The Holy Father Pope Francis said: "Build bridges, not walls, because walls are bound to fall: it is Christian to act in this way, Christian communication means serving the other." "I did not come to be served, but to serve"."Jesus says in the Gospel.
Almost 30 years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Berlin Wall and the Iron curtain that unjustly separated the eastern part of Europe from the western part of Europe. and this wall of painful separation has had many and complicated consequences: cultural mutations cultural mutations (the passage from a culture that exalts the system to a culture that the system to a culture in dialogue with contemporaneity and the anthropological reality of the human being). anthropological reality of the human being); complex economic and social changes (the passage from a (the passage from a State economy to a plural economy open to the common market); and also difficulties of maturity and also difficulties of political maturation (due to the lack of a political class or elite capable, mature and political elite capable, mature and free of the communist matrix and with a vision of the future). future).
After living 50 years in the exile of the red empire, changes are difficult and the present lives in the memory of the the memory of the past, or rather, the shadow of the past makes the present a bit unpredictable the present and sometimes confusing the vision of the future. Before the Before the 1990s, few people could have imagined that the communist dictatorship and totalitarianism because the system was so organized and gave so much despair to the people that, as the despair to the people that, as in Dante's work, "from hell there is no way out... only in.".
Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia have been, like other Eastern European countries, silent witnesses of the other Eastern European countries, silent witnesses to the lack of freedom, of the foreign and internal exileof hunger and thirst for justice hunger and thirst for justice, the lack of material resources, the rejection of religion, not being able to leave the country and so many injustices religion, of not being able to leave the country and so many injustices that only those who have lived through them can that only those who have lived through them can be witnesses of Marxist utopia and economic misery. economic misery.
The passage, the trance, of the socialist revolution has been violent and revolution has been violent and unfortunately the violence of the regimes experienced by these of the regimes experienced by these countries of martyrs is the consequence of an ideological imposition ideological imposition, which was also presented as a new form of religionThe creation of the new man.
The singer Franco Battiato, in one of his songs, says of his songs that "social evolution is of no use to the people if it is not preceded by an evolution of thought.". At this moment, making a social analysis and an x-ray of the reality in these countries, we can affirm that, after waking up from a period of reality in these countries, we can affirm that, after waking up from a beautiful dream with the fall of communism dream with the fall of communism, what seemed to be an opportunity for a change of conscience, a conscience change of conscience, a conscience cloned for many years by a regime that today seems to us as a science fiction seems to us today like a science fiction story, has not yet become real.
For this reason, today, more than ever, the countries that Pope countries that Pope Francis is going to visit in Eastern Europe need a change of conscience, a conscience that needs to be change of conscience, a conscience that needs to be strengthened so as not to look back after leaving exile. back after leaving exile; they need to discover themselves as free nations, protagonists of their own destiny and vocation. free and protagonists of their own destiny and vocation.
Invitation to continuity and unity
The relations between Western and Eastern Christianity after the great schism of 1054 have gradually cooled for almost a millennium. 1054 have gradually cooled for almost a millennium. In 1999, for the first time, thanks to In 1999, for the first time, thanks to Providence, we had the opportunity for a Pope to visit Romania. Pope to visit Romania: it was Pope John Paul II, now a saint. John Paul II, now a saint.
Patriarch Theoctist of the Romanian Orthodox Church Romanian Orthodox Church described the Pope's visit as a "onlyand, even if many doubted the possibility of such a visit, "the visit, "God made it so that the words to become a reality". Later, in 2002, Pope John Paul II also visited Bulgaria and impressed the people with his speech and closeness. also visited Bulgaria and impressed people with his speech and closeness to the Bulgarian people. with the Bulgarian people.
Romania also has in its roots a singular ecumenical vocation. ecumenical vocation. Through its geographical position and its long history history, culture and tradition, Romania is a home where East and West meet in natural dialogue. in natural dialogue. In the East, the Church breathes very clearly through its two lungs and we Christians are invited to discover this spiritual experience of God's Spirit. to discover this spiritual experience of the Spirit of God and to be able to live the new spiritual Pentecost. the new spiritual Pentecost of unity.
