The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be
with all of you” (2 Cor 13:13).
1. By God the Father’s will,
from which all gifts come, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the
help of the Holy Spirit Consolator, we, Pope Francis and Kirill, Patriarch of
Moscow and All Russia, have met today in Havana. We give thanks to God,
glorified in the Trinity, for this meeting, the first in history.
It is with joy that we have
met like brothers in the Christian faith who encounter one another “to speak
face to face” (2 Jn 12), from heart to heart, to discuss the mutual
relations between the Churches, the crucial problems of our faithful, and
the outlook for the progress of human civilization.
2. Our fraternal meeting has
taken place in Cuba, at the crossroads of North and South, East and West. It is
from this island, the symbol of the hopes of the “New World” and the dramatic
events of the history of the twentieth century, that we address our words to
all the peoples of Latin America and of the other continents.
It is a source of joy that the
Christian faith is growing here in a dynamic way. The powerful religious
potential of Latin America, its centuries–old Christian tradition, grounded in
the personal experience of millions of people, are the pledge of a great future
for this region.
3. By meeting far from the
longstanding disputes of the “Old World”, we experience with a particular sense
of urgency the need for the shared labour of Catholics and Orthodox, who are
called, with gentleness and respect, to give an explanation to the world of the
hope in us (cf. 1 Pet 3:15).
4. We thank God for the gifts
received from the coming into the world of His only Son. We share the same
spiritual Tradition of the first millennium of Christianity. The witnesses of
this Tradition are the Most Holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, and the saints
we venerate. Among them are innumerable martyrs who have given witness to
their faithfulness to Christ and have become the “seed of Christians”.
5. Notwithstanding this shared
Tradition of the first ten centuries, for nearly one thousand years Catholics
and Orthodox have been deprived of communion in the Eucharist. We have been
divided by wounds caused by old and recent conflicts, by differences inherited
from our ancestors, in the understanding and expression of our faith in God,
one in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are pained by the loss
of unity, the outcome of human weakness and of sin, which has occurred despite
the priestly prayer of Christ the Saviour: “So that they may all be one, as
you, Father, are in me and I in you … so that they may be one, as we are one”
(Jn 17:21).
6. Mindful of the permanence
of many obstacles, it is our hope that our meeting may contribute to the
re–establishment of this unity willed by God, for which Christ prayed. May our
meeting inspire Christians throughout the world to pray to the Lord with
renewed fervour for the full unity of all His disciples. In a world which
yearns not only for our words but also for tangible gestures, may this meeting
be a sign of hope for all people of goodwill!
7. In our determination to
undertake all that is necessary to overcome the historical divergences we have
inherited, we wish to combine our efforts to give witness to the Gospel of
Christ and to the shared heritage of the Church of the first millennium,
responding together to the challenges of the contemporary world. Orthodox and
Catholics must learn to give unanimously witness in those spheres in which this
is possible and necessary. Human civilization has entered into a period of
epochal change. Our Christian conscience and our pastoral responsibility compel
us not to remain passive in the face of challenges requiring a shared response.
8. Our gaze must firstly turn
to those regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In
many countries of the Middle East and North Africa whole families, villages and
cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated.
Their churches are being barbarously ravaged and looted, their sacred objects
profaned, their monuments destroyed. It is with pain that we call to mind the
situation in Syria, Iraq and other countries of the Middle East, and the
massive exodus of Christians from the land in which our faith was first
disseminated and in which they have lived since the time of the Apostles,
together with other religious communities.
9. We call upon the
international community to act urgently in order to prevent the further
expulsion of Christians from the Middle East. In raising our voice in defence
of persecuted Christians, we wish to express our compassion for the suffering
experienced by the faithful of other religious traditions who have also become
victims of civil war, chaos and terrorist violence.
10. Thousands of victims have
already been claimed in the violence in Syria and Iraq, which has left many
other millions without a home or means of sustenance. We urge the international
community to seek an end to the violence and terrorism and, at the same time,
to contribute through dialogue to a swift return to civil peace. Large–scale
humanitarian aid must be assured to the afflicted populations and to the many
refugees seeking safety in neighbouring lands.
We call upon all those whose
influence can be brought to bear upon the destiny of those kidnapped, including
the Metropolitans of Aleppo, Paul and John Ibrahim, who were taken in April
2013, to make every effort to ensure their prompt liberation.
11. We lift our prayers to
Christ, the Saviour of the world, asking for the return of peace in the Middle
East, “the fruit of justice” (Is 32:17), so that fraternal co–existence
among the various populations, Churches and religions may be strengthened,
enabling refugees to return to their homes, wounds to be healed, and the souls
of the slain innocent to rest in peace.
