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17 giugno 2009

Benedict XVI: To the Oriental Churches: "Let us pursue our mission to build peace and unity"

Source: SIR

At the end of today’s audience, Benedict XVI greeted the Syrian-Catholic delegation led by the Syrian Catholic Patriarch of the Church of Antioch, His Beatitude Mar Ignace Youssef III Younan, on his first official visit. He was accompanied by distinguished Patriarchs, Bishops and the faithful coming from the Middle East and from all over the world. In his greetings, the Pope expressed his “esteem and respect for the Oriental Catholic Churches” encouraging them to “continue their ecclesial mission, despite the many difficulties, to build peace and unity everywhere.” Tomorrow, a Divine Liturgy will be celebrated in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome following the Syrian-Antiochian rite, a “public sign of the ‘communio ecclesiastica’ which was already granted to Patriarch Youssef when he was elected,” said the Pope. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, card. Leonardo Sandri, will represent the Pope tomorrow.