time, Pope Bergoglio expressed his certainty that their work, in a climate of great harmony, would be beneficial to the family of God's children, the Bride of Christ, that "we wish to present to the Lord without having a stain or wrinkle (Ef 5, 27), without wounds or divisions, but in the beauty of full communion ".

The proximity of the earth is unique in God's plan of salvation

The Holy Father also recalled that many of these members belong to the churches of the Middle East who are terribly affected by war, violence and persecution. That is why he came back with remembrance to the recent meeting in Bari, where they met as heads of churches during an intense day of prayer and reflection on the situation in this city. geographical area, expressing the wish that this experience can be repeated.

That in the Middle East one sees a dawn of peace

Naturally, the pontiff badured his closeness to all the faithful of the Middle East, with his constant thought and prayer, so that these lands "unique in God's plan of salvation", after "the long night of conflict" can " to glimpse "a dawn of peace. "The Middle East – continued Francisco – must become a land of peace, it can not remain a field of confrontation". This "war, daughter of power and misery, gives way to peace, daughter of law and justice" and "our Christian brothers are recognized as full citizens".

Many saints are flowers of peace in paradise

Finally, the pope pointed out that the life of many saints is a seed of peace deposited on these lands and thrives in the heavens that supports us from there on the path of full communion, the path that God desires, a path that asks us not to continue according to the conveniences of the moment, but docile to the will of the Lord: that "everything is one thing" (Jn 17, 21). He added that "he calls us more and more to the consistent witness of life and the sincere search for unity". While "the seed of this communion, also thanks to its precious work, has sprouted and continues to be irrigated by the blood of the witnesses of unity, by so much blood shed by the martyrs of our time: the members of the various churches who, united by common sufferings in the name of Jesus, now share the same glory. "

Through the intercession of these martyrs, after having renewed their sincere thanks for this visit, Francis invoked on them and on his ministry the blessing of the Lord and invited them to pray together a Our Father, each one in his own language.

About this International Joint Commission

We recall that the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches was constituted in January 2003 at the joint initiative of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. and the authorities of the Eastern Orthodox Churches. (of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Syro-Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, represented by two catholicosados, that of Echmiadzín (or Ejmiatsin) and that of Cilicia, l & # 39; Orthodox Church of Ethiopia, the Orthodox Church of Eritrea and the Syrian Orthodox Church of Malankar).