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Published by
Zenit.org,
September 30, 2004
Romanian's Visit Prompts
Pope to Encourage Dialogue With Orthodox
Vatican Inaugurates an Exhibition Dedicated
to Stephen the Great |
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VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 30, 2004 (Zenit.org).-
John Paul II encouraged the dialogue between the
Catholic and Orthodox Churches when he received
Romanian President Ion Iliescu in audience.
The president's visit to the Vatican today served
to inaugurate an exhibition in the Vatican Museums
dedicated to "Stephen the Great, Bridge Between
East and West."
The meeting gave the Holy Father the opportunity
to recall his visit to Romania in 1999 "with
emotion and gratitude." It was the first time a
pope visited a country of Orthodox majority.
A "pilgrim of faith and hope, I was welcomed
enthusiastically by you and the authorities of the
state, His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist and by the
entire people of the venerable Romanian Orthodox
Church," John Paul II recalled.
"I received an especially fraternal embrace from
the bishops and the beloved Catholic communities,
of both the Byzantine and Latin rites," he added.
Before taking leave of the president, the Holy
Father expressed in Italian to him and Romania "an
affectionate wish for prosperity and peace."
Iliescu gave the Pope a series of Romanian
lithographs, and the Holy Father gave the
president a collection of papal medals.
The exhibition on Stephen the Great, which will be
open until Oct. 31, was organized by the Romanian
Ministry of Culture and Worship in collaboration
with the Vatican Museums.
It recalls the fifth centenary of the death of
Prince Stephen (1457-1504), who created a Moldovan
and Romanian political reality, the reason why he
was called "Great."
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, accompanied by Iliescu,
inaugurated the exhibition today. It exhibits
objects, documents and artworks that have played
an important part in Romania's history.
In particular, the "Vatican Register 578" is on
display, kept in the Vatican Secret Archives,
which contains correspondence between Pope Sixtus
IV and Prince Stephen the Great.
"Stephen the Great remains in the minds of
Romanians as the defender of the sense of
belonging to Romania," said Mihail Dobre, the
country's ambassador to the Holy See, stressing
the role the prince played in the defense of the
Christian identity of Europe in the face of
Ottoman influence.
Because of this, Sixtus IV referred to the prince
in his letters as an "authentic athlete of the
Christian faith."
These letters, the ambassador added in statements
published by ADN-Kronos agency, show the existing
ties between a prince of the Orthodox faith and
the Church of Rome.
Of Romania's close to 23 million inhabitants, the
Orthodox constitute about 87%. According to the
Church's Statistical Yearbook, Catholics
constitute 8.06%.
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