VATICAN CITY, JUN 24, 2001 (VIS) - This afternoon, the Holy Father travelled from the apostolic nunciature to the Palace of the National Philharmonic, which lies in the center of Kiev, where he met with representatives of the Pan-Ukrainian Council of Churches and religious organizations.
The Pan-Ukrainian Council includes representatives from the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches as well as from the Muslim and Jewish religions. Of the three principal Orthodox jurisdictions, only Metropolitans Filaret, representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kiev Patriarchate, and Methodius, representative of the Autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church were present. Metropolitan Vladimir, representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, did not attend.
Following a greeting by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, major archbishop of Lviv of the Ukrainians, the Pope addressed those present.
John Paul II affirmed that the existence and the daily work of the Pan-Ukrainian Council "testify in a concrete way to the fact that the religious element is an essential part of the personal identity of everyone, no matter the race, people or culture to which they belong." And he asked: "How could a State that wishes to be really democratic fail to have full respect for the religious freedom of its citizens? There is no true democracy where one of the fundamental freedoms of the person is trampled on."
Addressing himself particularly to Ukrainian Christians, the Pope requested that God help them "to rediscover together the solid grounds for a respectful and courageous ecumenical journey, a journey of coming closer and of mutual understanding, favored by good will on the part of everyone. May the day of restored communion among all the disciples of Christ come soon."
The Holy Father recalled "the significant presence of Jews" in Ukraine and said: "Who can ever forget the immense tribute of blood which they paid to the fanaticism of an ideology propounding the superiority of one race over others? Here, in Kiev, at Babyn Yar, during the Nazi occupation countless people, including over 100,000 Jews, were killed within a few days. This is one of the most atrocious of the many crimes which the history of the last century unhappily has had to record. May the memory of this episode of murderous frenzy be a salutary warning to all. What atrocities is man capable of, when he fools himself into thinking that he can do without God!"
The Pope also recalled the "crimes committed by the political power against the Muslim community in Ukraine. I am thinking in particular of the Tartars deported from the Crimea to the Asiatic republics of the Soviet Union, who now wish to return to their land of origin."
"If God is removed from the world, nothing truly human remains. By not looking to heaven, the creature loses sight of the goal of his journey on earth. At the root of every authentic humanism there is always the humble and trusting acknowledgement of the primacy of God."
John Paul II concluded by exhorting the representatives of Churches and religious organizations to continue ceaselessly in their "common search for an increased sharing of the values of religion lived in freedom and of tolerance lived in justice. This is the most significant contribution that you can make to the overall progress of Ukrainian society."
Prior to his farewell, the Pope thanked the representatives of the Pan-Ukrainian Council for the words they had expressed at the end of the meeting. He assured them of the Catholic Church's openness to ecumenical dialogue with all religions, "in keeping with lines laid down in the document 'Nostra aetate'. I hope that these indications of Vatican Council II for the Church may be a light for all Christians and for all believers and men and women of good will in Ukraine, with the aim of building true fraternal communion."
Before returning to the apostolic nunciature, the Holy Father went to the Bykovnya monument in a forest 30 kilometers from Kiev, where he prayed for short period. The monument is dedicated to the victims of the years of communist repression.
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