For Europe too

Religious freedom and respect for minorities, human rights, the environment, preservation of the Christian values of Europe against laicisation and nihilism, peace in the Middle East and “true, loyal” inter-religious dialogue against “violence and discrimination”, a further boost to ecumenical dialogue: these are some of the common engagements and intentions that Orthodox and Catholic devotees must make their own, on the invitation of BENEDICT XVI and the Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW I , in their common declaration to mark the end of the meeting of November 30th, at the Patriarchate of Istanbul. “May our meeting be a sign and an encouragement to us to share the same sentiments and the same attitudes of fraternity, cooperation and communion in charity and truth. The Holy Spirit will help us to prepare the great day of the re-establishment of full unity, whenever and however God wills it. Then we shall truly be able to rejoice and be glad”. PRAYERS AND GESTURES FOR UNITY. The Pope and the Patriarch recalled the meetings between their predecessors (Paul VI and Athenagoras, John Paul II and Dimitrios I), the establishment of the Mixed Commission and the solemn ecclesial act “which effaces the memory of the ancient anathemas which for centuries had a negative effect on our Churches”. From this act, they comment, “We have not yet drawn all the positive consequences which can flow from it in our progress towards full unity”. Therefore, they exhort “Catholic and Orthodox devotees to take an active part in this process, through prayer and through significant gestures.” “As in the past – they state – we are determined to incessantly support the work that has been entrusted to this Commission, while we accompany its members with our prayers”. Benedict XVI and Bartholomew I point to the need of a new evangelisation, “even in traditionally Christian countries”, affected by “secularization, relativism, even nihilism”, and pledge to “strengthen our cooperation and our common witness before the world”. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND RESPECT FOR MINORITIES. As to the journey towards the building of the European Union, the request is that “the players of this grand initiative” should take into account “all aspects affecting the inalienable rights of the human person, especially religious freedom, a witness and guarantor of respect for all other freedoms”: “In every step – they write – towards unification, minorities must be protected, with their cultural traditions and the distinguishing features of their religion. In Europe, while remaining open to other religions and to their cultural contributions, we must unite our efforts to preserve Christian roots, traditions and values, to ensure respect for history, and thus to contribute to the European culture of the future and to the quality of human relations at every level” They both extend their considerations to “those parts of today’s world where Christians live and to the difficulties they have to face, particularly poverty, wars and terrorism, but equally to various forms of exploitation of the poor, of migrants, women and children”.DO NOT KILL INNOCENTS IN THE NAME OF GOD. “Catholics and Orthodox devotees – they highlight – are called to work together to promote respect for the rights of every human being”, but above all they powerfully state that “killing innocent people in God’s name is an offence against him and against human dignity. We must all commit ourselves to the renewed service of humanity and the defence of human life, every human life”. Benedict XVI and Bartholomew I also ask that “peace be re-established” in the Middle East”, that “coexistence will be strengthened between the different peoples that live there, between the Churches and between the different religions found there”. To this end, “we encourage the establishment of closer relationships between Christians, and of an authentic and honest interreligious dialogue, with a view to combating every form of violence and discrimination”. Finally, both express “concern” for the major environmental issues and “negative consequences for humanity and for the whole of creation which can result from economic and technological progress that does not know its limits”. “As religious leaders – they state – we consider it one of our duties to encourage and to support all efforts made to protect God’s creation, and to bequeath to future generations a world in which they will be able to live”.