VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2010 (VIS) - Having spent the night at the apostolic nunciature in the Cypriot capital of Nicosia, where he arrived from Paphos last night, this morning the Holy Father went to the presidential palace in Nicosia to pay a courtesy visit to Demetris Christofias, president of the Republic of Cyprus. Following his encounter with the president, the Pope met with civil authorities and members of the diplomatic corps.
Benedict XVI was received outside the palace by President Christofias and his wife. He then left a wreath at the statue of Makarios III (1913-1977), archbishop of the Cypriot Orthodox Church and the first president of the Republic of Cyprus, one of the most important figures in the country's recent history.
Following a private encounter with the president and his family, the Pope met with the civil authorities and the diplomatic corps in the gardens of the presidential palace, where he pronounced an address.
"I have", he said, "just laid a wreath at the memorial of the late Archbishop Makarios, the first president of the Republic of Cyprus. Like him, each of you in your lives of public service must be committed to serving the good of others in society, whether at the local, national or international level. This is a noble vocation which the Church esteems".
"You as public servants know the importance of truth, integrity and respect in your relationships with others", he told his audience. "Personal relationships are often the first steps towards building trust and - in due course - solid bonds of friendship between individuals, peoples and nations. ... In countries with delicate political situations, such honest and open personal relationships can be the beginning of a much greater good for entire societies and peoples".
"The ancient Greek philosophers also teach us that the common good is served precisely by the influence of people endowed with clear moral insight and courage. ... Moral rectitude and impartial respect for others and their well-being are essential to the good of any society since they establish a climate of trust in which all human interactions, whether religious, or economic, social and cultural, or civil and political, acquire strength and substance".
Benedict XVI then went on to suggest three practical ways "to respect and promote moral truth in the world of politics and diplomacy on the national and international levels".
"Firstly, promoting moral truth means acting responsibly on the basis of factual knowledge. ... When parties rise above their own particular view of events, they acquire an objective and comprehensive vision. Those who are called to resolve such disputes are able to make just decisions and promote genuine reconciliation when they grasp and acknowledge the full truth of a specific question.
"A second way", he added, "consists in deconstructing political ideologies which would supplant the truth. The tragic experiences of the twentieth century have laid bare the inhumanity which follows from the suppression of truth and human dignity. ... In this sense, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, I called attention to attempts in some quarters to reinterpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by giving satisfaction to particular interests which would compromise the Declaration's inner unity and move away from its original intent".
"Thirdly, promoting moral truth in public life calls for a constant effort to base positive law upon the ethical principles of natural law. An appeal to the latter was once considered self-evident, but the tide of positivism in contemporary legal theory requires the restatement of this important axiom. Individuals, communities and States, without guidance from objectively moral truths, would become selfish and unscrupulous and the world a more dangerous place to live"
"When the policies we support are enacted in harmony with the natural law proper to our common humanity, then our actions become more sound and conducive to an environment of understanding, justice and peace", the Pope concluded.
The ceremony over, the Holy Father travelled five kilometres by car to St. Maron primary school to meet with the Catholic community of Cyprus.
PV-CYPRUS/
Benedict XVI was received outside the palace by President Christofias and his wife. He then left a wreath at the statue of Makarios III (1913-1977), archbishop of the Cypriot Orthodox Church and the first president of the Republic of Cyprus, one of the most important figures in the country's recent history.
Following a private encounter with the president and his family, the Pope met with the civil authorities and the diplomatic corps in the gardens of the presidential palace, where he pronounced an address.
"I have", he said, "just laid a wreath at the memorial of the late Archbishop Makarios, the first president of the Republic of Cyprus. Like him, each of you in your lives of public service must be committed to serving the good of others in society, whether at the local, national or international level. This is a noble vocation which the Church esteems".
"You as public servants know the importance of truth, integrity and respect in your relationships with others", he told his audience. "Personal relationships are often the first steps towards building trust and - in due course - solid bonds of friendship between individuals, peoples and nations. ... In countries with delicate political situations, such honest and open personal relationships can be the beginning of a much greater good for entire societies and peoples".
"The ancient Greek philosophers also teach us that the common good is served precisely by the influence of people endowed with clear moral insight and courage. ... Moral rectitude and impartial respect for others and their well-being are essential to the good of any society since they establish a climate of trust in which all human interactions, whether religious, or economic, social and cultural, or civil and political, acquire strength and substance".
Benedict XVI then went on to suggest three practical ways "to respect and promote moral truth in the world of politics and diplomacy on the national and international levels".
"Firstly, promoting moral truth means acting responsibly on the basis of factual knowledge. ... When parties rise above their own particular view of events, they acquire an objective and comprehensive vision. Those who are called to resolve such disputes are able to make just decisions and promote genuine reconciliation when they grasp and acknowledge the full truth of a specific question.
"A second way", he added, "consists in deconstructing political ideologies which would supplant the truth. The tragic experiences of the twentieth century have laid bare the inhumanity which follows from the suppression of truth and human dignity. ... In this sense, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, I called attention to attempts in some quarters to reinterpret the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by giving satisfaction to particular interests which would compromise the Declaration's inner unity and move away from its original intent".
"Thirdly, promoting moral truth in public life calls for a constant effort to base positive law upon the ethical principles of natural law. An appeal to the latter was once considered self-evident, but the tide of positivism in contemporary legal theory requires the restatement of this important axiom. Individuals, communities and States, without guidance from objectively moral truths, would become selfish and unscrupulous and the world a more dangerous place to live"
"When the policies we support are enacted in harmony with the natural law proper to our common humanity, then our actions become more sound and conducive to an environment of understanding, justice and peace", the Pope concluded.
The ceremony over, the Holy Father travelled five kilometres by car to St. Maron primary school to meet with the Catholic community of Cyprus.
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