“May the Star of Bethlehem always shine over Ukraine”

Pope Benedict XIV recently met the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Istanbul and discussed Catholic-Orthodox relations with him. Did these talks bring anything new? What are the prospects for further summits between the Vatican and the Fener, taking into account the position of the Russian Orthodox Church?

“In the last while we have seen that practically every visit of the pope causes quite a stir in society. This was especially evident during the final travels of Pope John Paul II, who, despite his gradually deteriorating health, endured those journeys with unbelievable effort and dauntless courage. The first impression of the new pope’s election was that a new style of the pontificate was being initiated owing to his personality and new priorities. But now, just a little more than a year after his election, the pontiff is once again in the media spotlight. His visit to Constantinople, at first planned as basically a religious visit to Patriarch Bartholomew on the occasion of St. Andrew’s Day, quickly became a public one, which turned this journey into an extraordinary event.

“In setting out on this visit, Pope Benedict strove to show the world the importance of developing an ecumenical dialogue. This attests to a deep personal conviction typical of all latter-day pontiffs. There is a long history behind the ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, so it was only natural to visit Patriarch Bartholomew.

“Strengthening Christian unity is an all-embracing movement. The pope is not forgetting about relations with other Churches. Observers are trying to find evidence that the pontificate is improving relations with some at the expense of others. Obviously, we do not and cannot have this kind of vision. Ecumenical dialogue is the sole project that can develop only with the full continuing participation of all Churches, including, of course, the Russian Orthodox Church, one of the largest in the Christian world. I do not know the details, but I believe that this dimension was present in all of the pope’s talks with the Ecumenical Patriarch.”

Describing the meeting between the pope and the patriarch of Constantinople, the media are hinting that Patriarch Bartholomew I made some important secret proposal to Pope Benedict XVI. What could it have been?

“I was also stunned by the fact that, as soon as the pope arrived at Istanbul airport, his visit began to be shrouded in a special atmosphere. To some extent this happened because of the great stir in the media before the event as well as organizational difficulties linked to the visit. This proves again that the pontiff’s visit was a real church event, not just a formality. Even on television you could see the special accord between the pope and the patriarch, which was especially obvious when, hand in hand, the two hierarchs greeted the faithful. At first I thought it was just my personal impression, but then I saw that others were also surprised by the sincerity and cordiality of the meeting. On the basis of these gestures, someone concluded that there was some kind of agreement behind this. But I am personally convinced that it was simply an important church event that occurred at a very favorable moment for ecumenism. It is very important to preserve all the wealth of this historic event and not tarnish it by negative experiences of the past.”

Recently, after a certain lull, Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow again protested against the Catholic policy of proselytism. What or who is in question?

“I do not know what comments you are referring to, but I presume you mean arguments about the difficulties that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The past decade has seen major social, political, and cultural changes in the countries that were once subjugated by a totalitarian regime.”

“ The advent of democracy and social liberation has brought about new phenomena that hitherto were absolutely unknown. One of them is the rapid growth of religious organizations. Some Churches have restored their institutions, which led church communities to restructure and even divide. But as far as the Catholic Church is concerned, in the vast majority of cases the question was to restore parishes that had historically existed earlier in these lands.

“Unfortunately, the Churches failed to avoid some sad moments that harmed their relationship. Thank God, the situation seems to have stabilized now. As I have been traveling across the country, I have never heard any complaints from the authorities about the activities of our communities. All this shows that the period of tension is apparently over. Today, our Church has come to grips with the great task of intensifying church life. Religious communities are no longer expanding as they did in the 1990s, and we are facing the problem of helping people to deepen their faith and be the Gospel and Christ’s witnesses for those who are seeking God in modern society.”

Recently, Moscow again brought up the ‘unlawful actions of Greek Catholics.’ Did the Moscow Patriarch have a serious reason for saying this? Is the Vatican planning any reforms of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church?

“All that I said also applies to relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. These relations bear the seal of the painful events of the past. These are difficult problems and we all aware of them. It still seems to me that they can be resolved through dialogue. Our goal is to redress past injustices in the spirit of forgiveness. In many cases, forgiveness alone can heal wounds. Some people think we should return to past justice, but historical events are very often a factor that makes it impossible to revert to the previous situation. Suffice it to recall the terrible consequences of forced deportations, which radically changed the structure of the population in some regions.