We address, in a fervent
appeal, all the parts that may be involved in the conflicts to demonstrate good
will and to take part in the negotiating table. At the same time, the
international community must undertake every possible effort to end terrorism
through common, joint and coordinated action. We call on all the countries
involved in the struggle against terrorism to responsible and prudent action.
We exhort all Christians and all believers of God to pray fervently to the
providential Creator of the world to protect His creation from destruction and
not permit a new world war. In order to ensure a solid and enduring peace,
specific efforts must be undertaken to rediscover the common values uniting us,
based on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
12. We bow before the
martyrdom of those who, at the cost of their own lives, have given witness to
the truth of the Gospel, preferring death to the denial of Christ. We believe
that these martyrs of our times, who belong to various Churches but who are
united by their shared suffering, are a pledge of the unity of Christians. It
is to you who suffer for Christ’s sake that the word of the Apostle is
directed: “Beloved … rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of
Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly” (1 Pet 4:12–13).
13. Interreligious dialogue is
indispensable in our disturbing times. Differences in the understanding of
religious truths must not impede people of different faiths to live in peace
and harmony. In our current context, religious leaders have the particular
responsibility to educate their faithful in a spirit which is respectful of the
convictions of those belonging to other religious traditions. Attempts to
justify criminal acts with religious slogans are altogether unacceptable. No
crime may be committed in God’s name, “since God is not the God of disorder but
of peace” (1 Cor 14:33).
14. In affirming the foremost
value of religious freedom, we give thanks to God for the current unprecedented
renewal of the Christian faith in Russia, as well as in many other countries of
Eastern Europe, formerly dominated for decades by atheist regimes. Today, the
chains of militant atheism have been broken and in many places Christians can
now freely confess their faith. Thousands of new churches have been built over
the last quarter of a century, as well as hundreds of monasteries and
theological institutions. Christian communities undertake notable works in the
fields of charitable aid and social development, providing diversified forms of
assistance to the needy. Orthodox and Catholics often work side by side. Giving
witness to the values of the Gospel they attest to the existence of the shared
spiritual foundations of human co–existence.
15. At the same time, we are
concerned about the situation in many countries in which Christians are
increasingly confronted by restrictions to religious freedom, to the right to
witness to one’s convictions and to live in conformity with them. In
particular, we observe that the transformation of some countries into secularized
societies, estranged from all reference to God and to His truth, constitutes a
grave threat to religious freedom. It is a source of concern for us that
there is a current curtailment of the rights of Christians, if not their
outright discrimination, when certain political forces, guided by an often very
aggressive secularist ideology, seek to relegate them to the margins of public
life.
16. The process of European
integration, which began after centuries of blood–soaked conflicts, was
welcomed by many with hope, as a guarantee of peace and security. Nonetheless,
we invite vigilance against an integration that is devoid of respect for
religious identities. While remaining open to the contribution of other
religions to our civilization, it is our conviction that Europe must remain
faithful to its Christian roots. We call upon Christians of Eastern and Western
Europe to unite in their shared witness to Christ and the Gospel, so that
Europe may preserve its soul, shaped by two thousand years of Christian tradition.
17. Our gaze is also directed
to those facing serious difficulties, who live in extreme need and poverty
while the material wealth of humanity increases. We cannot remain indifferent
to the destinies of millions of migrants and refugees knocking on the doors of
wealthy nations. The unrelenting consumerism of some more developed countries
is gradually depleting the resources of our planet. The growing inequality in
the distribution of material goods increases the feeling of the injustice of
the international order that has emerged.
18. The Christian churches are
called to defend the demands of justice, the respect for peoples’ traditions,
and an authentic solidarity towards all those who suffer. We Christians cannot
forget that “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God
chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to
reduce to nothing those who are something, that no human being might boast
before God” (1 Cor 1:27–29).
19. The family is the natural
centre of human life and society. We are concerned about the crisis in the
family in many countries. Orthodox and Catholics share the same conception of
the family, and are called to witness that it is a path of holiness, testifying
to the faithfulness of the spouses in their mutual interaction, to their
openness to the procreation and rearing of their children, to solidarity
between the generations and to respect for the weakest.
20. The family is based on
marriage, an act of freely given and faithful love between a man and a woman.
It is love that seals their union and teaches them to accept one another as a
gift. Marriage is a school of love and faithfulness. We regret that other forms
of cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this union, while the concept,
consecrated in the biblical tradition, of paternity and maternity as the
distinct vocation of man and woman in marriage is being banished from the
public conscience.
21. We call on all to respect
the inalienable right to life. Millions are denied the very right to be born
into the world. The blood of the unborn cries out to God
(cf. Gen 4:10).
