Moscow Patriarchate publishes
a book by Benedict XVI:
'Europe, spiritual homeland'
to be presented in Rome Dec. 2
Translated from
the Italian service of
ROME, Nov. 30 (ZENIT.org) - The Patriarchate of Moscow has published a book entitled
'Europa, patria spirituale' in a bilingual Italian-Russian edition, which puts together the speeches of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI on the subject of Europe in the past decade.
The introduction to the book is by Archbishop Hilarion, head of the Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations of the Patriarchate, which initiated the project in cooperation with the Associazione Internazionale Sofia [Wisdom] and its program on Russian ideas, particularly the Russian idea of the Europe envisioned by the Treaty of Rome
[which established the original European Common Market that was the mother association for the present European Union].
"This is a book of historic importance, without precedents in the millenary history of Catholics and Russian Orthodox," explained the book editor, Prof. Pierluca Azzaro, vicar president of the Sofia association and Professor of the History of Political Thought at the Catholic University of Milan.
"But first and foremost," the professor explained, "it is a great testimony of love for Christ and among Christians. It is from this love that European culture in all its multiform expressions should gush forth - a living culture, permeated by an authentically creative moral energy that is totally oriented towards the building of a good future for everyone".
"Europe - we are told by the Pope and by Archbishop Hilarion in his beautiful introduction - is a cultural continent with two wings, the Church of the East and the Church of the West, rising above the narrow duality of WesternEurope and Russia," Azzardo continues. "Thus Europe presents itself to us as our spiritual homeland, in the beautiful term that the Pope used during his last trip abroad to the Czech Republic".
Fr. Filipp, Hilarion's vicar and spokesman of the Foreign Relations department said: "This book brings together the addresses of the Holy Father on the fate of Europe and bears witness to the absolute identity of views and positions between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church on modern social processes. It is also proof of the enormous possibilities in Catholic-Orthodox collaboration".
The book will be formally presented in Rome on Wednesday, December 2, at the Tapestry Hall of the Ministry for Economic Development on the Via Veneto during a roundtable discussion on "The role of the Church in the cultural integration of Europe".
It will be part of an ongoing Italian session of the Forum for Dialog of the Italo-Russian civic societies who meet in Rome and Moscow during bilateral summits between their leaders, this time, with Russian president Medvedev visiting Rome.
Participating in the discussions will be scholars and counselors from the Moscow Patriarchate and Moscow universities, and the Rector of the Catholic University of Milan, Fr. Lorenzo Ornaghi.
Both governments will be represented by Mikhail Shvydko, President Medvedev's counselor for international cultural cooperation, and by the Italian Minister for Cultural Assets Sandro Bondi.
Quite a high-powered, high-profile book presentation!
One really cannot underscore enough the unprecedented nature of this initiative by the Patriarchate of Moscow. For all their hemming and hawing about taking the next great step in advancing bilateral relations with Rome (i.e., their reluctance for a meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow), they have been consistent and vocal in upholding the same Christian values that Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI has been tirelessly preaching all these years.
It also marks the second time the Russians publish a Ratzinger book - they published Introduction to Christianity in Russian in 2006, for which Patriarch Kirill, then holding Hilarion's position now, wrote the introduction. [P.S. This is actually the third Ratzinger book published in Russian. The second was JESUS OF NAZARETH, vol. 1, in 2008.]
This is certainly an unprecedented situation in the history of world religions - for another Church to publish the books of the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church for their own faithful! I can't even imagine the Church of England doing that for the Pope.
And it's an obvious tribute to the literal catholicity of Joseph Ratzinger's faith, which is firmly Christian, unmistakably Catholic, and yet universally acceptable in its social implications to all who still hold to the great traditions of the world religions.
It's a signal recognition ,from a Church that has more than 200 million members, of the power of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI's voice and his tenacity in singlehandedly carrying on his 'crusade for Europe' [to borrow Dwight Eisenhower's term for the Allied mission in World War II], living up in every way to the Patron/Savior of Europe whose name he would take as Pope.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 03/12/2009 14:57]