Friday, June 30, 2006

Pope Benedict to travel to Turkey?

Following yesterday's Angelus, the Pope received in audience a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, led by Ioannis (Zizioulas), metropolitan of Pergamo. The delegation has come to Rome for the occasion of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The Pope expressed his satisfaction for the fact that the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between Orthodox and Catholics will hold its plenary in Belgrade in September, presided by metropolitan Ioannis.

"Dialogue thus resumes its path and enters a new phase," said the Holy Father in English. "Spontaneously we find ourselves wanting to pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten and inflame our hearts, strengthening our common will to respond, insofar as it depends on us, to the Lord's ardent prayer: 'Ut unum sint;' in this way, may the disciples of Christ, united in faith, together proclaim His Gospel to the whole world, so that, believing in Him, all will be saved."

The Holy Father also recalled that he had received an invitation from the Turkish authorities, the Patriarchate and the local Catholic community in Turkey to make an apostolic pilgrimage to that country in November for the Feat of St. Andrew, and expressed the hope that he would be able to undertake the visit.

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