More on the Pan-Orthodox meeting

(POI) - "It is another important step in the ecumenical path. Apart from the presence of the most important patriarchs in the Orthodox world, a Catholic delegation was actually invited as well. Among others, the delegation is made up of Card. Andrea Lanza Cordero di Montezemolo, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the nuncio at Ankara, Msgr. Antonio Lucibello".

It was declared to SIR by Msgr. Luigi Padovese, president of the Papal Conference of Turkey, while commenting the symposium of the primates of the Orthodox Churches in the world, opening in Istanbul today to celebrate the Pauline Year. "It is a positive sign in the name of Apostle Paul - said Msgr. Padovese, who is part of the Catholic delegation; - actually, we are not going as single persons but as representatives of a sister church. Under the ecumenical aspect, in Turkey, we are going from formal cordiality to real contents. The fact that Bartholomew I and many other Orthodox representatives were present at our opening of the Pauline Year is meaningful. This invitation, now returned by the Patriarchate, has a remarkable meaning for the prosecution of relations and dialogue.

The Christian churches in Turkey are facing the same problems, and this unites us in a special way". According to the president of the Turkish bishops, the presence of the Patriarch of Moscow Alexis II in Istanbul, in spite of a few divergences with the ecumenical Patriarchate, "narrows the gap with the Orthodox churches again, and this may have a positive impact on the Catholic-Orthodox theological dialogue". As for a possible journey of the Pope to Russia, the bishop said to be "very optimistic".

As for the trend of the Pauline Year, Msgr. Padovese is "happy" about the flow of pilgrims. However, he admitted that "in relation to the age-old question of the church in Tarsus, there is nothing new, for the time being". "Last week, there was the pilgrimage of a delegation of bishops from Germany. This visit was much followed by German media, which emphasized also the opportunity for all the Christians in Turkey to have a permanent place of worship in Tarsus, and not only for the Pauline Year". "Lately, the mayor of Cologne sent a letter to Turkey's Premier Erdogan: firmly but genially, he recalled him the commitments undertaken during one of his journeys to Cologne. Actually, Erdogan publicly declared that if the Christians asked for a place of worship in Tarsus, he would do anything possible for them, to obtain it even against the opposition. We are waiting for those words to be implemented", he concluded.