PAPAL MASS IN BAKU: CHURCH HONORS CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

VATICAN CITY, MAY 23, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II celebrated Mass this morning in the Sports Palace of Baku, Azerbaijan, which was filled to its capacity of 1,500 people. The 120 Catholic faithful were joined by other Catholics who work in the country and by a group of Orthodox Christians and various refugees of Nagorno-Karabaj who live in camps in the Azerbaijani capital.

"The universal Church pays tribute," the Pope said in his homily, "to all those who succeeded in remaining faithful to their Baptismal commitments, ... in particular those who experienced the tragedy of Marxist persecution. ... I wish to repeat once again, honor also to you, the holy Orthodox Church; you opened your doors to the Catholic faithful, who were without fold or shepherd. May the Lord reward your generosity."

"The Pope today," he continued "is here to share in your joy at freedom restored, and to support you on the journey which has as its final goal the promised land of Heaven. ... Sustained by this certainty, you know that this is a time of joy, a time of hope. A sign of this is the foundation stone of the future parish church, which I shall bless at the end of Mass. The Pope brings you the greetings and the esteem of the entire Catholic Church."

"O Church present in Azerbaijan, today I would like to leave you as your task what we asked for in the opening prayer of today's Eucharist. Know that you are 'a people gathered from all the nations of the earth in the unity of the one spirit.' Your community, Brothers and Sisters, is a symbolic expression of that universality," formed by people of many places and "by those who are on their way to other lands."

The Holy Father urged Catholics to be faithful to their mission "to preserve the faith and bear witness to it with a life which is truly prophetic, so that the world may believe. ... You share the joys and hopes of the people who live close to you and with you. ... Be cautious, but have the courage to make things new. ... Not the novelty that only brings uncertainty and insecurity, no! Rather, the newness that will restore to all, especially the young, a desire to live and work for world of greater justice and solidarity."
"Look at them, these young people! They run the risk of succumbing to the illusion of aimless idleness, of easy but dishonest gain. But they are also able to commit themselves to an ideal and risk the heroism of sacrifice in order to bring about the victory of justice and promote the establishment of freedom and peace. ... We have to reveal to them the radiant perspective of faith, of the friendship of Christ. There is no enthusiasm for good that Christ does not understand, for He Himself is eternally young!"

After the Eucharistic celebration, John Paul II went to the parish house to participate in a gathering with the Sheik of the Muslims of the Caucasus, the Orthodox Eparch and the president of the Jewish community. This was followed by lunch with the Salesian community and members of the papal entourage. In the afternoon, he is scheduled to go to the international airport at Baku and, after saying goodbye to the civil and religious authorities of the country, will leave for Sofia, Bulgaria at 5 p.m., arriving after a three-hour flight.

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