Your Beatitude,
I greet you with fraternal affection in the Risen Lord and I thank you for your
gracious welcome.
I recall with gratitude your visit to Rome three years ago, and I rejoice that
today we meet again in your beloved homeland. Through you, I greet the Holy
Synod, and all the priests, deacons, monks, nuns and lay faithful of the Church
of Cyprus.
Before all else, I wish to express my gratitude for the hospitality which the
Church of Cyprus so generously offered to the Joint International Commission
for Theological Dialogue on the occasion of its meeting last year in Paphos. I
am likewise grateful for the support that the Church of Cyprus, through the
clarity and openness of her contributions, has always given to the work of the
dialogue. May the Holy Spirit guide and confirm this great ecclesial
undertaking, which aims at restoring full and visible communion between the
Churches of East and West, a communion to be lived in fidelity to the Gospel
and the apostolic tradition, esteem for the legitimate traditions of East and
West, and openness to the diversity of gifts by which the Spirit builds up the
Church in unity, holiness and peace.
This spirit of fraternity and communion also found expression in the generous
contribution which Your Beatitude sent in the name of the Church of Cyprus for
those suffering from last year’s earthquake in l’Aquila, near Rome, whose needs
are close to my heart. In that same spirit, I now join you in praying that all
the inhabitants of Cyprus, with God’s help, will find the wisdom and strength
needed to work together for a just settlement of issues remaining to be
resolved, to strive for peace and reconciliation, and to build for future
generations a society distinguished by respect for the rights of all, including
the inalienable rights to freedom of conscience and freedom of worship.
Cyprus is traditionally considered part of the Holy Land, and the situation of
continuing conflict in the Middle East must be a source of concern to all
Christ’s followers. No one can remain indifferent to the need to support in
every way possible the Christians of that troubled region, so that its ancient
Churches can live in peace and flourish. The Christian communities of Cyprus
can find a most fruitful area for ecumenical cooperation in praying and working
together for peace, reconciliation and stability in the lands blessed by the
earthly presence of the Prince o f Peace.
With these sentiments, Your Beatitude, I thank you once more for your fraternal
welcome, and I assure you of my prayers for you and for all the clergy and
faithful of the Church of Cyprus.
May the joy of the Risen Christ be always with you!
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