Intervention of H. Em. Emmanuel ADAMAKIS, Metropolitan of France (FRANCE), Fraternal Delegate

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has requested me to pass on to you, on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and sister Church, all his wishes for a positive outcome, during these days, for the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East.
The Middle East attracts and fascinates. It is owned by everyone and does not suffer from exclusivity. The Holy Land, it is even more holy to us Christians, because it is in this region of the world that it pleased God to make us the most incredible of promises, that of the Resurrection. This land, the first witness through the ages of the saving act of Christ, plays but part of what the philosopher Pascal described as its agony through the ages. Indeed, the present never ceases to remind us of the divisions, separations, and the daily suffering to which some parts of the population are subjected, Christians first of all, in the region.
We cannot but congratulate ourselves on holding this Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops devoted to the Middle East. The world expects from this meeting a strong message, which will propose concrete actions. This is not just the responsibility of the Catholic Church as the organizer of this Synod, but also of each of the participating Churches as “fraternal Delegates”, aside from our differences, which were explicitly invited to take an active part in the discussion.
Therefore, we wish to emphasize two facts which seem essential.The first is the progressive disappearance of Christianity in the Middle East. How can the presence of Christians continue in the region taking into account our bilateral dialogues? The working document of the Synod, the Instrumentum laboris, remember, was made public by Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of his official visit to Cyprus in June 2010. So this is a sign not only directed to the Eastern Catholics, but also to the Orthodox Church and its faithful. In this regard, it is worth recalling the importance of the Orthodox presence within Eastern societies. Thus, the place for pluralism must be able to advance our various initiatives for dialogue and be able to bring about as much cooperation as is needed and useful for the sake of a growing and efficient transmission of the Gospel witness. In fact, emphasizing the good relations that our Churches maintain today, the tangible hope of a future unity will have a catalyzing effect. A union would ensure the continuation of the Christian presence locally.
Secondly, we would like to offer a clarification particularly on our ability to dialogue with other religious elements in the region and in particular with our Muslim and Jewish brothers. The increasing number of initiatives that, up until today, inter-religious dialogue has brought to the fore should not make us lose sight of the fact that institutional initiatives are not relevant if all of society does not invest in the need to live together in peace. The Middle East, in fact, must abandon the thesis of a clash of civilizations. Yes, living together is possible, in ways that will not be dictated by others, but by those who live there day after day. They are “the salt of the earth”. Now, the first inalienable condition for any co-existence remains a guarantee of religious freedom for all. Only on this basis, relations between religions, peoples and cultures will be able to encourage the emergence of what Levi-Strauss called “the coexistence of cultures that have between them the greatest diversity”.
Finally, we hope that this Synod will strengthen the bonds that unite all Christians in the region, with clarity, courage and love. But also that, while avoiding any excessive paternalism toward Christians of the East, we also know that we place ourselves in the school of their reality. It is therefore our duty, not to say our responsibility, that this Synod will not be added to the long list of meetings without a future, at least out of respect for those who suffer and out of commitment to our faith.
We pray that the Lord will inspire all participants at this meeting and that, in peace, He will grant that the “whole group of believers was united, heart and soul” (Acts 4:32).

[00205-02.03] [DF011] [Original text: French]