POPE VISITS SPIRITUAL CENTER OF GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, NOV 8, 1999 (VIS) - Following the meeting with Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II and the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church, Pope John Paul and Ilia II left the patriarchal palace in Tbilisi and rode together in a car to Svetitskhoveli cathedral, the spiritual center of the Orthodox Church in Georgia, which is in Mtskheta, 26 kilometers from Tbilisi.

According to local tradition, Christ's tunic is kept in this cathedral, whose name means "the column which gives life." On October 1 of each year, the tunic is brought out for public view, and new bishops are also ordained on that date. The cathedral can hold 500 people.

"For me, this is indeed a moment of true blessing from Almighty God, who gives me this opportunity to greet the Catholicos-Patriarch and the Holy Synod of the Apostolic Church of Georgia," the Holy Father told those assembled here for the early evening ceremony.

"We cannot doubt," he stated, "that the course which lies before the Church at the dawn of the Third Millennium is that of proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Savior, to the men and women of today, with no less fervor and conviction than that of the great evangelizers of the past. We give thanks to God that the Church in Georgia has continued down the centuries to preach the Good News with steadfast faith and proven fidelity."

"May the candles which we have lighted this evening be a symbol and pledge of our common commitment to let Christ shed His light on the path ahead, dispelling every trace of darkness and gloom and showing the way to a brighter future."

The Pope concluded: "To the Father of all consolation, I entrust this beautiful land, that through a renewed discovery of its Christian heritage Georgia may grow in harmony and prosperity, for the happiness of its people and for greater stability, cooperation and peace throughout the whole region."

After his visit to the cathedral, Pope John Paul returned to Tbilisi and the House of Charity, where he is a guest during his stay in Georgia. Just-completed, the House of Charity will welcome the homeless of Tbilisi. It has been entrusted to the late Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity, and will be blessed tomorrow morning by the Holy Father during a brief ceremony in its chapel.

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POPE VISITS PRESIDENT SHEVARDNADZE, MEETS WORLD OF CULTURE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 1999 (VIS) - Following this morning's Mass in the Tbilisi sports arena, the Holy Father returned to the House of Charity where he had spent the night. He had lunch and later that afternoon, bade farewell to those who had hosted him in this newly-built one-story dwelling for the homeless.

At 4:45 p.m., local time, the Pope arrived at the Krtsanisi State Residence, a three-building complex situated in a large park on a hill overlooking the capital city of Tbilisi and used to welcome diplomats and foreign heads of State when they visit Georgia. He paid a courtesy visit to Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze with whom he had a private talk and exchanged gifts.

At 5:30 p.m. Pope John Paul went to a nearby building where he met with men and women of culture, science and the arts. "Culture is a reality born of self-transcendence," he said in his talk to them. "It is precisely in this movement of self-transcendence, of recognition of the other, of the need to communicate with the other, that culture is created. But this drive towards the other is possible only through love."

He highlighted "the contribution of Christianity to Georgian culture," in particular the fact that national literature "was almost exclusively religious in inspiration. ... Christians have always sought to create a culture which is fundamentally open to the eternal and transcendent, while at the same time attentive to the temporal, the concrete, the human."

Then, in a reference to Christ's tunic which is preserved in Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the Pope observed that "the tradition according to which Georgians present at the crucifixion of Christ brought back from Jerusalem the seamless tunic of the Lord symbolizes as it were the nation's resolute aspiration to unity."

"We now see," he then remarked, "a process of globalization which tends to underestimate distinctiveness and variety, and which is marked by the rise of new forms of ethno-centrism and exaggerated nationalism. In such a situation, the challenge is to promote and pass on a living culture capable of fostering communication and brotherhood between different groups and peoples, and between the different fields of human endeavor."

In concluding remarks, the Holy Father encouraged the men and women of culture to "use their creativity for the promotion of life in all its truth and beauty and goodness."

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MAN ONLY FINDS TRUE HAPPINESS IN GOD

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 1999 (VIS) - This morning at the sports stadium in Tbilisi, the Pope celebrated Mass in the presence of 10,000 faithful of the Latin, Armenian-Catholic and Assyro-Chaldean rites.

In his homily the Holy Father underlined that "without God, man cannot fully find himself, nor can he find his true happiness. Without God, man ends up, in fact, going against himself, because he is unable to build a social order sufficiently respectful of the fundamental rights of the person and of civic coexistence."

John Paul II highlighted the fact that Georgia has always been "a land of special hospitality and welcome, serving as a model of respect and tolerance towards the followers of other religions." A proof of this, he indicated, is that the principal places of worship for Christians, Jews and Muslims stand close together.

"Commit yourselves," he went on, "so that the whole of society may become one great family, open to true solidarity and peace. I know that this is not easy, partly because of the long period when atheism held sway here, a period in which all believers paid dearly. ... Today you find yourselves in a very fragmented situation, afflicted on the one hand by poverty, and tempted on the other hand by secular consumerism. Do not lose heart! Let the light and strength of the Gospel sustain you on your journey."

The Pope requested the faithful to always be generous with those who are in need, "as you are already doing in your support of Caritas and other praiseworthy forms of sharing. ... With the help of Christian social doctrine, form honest and competent people who are willing to commit themselves in the social and political field in service of the common good."

