Cardinal Sodano represents Pope
at Serbian Patriarch's funeral today
Translated from
the 11/19/09 issue of
The funeral rites for Patriarch Pavle, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, will take place Thursday morning at the Cathedral of St. Saba in Belgrade.
Participating in the name of the Pope are Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, who leads a delegation that includes Archbishop Orlando Antonini, Apostolic Nuncio in Serbia; and Fr. Milan Zost, S.J., from the Oriental section of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Patriarch Pavle, 95, died Sunday in a military hospital after a long illness.
Here is a translation of the telegram of condolence sent by Pope Benedict XVI to the Patriarch's temporary replacement:
To His Eminence
Amfilohije
Archbishop of Cetinje,
Metropolitan of Montenegro,
Locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne
Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church
The sad news has reached me that the Lord has called to him His Holiness Pavle, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
I wish to extend to you, to the Holy Synod and to all the members of the Church, my heartfelt condolences, assuring you of my union in prayer with those who mourn their Father and Pastor.
Through a long life in the service of the Gospel, the late Patriarch has given testimony of faith and spiritual strength in in particularly difficult moments marked by conflicts and wars.
I ask the Lord that his example may be of comfort to the hearts of his faithful and so many other men of good will who, urged on by his perseverance, are committed to living the Christian faith fully and to serve with zeal the great cause of reconciliation and peace.
I remember with gratitude the generous and warm hospitality that His Holiness Pavla showed the members of the Mixed International Commission for Theological Dialog between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches during their plenary meeting in Belgrade in September 2006.
He showed so many other gestures of fraternity towards the Catholic Church and meetings between Catholics and Orthodox that took place with his blessing.
May the pain of Patriarch Pavle's passing be transformed to a sure hope in his 'birth in heaven' and may his memory continue to inspire a strong spiritual growth in the people whom he served with dedication and generosity.
May his memory also serve as an invitation for everyone to follow the path of dialog and the search for full communion among all the disciples of Christ.
I also wish to express the hope that the Lord may accompany the activity of the Holy Synod in this time of transition.
With affection in the Lord,
From the Vatican
16 November 2009
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 19/11/2009 02:05]