” “"Its rivers and its forests, in their beauty and scale, speak to us of God and of His grand work to the benefit of man", this is the picture of Amazonia that has been given by the Pope: "This huge region, whose waters are an unparalleled source of harmony and richness, looks like an open book whose pages reveal the mystery of life". Then, his appeal: "How can one not feel spurred, both as individuals and as communities, to a responsible realisation that translates into consistent decisions for the protection of such an ecologically rich environment?". Finally, his personal thanks to Bartholomew I: "With this meeting, Your Holiness meant to express apart from any other considerations, and there are many Christian support to the populations of the Amazonian regions, a support that basically comes from the contemplation of the external Word of God, the creator, the model and the end of all things". From this perspective, concluded Benedict XVI, "the joint awareness-raising work by the Christians of every confession looks even more important" to show "the inherent bond between development, human needs and the protection of Creation": a way that has already been covered by John Paul II, when he signed, in 2002, a "joint declaration" with Bartholomew I at the end of the IV meeting on the Adriatic Sea.” “
