JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE OF THE ROMANIAN CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, MAY 9, 2000 (VIS) - This morning in St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope participated in a divine liturgy in the Greek-Catholic rite. The Mass, presided over by Archbishop Lucian Murean of Fagaras and Alba Iulia of the Romanians, was attended by bishops, priests, religious and lay people from the Romanian Church, who have come to Rome on a jubilee pilgrimage.

"The Romanian Greek-Catholic Church," said the Holy Father in his homily, "faithfully following her spouse, Christ, has experienced suffering and the cross, especially over the course of the past century when the cruel atheist regime decreed she should be suppressed. An attempt was made to crush man," but "thanks to God this plan did not succeed in imposing itself definitively. Christ is risen and with Him all the Christian communities in Romania."

The Holy Father paid homage to "the immense sacrifice of so many bishops, priests and faithful who accepted martyrdom as the supreme confirmation of their faithfulness to Christ and to the Successors of Peter." He particularly recalled Cardinal Alexandru Todea who "despite jail and isolation, remained steadfast in carrying out his duties as pastor, and led the Greek-Catholic Church into the new realities of the rise of liberal democracies. Dear friends, conserve the living memory of martyrdom in your hearts and transmit it to future generations. ... In your new-found liberty, may this treasure of your Church produce abundant fruits."

Referring to faithful of the Latin Church, he stressed that "after having for so long experienced the privation of liberty, they have been able reinforce and widen their pastoral structures."

John Paul II encouraged the Romanian faithful to treasure their "rich traditions. Thus, you will contribute to the growth of all of society. In order for this to come about as quickly and incisively as possible, it is necessary to fully recreate unity between Christ's disciples. ... Keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus, author and perfecter of the faith, deepen your commitment to unity and never cease to work so that, on some not far distant day, it may become a consoling reality for all."

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