(04 Jun 10 – RV) Below the full text of Pope Benedict XVI’s discourse at the ecumenical
service at the Church of Agia Kiriaki Chrysopolitissa:
Dear brothers and sisters
in Christ, “Η χάρις και η ειρήνη ας είναι πλούσια μαζί σας” (1 Pet 1:2). Με μεγάλη
μου χαρά χαιρετώ εσάς που αντιπροσωπεύετε τις διάφορες χριστιανικές κοινότητες παρούσες
στην Κύπρο. I thank His Beatitude Chrysostomos the Second for his gracious words
of welcome, His Eminence Georgios, the Metropolitan of Paphos, our host, and all those
who have helped to make this meeting possible. I am also pleased cordially to salute
the Christians of other confessions present, including those of the Armenian, Lutheran
and Anglican communities. It is truly an extraordinary grace for us to gather
together in prayer in this Church of Agia Kiriaki Chrysopolitissa. We have just heard
a reading from the Acts of the Apostles which reminds us that Cyprus was the first
stage in the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul (cf. Acts 13:1-4). Set apart
by the Holy Spirit, Paul, accompanied by Barnabas, a native of Cyprus, and Mark, the
future evangelist, first came to Salamis, where they began to proclaim the word of
God in the synagogues. Traversing the island, they reached Paphos where, close to
this very place, they preached in the presence of the Roman pro-consul Sergius Paulus.
Thus it was from this place that the Gospel message began to spread throughout the
Empire, and the Church, grounded in the apostolic preaching, was able to take root
throughout the then-known world. The Church in Cyprus can rightly be proud of
her direct links to the preaching of Paul, Barnabas and Mark, and her communion in
the apostolic faith, a communion which links her to all those Churches who preserve
that same rule of faith. This is the communion, real yet imperfect, which already
unites us, and which impels us to overcome our divisions and to strive for the restoration
of that full visible unity which is the Lord’s will for all his followers. For, in
Paul’s words, “there is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one
hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:4-5). The Church’s
communion in the apostolic faith is both a gift and a summons to mission. In the
passage from Acts which we have heard, we see an image of the Church’s unity in prayer,
and her openness to the promptings of the Spirit of mission. Like Paul and Barnabas,
every Christian, by baptism, is set apart to bear prophetic witness to the Risen Lord
and to his Gospel of reconciliation, mercy and peace. In this context, the Special
Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, due to meet in Rome next October,
will reflect on the vital role of Christians in the region, encourage them in their
witness to the Gospel, and help foster greater dialogue and cooperation between Christians
throughout the region. Significantly, the labours of the Synod will be enriched by
the presence of fraternal delegates from other Churches and Christian communities
in the region, as a sign of our common commitment to the service of God’s word and
our openness to the power of his reconciling grace. The unity of all Christ’s disciples
is a gift to be implored from the Father in the hope that it will strengthen the witness
to the Gospel in today’s world. The Lord prayed for the holiness and unity of his
disciples precisely so that the world might believe (cf. Jn 17:21). Just a hundred
years ago, at the Edinburgh Missionary Conference, the acute awareness that divisions
between Christians were an obstacle to the spread of the Gospel gave birth to the
modern ecumenical movement. Today we can be grateful to the Lord, who through his
Spirit has led us, especially in these last decades, to rediscover the rich apostolic
heritage shared by East and West, and in patient and sincere dialogue to find ways
of drawing closer to one another, overcoming past controversies, and looking to a
better future. The Church in Cyprus, which serves as a bridge between East and
West, has contributed much to this process of reconciliation. The path leading to
the goal of full communion will certainly not be without its difficulties, yet the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus are committed to advancing in the
way of dialogue and fraternal cooperation. May the Holy Spirit enlighten our minds
and strengthen our resolve, so that together we can bring the message of salvation
to the men and women of our time, who thirst for the truth that brings authentic freedom
and salvation (cf. Jn 8:32), the truth whose name is Jesus Christ! Dear sisters
and brothers, I cannot conclude without evoking the memory of the saints who have
adorned the Church in Cyprus, and in particular Saint Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis.
Sanctity is the sign of the fullness of Christian life, a profound inner docility
to the Holy Spirit who calls us to constant conversion and renewal as we strive to
be ever more conformed to Christ our Saviour. Conversion and holiness are also the
privileged means by which we open our minds and hearts to the Lord’s will for the
unity of his Church. As we give thanks for this meeting and for the fraternal affection
which unites us, let’s ask Saints Barnabas and Epiphanius, Saints Peter and Paul,
and all God’s holy ones, to bless our communities, to preserve us in the faith of
the Apostles, and to guide our steps along the way of unity, charity and peace.