VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2001 (VIS) - After Mass at Athens' sport center, Pope John Paul was driven 30 kilometers to Spata International Airport and left just before noon for Damascus, Syria. There were no farewell speeches, nor were national anthems played as Greek protocol requires such official ceremonies to take place only at the presidential palace. The 1,320 kilometer trip to the Syrian capital took just over 2 hours.
This is the Holy Father's eighth apostolic visit to an Arab land, following Morocco in 1985, Sudan in 1993, Tunisia in 1996, Lebanon in 1997, and Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Autonomous Territories in the year 2000.
After a welcome speech by President Bashar Al-Assad of the Syrian Arab Republic, the Pope addressed the civil and religious authorities who came to greet him upon his arrival.
Noting that he was in Syria "as a pilgrim of faith," continuing his Jubilee Year pilgrimages to those lands linked with "God's self-revelation and His saving actions," the Holy Father saluted the Syrian Christian community. "My heartfelt greeting," he added, "goes to all the followers of Islam who live in this noble land." He wished them peace in both English and Arabic.
He said that, with the present pilgrimage, "my mind and heart turn to the figure of Saul of Tarsus, the great Apostle Paul, whose life was changed forever on the road to Damascus." He highlighted the "magnificent contribution of Syria and the surrounding region to the history of Christianity. The Pope added that he was also "thinking of the great cultural influence of Syrian Islam. ... Today, in a world that is increasingly complex and interdependent, there is need for a new spirit of dialogue and cooperation between Christians and Muslims."
The Pope affirmed that "as the word 'peace' echoes in our hearts, how can we not think of the tensions and conflicts which have long troubled the region of the Middle East? So often hopes for peace have been raised, only to be dashed by new waves of violence. You, Mr President, have wisely confirmed that a just and global peace is in the best interests of Syria. I am confident that under your guidance Syria will spare no effort to work for greater harmony and cooperation among the peoples of the region, in order to bring lasting benefits not only to your own land, but also to other Arab countries and the whole international community. As I have publicly stated on other occasions, it is time to 'return to the principles of international legality: the banning of the acquisition of territory by force, the right of peoples to self-determination, respect for the resolutions of the United Nations Organization and the Geneva conventions, to quote only the most important'."
In concluding remarks, John Paul II stated: "We all know that real peace can only be achieved if there is a new attitude of understanding and respect between the peoples of the region, between the followers of the three Abrahamic religions. Step by step, with vision and courage, the political and religious leaders of the region must create the conditions for the development that their peoples have a right to, after so much conflict and suffering. Among these conditions, it is important that there be an evolution in the way the peoples of the region see one another, and that at every level of society the principles of peaceful coexistence be taught and promoted. In this sense, my pilgrimage is also an ardent prayer of hope: hope that among the peoples of the region fear will turn to trust; and contempt to mutual esteem; that force will give way to dialogue; and that a genuine desire to serve the common good will prevail."
The Syrian Arab Republic has a population of 16.1 million people: this does not include 140,000 nomads or 348,000 Palestinian refugees. The population is predominantly Muslim, while Christians are nine percent: Orthodox are 6 percent, Catholics 2 percent and Protestants 1 percent. There is a very small Jewish community.
The Catholic Church is divided into: the metropolitan archdiocese of Damascus of the Greek Melkites (110,000 Catholics); the archdiocese of Damascus of the Syrians (6,200); the archieparchy of Damascus of the Maronites (8,000); and the patriarchal exarchate of Damas for Armenian Catholics (4,000). For the Chaldeans and Latins, Damascus includes the diocese of Alep of the Chaldeans, suffragan of Babilonia of the Chaldeans (15,000 Catholics) and the apostolic vicariate of Alep (10,000).
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