“What is to be done today? Of course, one should always take today’s situation as it is but at the same time remain open to more fair decisions -decisions that can comfort those who consider themselves discriminated against. But if such attempts are not constantly accompanied by the spirit of forgiveness, difficulties are bound to remain. The situation becomes even more dramatic when tensions are caused by misunderstandings that alarm other people, who would like to live in peace. In that case we, Christians, run the risk of being the cause of public disturbances and divisions. In my interviews I always stress that we, Christians, are responsible for those who have lost faith in God.”

Some time ago, the foreign relations department of the Moscow Patriarchate alleged that Patriarch Aleksei II had agreed to meet the pope in ‘a third country.’ Can this meeting really take place? Where is this ‘third’ place? Why is it impossible to meet in the Vatican or in Moscow?

“The pope and the entire Catholic Church are hoping and actively working for a rapprochement with the Russian Orthodox Church. We are all too aware of the importance of a meeting between the Holy Father and the Patriarch of Moscow. This meeting would be extremely important not only for bilateral relations but also for the entire ecumene of the Christian world. This is even more obvious today, when the whole world is convinced that dialogue is the only way of overcoming difficulties in intercultural and inter- religious relations. Only by means of dialogue can one open new prospects for the future. Leaving details aside, I want to stress that the pontiff is prepared to continue exploring all the ways for achieving this exalted goal.”

President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine revealed recently that last summer he invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit Ukraine. Has this invitation been accepted?

“President Viktor Yushchenko invited Pope Benedict XVI on the fifth anniversary of the visit to Ukraine of God’s Servant John Paul II. The pontiff was very appreciative of this sincere gesture from the president. In a letter of thanks the pope said that he looks to Divine Providence to accept this invitation and further strengthen the already close ties between Ukraine and the city of St. Peter. Likewise, the Catholic Episcopate of Ukraine (of both rites) sent an invitation to the Holy Father on its own behalf. This created external conditions for the visit but, taking into account his own possibilities, the pontiff is entrusting everything to Divine Providence, which governs the destiny of the Churches and all of humankind.”

How is the Catholic Church tackling property issues in Ukraine, for example, the land and temples that still have to be transferred to the Catholic Church?

“Ukraine is a country with a great spirit of freedom. Many observers note a high level of basic political and economic freedoms as well as of those concerning the religious dimension. On the other hand, all this is being projected in a bad light because of the slow pace of resolving certain problems connected to the church’s property.

“I recently welcomed some guests from Miensk, and we went to see St. Nicholas’s Cathedral in Kyiv. When we wanted to go inside, a woman appeared and did not let us in because the place was being readied for a concert. We asked her to let us look through the half-open door. Then she asked where we were from. I said I was the Apostolic Nuncio and these were my friends from Belarus. And my friends noted out loud that there is also a church in Miensk, where concerts are held, but this year it was handed over to the Catholic community. I think the woman felt a little ashamed.

“This minor episode shows that even ordinary people cannot understand what makes it so difficult to return holy places to their true owners. There are plenty of such cases in Ukraine. But we also enjoy support on the highest level, so we hope that this problem will finally be solved.”

What is your attitude to teaching religious ethics in Ukrainian schools?

“In spite of all difficulties and complexities, I must say that Ukraine remains a Christian country. Many Slavic nations borrowed the practice of baptism from Kyiv, and no one can forget this fact, even less so institutions that are responsible for educating the younger generation.

“But we all know that Ukraine is home to many Christian faiths, so one should take a very cautious approach to this educational project. As far as I can tell, representatives of different Churches have found a common language for carrying out this project. I know that there is already a detailed syllabus that will introduce pupils to Christian values openly and with due respect for each of their traditions.”

Does His Excellency feel more at home in Ukraine? What do you like and dislike the most?

“I have been very pleased with this appointment since my arrival in Ukraine. This does not mean that my job is easy: on the contrary, it is rather delicate, and you always have to be very attentive to everybody and respect their feelings. It is a great pleasure to live in Kyiv; this city never stops amazing me with its beauty and people. This is especially true now, during Christmas, when you can be fascinated by the religious soul of the Ukrainian people. There are not many countries in the world that can be as proud of their rich spiritual traditions as Ukrainians.

“I do not know what I could be displeased with. I have lived in many countries, but let us not compare them now. I think this is the right approach, for a human being is merely a guest on earth. All that we have been given should be considered as a gift from the Creator, and there are a lot of these ‘gifts’ in Kyiv.

“In this spirit I would like to wish The Day’s readers a Merry Christmas, and I hope that the Star of Bethlehem will always shine over Ukraine and guide it in the New Year 2007.”