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Skriven 2006-12-01 00:08:58 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                               VIS-Press releases

JOINT DECLARATION OF BENEDICT XVI AND BARTHOLOMEW I

VATICAN CITY, NOV 30, 2006 (VIS) - At the end of the divine liturgy they
celebrated this morning in the patriarchal church of St. George in Istanbul,
Benedict XVI and His Holiness Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch, returned to
the ecumenical patriarchate where they signed a joint declaration.

In their declaration, the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople,
recall the meetings of their predecessors, "who showed the world the urgent
need for unity and traced sure paths for attaining it, through dialogue, prayer
and the daily life of the Church."

"As pastors," they write, "we have first of all reflected on the mission to
proclaim the Gospel in today's world. ... Moreover, we cannot ignore the
increase of secularization, relativism, even nihilism, especially in the
Western world. All this calls for a renewed and powerful proclamation of the
Gospel, adapted to the cultures of our time. Our traditions represent for us a
patrimony which must be continually shared, proposed, and interpreted anew.
This is why we must strengthen our cooperation and our common witness before
the world."

The Pope and the Patriarch highlight how they "have viewed positively the
process that has led to the formation of the European Union. Those engaged in
this great project should not fail to take into consideration 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 towards unification, minorities must be protected, with their cultural
traditions and the distinguishing features of their religion."

"Our concern extends," their joint declaration proceeds, "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. Catholics and
Orthodox are called to work together to promote respect for the rights of every
human being, created in the image and likeness of God, and to foster economic,
social and cultural development.

"Our theological and ethical traditions can offer a solid basis for a united
approach in preaching and action. Above all, we wish to affirm 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 defense of human life, every human life.

"We take profoundly to heart the cause of peace in the Middle East, where our
Lord lived, suffered, died and rose again, and where a great multitude of our
Christian brethren have lived for centuries. We fervently hope that peace will
be re-established in that region, that respectful 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 inter-religious dialogue, with a view to combating
every form of violence and discrimination.

"At present, in the face of the great threats to the natural environment, we
want to express our concern at the 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, 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."

Following the signing ceremony, the Pope had lunch with Patriarch Bartholomew
at the ecumenical patriarchate.

This afternoon, Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit to Museum of Santa Sophia
and the Blue Mosque, the largest mosque in Istanbul. He will then go on to meet
with His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian patriarch of Istanbul, with Filuksinos
Yusuf Cetin, Syro-Orthodox Metropolitan, and with Isak Haleva, Cheif Rabbi of
Turkey. This evening he will dine with members of the Catholic Episcopal
Conference.
PV-TURKEY/JOINT DECLARATION/BARTHOLOMEW I VIS 061130 (670)

SUMMARY

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