Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Prague (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI began his 13th Apostolic Journey, this time to the Czech Republic, with a Welcoming Ceremony held at the Stara Ruzyne International Airport in Prague, at 11:30 on September 26. Received by political, civil, and religious authorities, the Holy Father listened to the greetings from Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus, and then gave his speech, in which he highlighted “I am reminded how deeply Czech culture is permeated by Christianity.”
He continued: “While the whole of European culture has been profoundly shaped by its Christian heritage, this is especially true in the Czech lands, since it was through the missionary labours of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the ninth century that the old Slavonic language first came to be written down. Apostles of the Slavic peoples and founders of their culture, they are rightly venerated as Patrons of Europe. Yet it is also worth recalling that these two great saints from the Byzantine tradition here encountered missionaries from the Latin West. Throughout its history, this territory at the heart of the continent, at a crossroads between north and south, east and west, has been a meeting-point for different peoples, traditions and cultures. Undeniably this has sometimes led to friction, but in the longer term it has proved to be a fruitful encounter.”
Benedict XVI then recalled the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, which brought a peaceful end to what was “a time of particular hardship for this country, a time in which the flow of ideas and cultural influences was rigidly controlled.” During these 40 years of political repression, the Government tried in a “ruthless” manner to silence the voice of the Church, and the Pope remembered the many martyrs in the history of the nation, “whose fidelity to Christ spoke far louder and more eloquently than the voice of their executioners.”
In particular he paid homage to the memory of Cardinal Josef Beran, Archbishop of Prague, and his successor Cardinal Frantisek Tomasek, “for their indomitable Christian witness in the face of persecution. They, and countless brave priests, religious and lay men and women kept the flame of faith alive in this country. Now that religious freedom has been restored, I call upon all the citizens of this Republic to rediscover the Christian traditions which have shaped their culture, and I invite the Christian community to continue to make its voice heard as the nation addresses the challenges of the new millennium. 'Without God, man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is' (Caritas in Veritate, 78). The truth of the Gospel is indispensable for a healthy society, since it opens us to hope and enables us to discover our inalienable dignity as God’s children.
Lastly, the Pope recalled the Presidential flag that flies atop the Prague Castle, with the motto: “Pravda Vitezi - the Truth wins,” and expressed his hope that “the light of truth will continue to guide this nation, so blessed throughout its history by the witness of great saints and martyrs.” He then mentioned the example of Johann Gregor Mendel, “the Augustinian Abbot from Moravia whose pioneering research laid the foundations of modern genetics,” to highlight that the authentic progress of humanity is based on “a combination of the wisdom of faith and the insights of reason.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 28/9/2009)
