DELEGATION OF SYNODAL FATHERS IN VISIT TO THE ITALIAN EMBASSY TO THE HOLY SEE

A delegation from the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops was received in the late morning of Monday, 18 October 2010 at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See. Ambassador Antonio Zanardi Landi welcomed to Palazzo Borromeo: the President Delegate ad honorem, H. B. Card. Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Bishop of Joubbé, Sarba and Jounieh of the Maronites (Lebanon); the Presidents Delegate Card. Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and H. B. Ignace Youssif III Younan, Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians (Lebanon); the Relator General, H. B. Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts (Arab Republic of Egypt ); H. B. Gregorios III Laham, B.S., Patriarch of Antioch of the Greek-Melkites, Archbishop of Damascus of the Greek-Melchites (Syria); H. B. Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Archbishop of Beirut of the Armenians (Lebanon); H. B. Fouad Twal, Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins (Jerusalem); Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, Titular Archbishop of Cibale, General Secretary of the Synod of Bishops; Rev. Mons. Fortunato Frezza, Undersecretary; Rev. Ambrogio Ivan Samus.
The meeting began with a moment of prayer in the chapel dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo and was attended by the Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. Those who spoke were: Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, who illustrated the aims of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, underlining its pastoral character, and Card. Leonardo Sandri, who expressed appreciation for the great amount of work Italy has carried out and is still carrying out to safeguard religious freedom. Minister Franco Frattini, greeting the Synod Fathers, declared that Italy has presented a motion at the UN in support of religious minorities. So far he motion has been supported by 27 countries, but the aim is involve a total of 40. Frattini added that the setting up is being planned of European diplomatic sections in all continents to safeguard, among other things, religious freedom, underlining that the role of the European ambassador will be that of monitoring, ensuring that this is respected. The Minister also reported to the Synod Fathers that he had asked for protection for the Christians in Iraq at his recent meeting on 4 October at the Italian Foreign Ministry with the president of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, and that he will return to defend the cause of the Christian minorities in Baghdad, which he will visit, after the elections, and again on 11 November to Islamabad, in Pakistan, when he will address university students. Finally as regards the situation in the Holy Land, Minister Frattini said that the Italian state is contributing to the construction of housing for young couples to stem the emigration of Christians.

[00201-02.03] [NNNNN] [Original text: Italian]