FRANCISCAN HERMITAGE INAUGURATED IN LITHUANIA

VATICAN CITY, JUL 11, 2000 (VIS) - Made public today was a letter written by Pope John Paul to Fr. Giacomo Bini, superior general of the Franciscan Friars Minor, for the July 8 inauguration of the Franciscan hermitage built on the Hill of Crosses in Siauliei, Lithuania. The letter is dated June 29.

The Pope wrote that "the building of this hermitage, in a place so charged with memories, reminds me of my prayerful visit on September 7, 1993 to the Hill of Crosses" and, ten days later, his pilgrimage to Verna. He said that be became more aware "of the great usefulness" of making "pilgrimages to Siauliei and Verna, places marked by the mystery of the Cross, to mediate with greater awareness on the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord and to open oneself to the grace of conversion."

Commenting on the "fraternal cooperation between the province of the Friars Minor in Lithuania and that in Tuscany," he recalled how, "in the times before communism, young Lithuanians, anxious to follow the Franciscan charism, were invited to Tuscany for their formation to the religious life."

"May the Crosses of the Hill of Siauliei," exhorted the Holy Father, "remain as witnesses to the tremendous trials suffered because of a dictatorial regime and may they constitute, at the same time, a sign of the greatness of soul of a people which knew how to draw from their own spiritual and cultural traditions the necessary strength to continue to hope in a better future. In the most difficult moments of the history of Lithuania, the Crosses of Siauliei have been a steady source of strength, an inner bulwark of faith in Christ and fidelity to the Church."

JPII-LETTER;HERMITAGE;...;FRANCISCANS; LITHUANIA;VIS;20000711;Word: 290;