The 1999 cry for unity
The Pope Francis will complete this time the visit of the great Wojtyla and will also travel to Macedonia, a country that belonged to the former republic of Yugoslavia. also to Macedonia, a country that belonged to the former Yugoslav Republic. The mottoes of Pope Francis' visit are: for Romania, We will walk togetherfor Bulgaria, Peace on earthas the encyclical of Pope John XXIII; and for Macedonia! Macedonia, ¡!Do not be afraid, little flock!
On May 9, 1999, Pope John Paul II concluded his visit at the end of his stay in Romania at Holy Mass celebrated at the Romanian Cathedral. his visit at the end of his stay in Romania at the Holy Mass celebrated at the Parcul Izvor of the capital, with the great shout of the people present there: ¡!Unit, unit! It is probably the only case in the history of the Church in which many believers, Catholic and Orthodox, ask the hierarchs to unite. that many believers, Catholic and Orthodox, ask the hierarchs to unite. The cry of unit will spread through the crowd because the Pope had the courage to repeat it at the microphone. courage to repeat it into the microphone. It was a very moving moment of great enthusiasm of great enthusiasm and desire for unity that was born spontaneously from the people in the street and was not the only voice of a single person. and it was not the only voice of a "ecumenism ecumenism"The spirit of the people who thirsted for unity. for unity.
Today, Pope Francis invites us once again to the same thing, to the the same, to the unit. And it does, surely, because the unit is a reality that is still lacking at both the political and religious levels. "We hope that the presence in Romania of the We hope that the presence in Romania of the Successor of St. Peter will bring inspiration to Romania to unite all that is good and valuable for the benefit of the country and the common good". good and valuable for the benefit of the country and the common good."said Cardinal Lucian Mureșan Cardinal Lucian Mureșan.
To be strengthened again
The Christians in Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia, and not only them, need to be strengthened again by the successor of Peter in the search for unity. strengthened anew by Peter's successor in the search for unity. This unity is needed in the family, in the Church and in society. No is not enough to belong to the European Union to be united, a political and social organization is not enough to live in harmony and peacefully. to live in harmony and peacefully, but first and foremost the unity of people and churches on the unity of people and churches on the rock of life and the gospel of Jesus Christ. gospel of Jesus Christ.
Without conversion there is no unit and the theological reading of this concept is the contemplation of the Incarnation of Christ, of a synergetic encounter between the East and the West, which encounter between East and West, which indicates the need to live and refer our Christian life to the Christological dogma of the Incarnation, which opens the way to the our Christian life to the Christological dogma of the Incarnation, which also opens a deep ecclesial reality of the also a profound ecclesial reality of Christian life. The concept of Pope John Paul II's concept of synergy reminds us of the spiritual communion among the apostles who apostles who have a only dignity which is manifested in the diversity of the apostolic apostolic mission. This marvelous reality of unity in diversity centered in the unity of the person of Christ is the theological and spiritual key to the reconstruction of unity. spiritual key to the reconstruction of unity. Any division that we experience as Christians as Christians, in reality, represents an attack on the ontological unity of the Son of God. Son of God.
Contemplated the Trinity and "united with Jesus, we seek what He seeks, we love what He loves." (EG 267). Jesus called, first of all, his disciples disciples so that "were with him" (Mk 3:14) so that they may live with Him, share His life and learn His teachings.
As a living image of Christ, Pope Francis Pope Francis will meet, dialogue and pray with representatives of all the Orthodox Churches; with Patriarch Daniel of Romania in Bucharest with Patriarch Daniel of Romania in Bucharest; with Patriarch Neophytos of Bulgaria in Sofia; and in Macedonia, the Pope will have an ecumenical and interreligious Macedonia, the Pope will have an ecumenical and interreligious meeting with the youth of that young people of this country.
On Friday, May 31, after being received by President Klaus Johannis and Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă at the Cotroceni Palace, the Cotroceni Palace, the Pope will also meet with Patriarch Daniel and the Permanent Synod at the Patriarchal permanent synod at the patriarchal palace. This will be followed by a very special moment of prayer service organized in the new Orthodox Cathedral, called the Cathedral of the Nationwhere Pope Francis and Patriarch Daniel will pray, together with thousands of believers of all faiths, the thousands of believers of all confessions, will pray the prayer of the Our Father.
