A Lent characterised by prayer and charity began in Turkey on Ash Wednesday, 1st March. “To mark the occasion explained Msgr. Georges Marovitch, spokesman of the Turkish Bishops’ Conference (TBC), in a briefing to SIR all the clergy and faithful of Istanbul met in the cathedral to celebrate mass and a penitential liturgy during which the centre of reflection was placed on the value of the sacrament of Reconciliation”. In the Turkish dioceses Lent is also a time for charity and for the sharing of material goods. “Turkish Caritas pointed out Marovitch has distributed envelopes for donations and intends to devolve the offerings to poor and needy families. The charity appeal is called “Lent of sharing” (Carême de partage) and asks each faithful to offer the equivalent of what he/she has renounced during Lent to charitable ends”. Similar ceremonies and initiatives are being promoted by the other Christian confessions in the country. “Unfortunately continues Msgr. Marovitch we don’t have any joint projects. Yet there is a strong desire expressed by many Christians to live the period of Lent and celebrate the solemnity of Easter together with other Christian confessions. For the time being we share the date of Easter with our Orthodox brothers of the Armenian rite, which form a large slice (about 100,000) of the Christians in Turkey. Many of our priests, religious and simple faithful attend their rites. Some of these liturgies are common. We also receive visits from our Armenian Orthodox brothers during our celebrations. The hope is that of being able to celebrate also with the Greek Orthodox community in future”. But there’s also another desire that is strongly felt in the Turkish Catholic church at the present time: that of “knowing the programme of the forthcoming visit of Benedict XVI. Its date is now known, 28-30 November 2006, but the programme of events has still to be announced”.
