EUROPE/CYPRUS - “Pope Benedict XVI is a great theologian and he is familiar with Catholic and Orthodox theology” said Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nuova Giustiniana and all Cyprus at the end of his visit to Rome

Tuesday, 19 June 2007

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Rome (Agenzia Fides)- “Pope Benedict XVI is a great theologian and he is familiar with Catholic and Orthodox theology” said His Beatitude Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nuova Giustiniana and All Cyprus said at a press conference in Rome on 18 June at the end of his 6 day visit to Rome and the Vatican. Fides was present at the Conference “We are convinced that Pope Benedict XVI wishes our Churches to draw closer and that he is also aware of the difficulties in detail; all the recent Pope have worked for ecumenical progress but certainly this movement will be much easier with Pope Benedict XVI ”.
“I also believe” - said Chrysostomos II - that this dialogue depends not only on the Pope but on the curia around him, just as the Patriarch of Moscow Alexis II is aided by the Synod and his collaborators; all must work together in this same direction”.
The Archbishop spoke of progress made in theological dialogue and said it must continue with patience after ''a separation of one thousand years”. With regard to a stop in Cyprus on the journey the Pope would like to make to Jerusalem the Archbishop said no dates had been announced but that the Pope's visit would be a 'great blessing' for Cyprus ”.
Chrysostomos II also said “Cyprus could be a solution” if the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow decided to meet in a neutral area rather than Rome or Moscow. In July the Archbishop is due to visit Alexis II with regard to improving relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. “We are open to any proposal - he said with regard to a summit between Pope Benedict XVI and Alexis II - and we sincerely hope contacts will lead to positive developments. We do not know if they will decide to meet and if so if the encounter would be in Moscow, Rome or some other place: Cyprus could be a solution”.
On Saturday 16 June Archbishop Chrysostomos II met Pope Benedict XVI and they signed a common declaration between the two Churches.
During the press conference Chrysostomos II spoke of the difficulties with regard to monasteries and churches situated in the occupied part of the Island. “We ask to be allowed to rebuild the churches in the Turkish part of Cyprus at our own expense and to be able to use them again for prayer. We ask for the 5 monks over eighty years old who have asked to return to their monastery of Saint Barnabas to die there, to be allowed to do so” the Archbishop said. He concluded by saying that there were 'fraternal' relations between the different communities on the island and that all hoped that respect for human rights of every citizen on the Island would be restored. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/6/2007 righe 44 parole 548)