Pastoral dimension: a dream
On May 1999, Pope St. John Paul II had a dream, his personal dream and one of God. and one of God. He wanted to visit the whole country and visit the land of the martyrs; However, his visit was restricted and limited only to the city of Bucharest. The saint said: I would have liked to meet you personally. Unfortunately, it was not was not possible. Tonight I take the words that Peter, after Pentecost, addressed to those who obeyed God's promise: I will pour out My Spirit throughout the whole body, and your sons and daughters shall shall prophesy to the younger ones. Yours shall see their visions and the dreams of their elders shall their elders shall dream (Acts 2:17).
In these days, the Spirit entrusts you, the young man, the dream of God: that all men may be part of his family, that all Christians may be one. that all men may be part of his family, that all Christians may be one. Enter with this dream into the new millennium! with this dream into the new millennium! Wojtyla's first dream comes true: Pope Francis will be not only in the capital but also in other regions of the world. Pope Francis will be not only in the capital but also in other regions of Romania. Romania.
Pope Francis thus wants to be the bearer of a Church of hope: "The Church is sent to awaken this hope everywhere, especially where it is stifled by difficult existential conditions. difficult existential conditions. The Church is the house in which the doors are always open, not only so that all can always open not only so that all may find welcome and breathe in love and hope, but also so that we may go out to love and hope, but so that we can go out to bring this love and this hope. this hope." (EG 33).
In the afternoon of afternoon of the 31st, the Holy Father will celebrate the Eucharist at the St. Iosif Cathedral in Bucharest, built between 1873-1884 according to the plans of the Viennese architect Friedrich von Schmidt, and consecrated on plans of the Viennese architect Friedrich von Schmidt and consecrated on February 15, 1884. February 15, 1884.
Throughout its history, hundreds of thousands of people have crossed the threshold to be baptized of people have crossed the threshold to be baptized, to marry, to hear the to hear the Word of God and a word of comfort, to pray or to lift their hearts by listening to a concert of sacred music. to pray or to raise their hearts by listening to a concert of sacred music. At the same time, the cathedral At the same time, the cathedral hosted numerous religious and cultural events that marked the history of the cathedral.
Marian dimension
Another Another aspect of continuity with Pope Francis is the Marian dimension of the apostolic visitation. apostolic visit. Tradition calls Romania with the beautiful title of "The Garden of the Mother of God".because the Virgin Mary is the soul of all Christians: Orthodox and Catholic. She is a figure and is the main devotion in Romania.
On Saturday, June 1, the Holy Father will visit the Marian shrine of Șumuleu Ciuc de Transilavania, which reveals to us that in Romania there is a great mix of minorities. Romania is a small Europe, united but diverse by faith and language. The sanctuary is a minor papal basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, pastored by the Franciscan Order, whose presence in the area can be documented from the second half of the fourteenth century.
The date of the construction of the first church is church is unknown, but history records the reconstruction of the building between 1442-1448 as a result of the building between 1442-1448 as a result of the destruction caused by the Turkish invasions. Turkish invasions. The reconstruction was financed by Prince Iancu from Hunedoarawho, through this gesture, expressed his gratitude for winning the battle of 1442 against the Turks. the battle of 1442 against the Turks. The baroque church was consecrated in 1876, and in 1948 Pope Pius XII elevated it to the rank of minor basilica. The interior architecture of the Marian basilica of Șumuleu is representative for its the altars of Jesus the Sufferer y San Juan Bautista. Other altars are dedicated to the saints John Nepomuk, Ana, Elizabeth, Margareta of Cortona, Francis of Assisi, Anton of Padova.
The most important for pilgrims is the polychrome statue of the polychrome statue of the Blessed Virgin Marywhich dominates the central altar central altar. The work is dated between 1510-1515 and the author is unknown. The statue represents the woman clothed with the sun from the book of the Apocalypse (12,1), holding the Child Jesus. The statue, which was not damaged by the fire of 1661, was declared miraculous in 1798, was declared miraculous in 1798, with the title of "miraculous". Auxiliary mother.
National responsible for the Romanian Greek Catholics in Spain.