At the end of Mass and before the final blessing, John Paul II announced that he has elevated Msgr. Giuseppe Pasotto C.S.S., apostolic administrator "ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" for the Caucasus, to the dignity of bishop. The ceremony will take place in the Vatican on January 6, 2000.

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JOINT APPEAL FOR PEACE BY POPE AND PATRIARCH

VATICAN CITY, NOV 8, 1999 (VIS) - Following is the text of an joint appeal for peace in the Caucasus region, made today by Pope John Paul II and Orthodox Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia:

"His Holiness Pope John Paul II and the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, having come together in Tbilisi in a brotherly encounter, and having before their eyes Christ, the Prince of Peace, wish to address an urgent appeal for peace to Governments, International Organizations, Religious Leaders and all people of good will.

"We are speaking from Georgia in the Caucasus, a region of particular geo-political and historical importance, linking together Europe and Asia, and providing a meeting place for Eastern and Western culture. Today this region, as many other parts of the world, is facing a grave situation. (The situations in) Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and the North Caucasus, constitute a threat to world peace and call for decisive action on the part of humanity.

"Peace is a supreme gift, without which it is impossible to give full meaning to life and promote development. The human heart longs for this highest good and people aspire to live in harmony. The world today is like a global village. There is a serious danger that conflict in one area spreads beyond those boundaries to involve other nations and create new wars. At an important time such as this, the world must mobilize all its spiritual, intellectual and physical strength in order to avoid a global catastrophe. Terrorism has become a new and real threat to world peace. It is important, therefore, that the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of countries be assured by International Organizations.

"We therefore appeal to all who hear our message to show wisdom and strong determination to save this Planet that is entrusted to our care from the danger of war, and thus create the conditions necessary so that in the Third Millennium there may be true 'Peace on earth and goodwill among men'."

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MASS ON FRIDAY FOR DECEASED CARDINALS AND BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 1999 (VIS) - On Friday November 12 at 11:30 a.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope John Paul II will preside at a concelebrated Mass with the members of the College of Cardinals for the repose of the souls of the cardinals and bishops who died during the year, according to a note from the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

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COMMUNIQUE ON JOHN PAUL'S VISIT WITH PRESIDENT SHEVARDNADZE

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 1999 (VIS) - This afternoon the following joint communique, signed by Joaquin Navarro-Valls, spokesman for the Holy See, and by the spokesperson for the president of Georgia, was published:

"Upon the invitation of His Excellency, President Eduard Shevardnadze of Georgia and of the Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, the official visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, Roman Pontiff, took place on November 8 and 9 in Georgia.

"During the encounter on November 9 between the president of Georgia and the Pope, it was underlined that the arrival of the Bishop of Rome, John Paul II, in Georgia, a land protected by the Mother of God, is an event of great importance for the population of Georgia and for the entire people of the Caucasus region, for all Christians and believers of other confessions.

"His Holiness' visit coincides with the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of division. The border it marked was unacceptable for true Christians because it represented not only the border between two opposing philosophies, but also two different concepts of man and of history. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the consequent reunification of Europe, is one of the greatest conquests of the 20th century.

"This event was the beginning of the creation of a unique space of freedom in the world. Today the peoples who basically contributed to the development of civilization but who, due to the vicissitudes of history, were separated from the highway of history, are now part of that space. This event fills with hope the peoples who are living in divided countries and who believe in the definitive victory of justice.

"Georgia, crossroads of culture of the North, South, West and East, seeks to give its own contribution to the consolidation of stability in the Caucasus, to the peace and prosperity of the region.

"The president of Georgia and the Roman Pontiff once again confirmed their support for the peaceful resolution of all conflicts, including the one in Abkhazia, on the basis of the fundamental principles of international law. It was underlined that crimes against humanity committed on an ethnic, racial, or religious basis create serious dangers for peace and stability throughout the world.

"Both parties underscored the problem of terrorism, which has become particularly real in these last years, and which represents a serious threat for independence and for the democratic future of the States of the region, as well as for the efforts undertaken throughout the world to consolidate peace and stability. Both sides ask the international community for a closer and more efficient collaboration against terrorism for the defense of the rights of individuals and of peoples.

"Georgia salutes the arrival of His Holiness John Paul II and expresses the hope that the cordial relations which already exist between Georgia and the Holy See will be deepened, which will favor the rapprochement between Catholics and Orthodox and the consolidation of peace in Europe and the world."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Agustinus Agus, apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Sintang (area 65,000, population 608,692, Catholics 116,757, priests 45, religious 46), Indonesia, as bishop of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Lintang, Indonesia, in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1977.

- Appointed Bishop Oscar Urbina Ortega, auxiliary of Bogata, Colombia, as bishop of Cucuta, (area 2,200, population 715,000, Catholics 656,000, priests 104, permanent deacons 10, religious 266), Colombia.

- Appointed Metropolitan Archbishop Nestor Assogba of Parakou, Benin, as metropolitan archbishop of Cotonou (area 3,222, population 1,261,022, Catholics 441,899, priests 97, religious 341), Benin.

- Elevated Msgr. Giuseppe Pasotto C.S.S., apostolic administrator of the Caucasus, to the dignity of bishop.

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