The emergence of so-called
euthanasia leads elderly people and the disabled begin to feel that they are a
burden on their families and on society in general.
We are also concerned about
the development of biomedical reproduction technology, as the manipulation of
human life represents an attack on the foundations of human existence, created
in the image of God. We believe that it is our duty to recall the immutability
of Christian moral principles, based on respect for the dignity of the
individual called into being according to the Creator’s plan.
22. Today, in a particular
way, we address young Christians. You, young people, have the task of not
hiding your talent in the ground (cf. Mt 25:25), but of using all the
abilities God has given you to confirm Christ’s truth in the world, incarnating
in your own lives the evangelical commandments of the love of God and of one’s
neighbour. Do not be afraid of going against the current, defending God’s
truth, to which contemporary secular norms are often far from conforming.
23. God loves each of you and
expects you to be His disciples and apostles. Be the light of the world so that
those around you may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father (cf.
Mt 5:14, 16). Raise your children in the Christian faith,
transmitting to them the pearl of great price that is the faith (cf.
Mt 13:46) you have received from your parents and forbears. Remember that
“you have been purchased at a great price” (1 Cor 6:20), at the cost
of the death on the cross of the Man–God Jesus Christ.
24. Orthodox and Catholics are
united not only by the shared Tradition of the Church of the first millennium,
but also by the mission to preach the Gospel of Christ in the world today. This
mission entails mutual respect for members of the Christian communities and
excludes any form of proselytism.
We are not competitors but
brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as those
directed to the outside world. We urge Catholics and Orthodox in all countries
to learn to live together in peace and love, and to be “in harmony with one
another” (Rm 15:5). Consequently, it cannot be accepted that disloyal
means be used to incite believers to pass from one Church to another, denying
them their religious freedom and their traditions. We are called upon to put
into practice the precept of the apostle Paul: “Thus I aspire to proclaim the
gospel not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on
another's foundation” (Rm 15:20).
25. It is our
hope that our meeting may also contribute to reconciliation wherever tensions
exist between Greek Catholics and Orthodox. It is today clear that the past
method of “uniatism”, understood as the union of one community to the other,
separating it from its Church, is not the way to re–establish unity.
Nonetheless, the ecclesial communities which emerged in these historical
circumstances have the right to exist and to undertake all that is necessary to
meet the spiritual needs of their faithful, while seeking to live in peace with
their neighbours. Orthodox and Greek Catholics are in need of reconciliation
and of mutually acceptable forms of co–existence.
26. We deplore
the hostility in Ukraine that has already caused many victims, inflicted innumerable
wounds on peaceful inhabitants and thrown society into a deep economic and
humanitarian crisis. We invite all the parts involved in the conflict to
prudence, to social solidarity and to action aimed at constructing peace. We
invite our Churches in Ukraine to work towards social harmony, to refrain from
taking part in the confrontation, and to not support any further development of
the conflict.
27. It is our
hope that the schism between the Orthodox faithful in Ukraine may be overcome
through existing canonical norms, that all the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine
may live in peace and harmony, and that the Catholic communities in the country
may contribute to this, in such a way that our Christian brotherhood may become
increasingly evident.
28. In the contemporary world,
which is both multiform yet united by a shared destiny, Catholics and Orthodox
are called to work together fraternally in proclaiming the Good News of
salvation, to testify together to the moral dignity and authentic freedom of
the person, “so that the world may believe” (Jn 17:21). This world, in
which the spiritual pillars of human existence are progressively disappearing,
awaits from us a compelling Christian witness in all spheres of personal and
social life. Much of the future of humanity will depend on our capacity to give
shared witness to the Spirit of truth in these difficult times.
29. May our bold witness to
God’s truth and to the Good News of salvation be sustained by the Man–God Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who strengthens us with the unfailing promise:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give
you the kingdom” (Lk 12:32)!
Christ is the well–spring of
joy and hope. Faith in Him transfigures human life, fills it with meaning. This
is the conviction borne of the experience of all those to whom Peter refers in
his words: “Once you were ‘no people’ but now you are God’s people; you ‘had
not received mercy’ but now you have received mercy” (1 Pet 2:10).
30. With grace–filled
gratitude for the gift of mutual understanding manifested during our meeting,
let us with hope turn to the Most Holy Mother of God, invoking her with the
words of this ancient prayer: “We seek refuge under the protection of your
mercy, Holy Mother of God”. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, through her
intercession, inspire fraternity in all those who venerate her, so that they
may be reunited, in God’s own time, in the peace and harmony of the one people
of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and indivisible Trinity!
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