Pope sends Apostle Andrew’s relic to Kazakstan’sOrthodox Community

(November 30, 2010) “May our fraternal meeting renew in us the desire for Christian unity, so that with one heart and one voice, we may proclaim the message of hope for entire Humanity.” The words were pronounced on Tuesday by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarciscio Bertone in his homily at a liturgical ceremony in the newly opened Orthodox Cathedral in Astana, Kazakhstan. Expressing thanks to Metropolitan Alexander, Head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan for his fraternal welcome, Cardinal Bertone said he had been asked by Pope Benedict XVI to give him a relic of Apostle Andrew, which was revered in Amalfi, Italy . He said the gift of the relic was in keeping with the request made by his predecessor Metropolitan Mefodji, Head of the Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church and of Archbishop Tomash Peta of Astana. Cardinal Bertone also conveyed the Pope’s greetings to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
Cardinal Bertone said his visit to Astana is for the Summit of Heads of State and Governments of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to be held Dec 1st and 2nd in Astana, and it gave him great joy to take this opportunity to visit them in the newly opened Cathedral and pray for the precious gift of unity among all Christians.