Pope thanks patriarch for ‘fraternal’ welcome

Dec 04, 2014

TURKEY: In his brief speech to the patriarch during the prayer gathering, Pope Francis said that he had mixed feelings, one being a heart “full of gratitude” to God for allowing the encounter of their churches, as well as hope and anticipation for the Feast of St Andrew, the celebration of which is a key reason for his visit.

The Pontiff referred to the words spoken by Zachariah in scripture, noting how “the Lord gives us anew in this evening prayer, the foundation that sustains our moving forward from one day to the next, the solid rock upon which we advance together in joy and hope.” And the foundation rock, he said, is the Lord’s promise to save his people from all countries in the east and west, in both faithfulness and righteousness. Pope Francis gave heartfelt thanks to the patriarch for his “fraternal welcome,” and observed how the joy they share is always greater not because it comes from themselves, but from above.

“It is not in us, not in our commitment, not in our efforts that are certainly necessary but in our shared trust in God’s faithfulness which lays the foundation for the reconstruction of his temple that is the Church.”

The apostles Andrew and Peter also heard this promise and received the same gift, the Pope said, explaining that, although they were already blood brothers, their encounter with Christ made them brothers in faith and charity as well. He explained that through Christ, the apostles also became brothers in hope, and told Patriarch Bartholomew that it is a great grace “to be brothers in the hope of the Risen Lord!”

“What a grace, and what a responsibility, to walk together in this hope, sustained by the intercession of the holy Apostles and brothers, Andrew and Peter!” he said, and emphasized again, that this hope can never deceive, because it is founded upon God’s faithfulness rather than on “our poor efforts.” After offering his personal best wishes to the church of Constantinople for the feast of their founder and patron, St Andrew, the pontiff asked the patriarch’s blessing.

“I ask you for a favour: to bless me and the Church of Rome,” the Pope said, and began to kneel before being embraced by the Patriarch, who traced the sign of the cross on the pontiff’s head and kissed it. Pope Francis concluded his trip to Turkey on Nov 30, after celebrating the Divine Liturgy alongside the patriarch and signing a joint declaration with him in the morning. After eating lunch with Patriarch Bartholomew, the Pope met students who attend the Don Bosco centre for refugees at the apostolic nunciature before heading to the airport to return to Rome. --CNA/EWTN