Looking towards the East

After the winter, pilgrims return to Tarsus, in the Church-museum of Saint Paul. Despite the decision of Turkish institutions to convert the site into a permanent place of worship, for the moment it remains a verbal commitment. However, the situation is rapidly evolving also thanks to the help of the new Turkish ambassador to the Holy See Kenan Gürsoy, as the President of Turkish Bishops (CET) Luigi Padovese told SIR Europe. “Authorities in Ankara removed the compulsory booking provision for the Masses in the Church-museum. It is now possible to celebrate without prior notice, while previously it was necessary to book with 3 days in advance, extended to 10, with inevitable organization problems. The advice to pilgrims remains that of notifying their arrival in advance in order to enable the nuns to best prepare the church”. Msgr. Padovese starts from the heart of Christianity in Turkey, Tarsus and Antioch, to convey the expectations and the hopes that his Church will entrust to the next Synod of the bishops for the Middle East, attended also by CET prelates. Your Excellency, with the Pauline Year Tarsus and Antioch have become world pilgrims’ destinations. But the church of Saint Paul still hasn’t been transferred to Christians… “Until now, as relates to the verbal concession of the church, we’re still at the level of negotiations; the situation still hasn’t been solved completely. What actually interests us is not so much church ownership. Indeed, it is our wish that the Catholic Church or the Orthodox community be permitted to perform religious services. If we could freely hold religious celebrations the pilgrims in Tarsus would know that there is a place to pray in freedom and with no limitations. There are groups arriving on an almost daily basis and I expect a greater number in the next months. With Antioch and Cappadocia Tarsus is one of the major pilgrim destinations, and this is positive also for Turkey’s Church”.Also to the light of the Pauline Year, with what spirit will the Church in Turkey take part in the Synod for the Middle East in October? “I contributed to drawing up the Lineamenta and the Instrumentum laboris that Benedict XVI will present to the Eastern bishops in Cyprus on June 6. The Turkish Church will be reinvigorated and more conscious of its faith. One of the fruits of the Pauline Year and of the ongoing pilgrimages, is the fact that local Christians have grown more aware of the preciousness of these sites for the Christian tradition. The pilgrims’ presence rekindles the certainty of living in a Holy Land. Another positive effect regards the Muslims. They see that there are Christians who, far from wanting to exploit the site as a tourist destination, gather in prayer. This helps overcome mutual diffidence accumulated in the past. I think that the most beautiful faith witness to Turkey is to see men and women praying”.In what way does the theme of the Synod “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: communion and witness” call into question the Catholic Church in Turkey? “We’re called into question by ecumenical dialogue and by the dialogue with Islam. In a Country with a Muslim majority population there is the need for Christians not to be fragmented in many different streams but rather create a river, highlighting those things that unite us and showing Muslim society that Christians are not divided but differentiated. And that this is a source of richness. The idea that the Church, especially the Latin Church, is proselytising must also be discredited. We are respectful of other religions and confessions and want to be acknowledged as such with full rights. We are citizens of the Countries in which we live. Our strength lies not so much on our faith but mostly on the citizens’ rights provided for by national Constitutions. In Muslim-majority countries, where the Churches of the Middle East are present, Christianity is seen as a legitimate religion, it is possible to be Christians, but at times, under many aspects, it is an inferiority condition. The right to claim full citizenship, especially in Muslim countries is all the more important”.In less than ten days Benedict XVI will be visiting Cyprus, the bridge uniting Europe and the Holy Land, where he will present to the prelates the Instrumentum Laboris of the Synod. What do you believe will be the Synod’s contribution to European Churches? “To draw them close to their Eastern sister. Just like Turkey, Cyprus is a bridge uniting two cultures and two worlds, and also two religions. It is significant that the Catholic Church in Cyprus has recently become an official CCEE – Council of European Bishops’ Conferences – member Church. Since they are mediation realities, the Turkish and Cypriot Churches attending the Synod, will promote greater insight into the Eastern Churches”.