HOMILIES, ANGELUS, AND OTHER SPIRITUAL TEXTS

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the General Audience today in St. Peter's Square.


Dear brothers and sisters,

In today's catechesis, we pick up the thread of the catecheses suspended because of the trip to Brazil and we will continue to speak about the great personalities of the early Church. They are masters of the faith even for us today and testimonies to the perennial relevance of the Christian faith.

Today, we will speak about an African, Tertullian, who between the end of the second century and the beginning of the third, inaugurated Christian literature in Latin. With him starts theology in that language.

His work has had decisive results that it would be unpardonable to under-estimate. His influence developed on several planes: on language and the recovery of classic culture, on identifying a common 'Christian spirit' in the world and formulating new proposals for human coexistence.

We do not know precisely the dates of his birth and death. We know that in Carthage, at the end of the second century, he received a solid rhetorical, philosophical, juridical and historical formation from his parents and from Carthaginian teachers.

He converted to Christianity - attracted, it seems, by the example of Christian martyrs. He started to publish his most famous writings in 197. But an overly individual search for the truth, together with an intemperance of character - he was a rigorous man - led him gradually to leave communion with the Church and adhere to the sect of montanism.

Nevertheless, the originality of his thought together with the incisive effectiveness of his language assure him a prominent place in early Christian literature.

Most famous are his writings of an apologetist nature. They show two principal intentions: to refute the very serious accusations made by the pagans against the new religion, and that - more pro-positive and missionary - of communicating the message of the Gospel in dialog with the culture of his time.

His most famous work, Apologetics, denounces the unjust behavior of political authorities towards the Church; explains and defends the teachings and customs of the Christians; identifies the differences between the new religion and the principal philosophical currents of the time; and demonstrates the triumph of the Spirit which opposes the violence of the persecutors with the blood, suffering and patience of the martyrs.

"No matter how refined," the African wrote, "your cruelty does not serve anything: rather, for our community, it is an invitation. With every blow from your scythes, we become more numerous. The blood of Christians is an efficient seed! (Semen est sanguis christianorum)" (Apologetics 50,13). Martyrdom, suffering for the truth, are victorious in the end and more effective than the cruelty and violence of totalitarian regimes.

But Tertullian, like every good apologetist, also notes the need to communicate positively the essence of Christianity. For this purpose he adopts the speculative method to illustrate the rational foundations of Christian doctrine. He treats them in a systematic manner, starting with a description of the 'God of Christians'.

"The God we adore," affirmed the Apologetist, "is unique." Using the antitheses and paradoxes characteristic of his language, he continues: "He is invisible, even if he is seen; ungraspable, even if he is present through grace; inconceivable, even if human senses can perceive him. Therefore he is true and great." (ibid., 17,1-2).

Tertullian further takes an enormous step in the development of Trinitarian doctrine: in Latin, he gave us the language that was adequate to express this great mystery, introducing the terms 'one substance' and 'three Persons.'

Similarly, he also developed the correct language to express the mystery of Christ as Son of God and true man.

The African also writes about the Holy Spirit, demonstrating its personal and divine character: "We believe that, according to his promise, Jesus Christ sent through the Father the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, who sanctifies the faith of those who believe in the Father, the Son and the Spirit" (ibid., 2,1).

We can also read in the African's works numerous texts about the Church, whom Tertullian always recognized as 'mother.' Even after he joined montanism, he did not forget that the Church is the mother of our faith and of our Christian life. Indeed he dwelt on the moral conduct of Christians and their future life.

His writings are also important to grasp the living tendencies in the Christian community of his time about the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the sacraments of the Eucharist, matrimony and reconciliation, the Petrine primacy, prayer...

In a special way, in those times of persecution when the Christians seemed to be a losing minority, the Apologetist exhorts them to hope, which - going by his writings - is not simply a virtue in itself, but has a modality that invests every aspect of Christian existence. We have the hope that the future is ours because the future belongs to God.

Thus, the resurrection of the Lord is presented as the foundation of our own future resurrection and represents the principal object of the faith of Christians: "The body will rise again," the African affirms categorically, "all of the body, the body itself, and the body entire. Wherever the body is found, it is deposited in God, by virtue of that most faithful mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ, who will bring God back to man, and man to God" (On the resurrection of the dead 63,1).

From the human point of view, we cannot but speak of Tertullian's tragedy. With the years he became increasingly exigent towards Christians. He demanded of them in every circumstance, and especially in the face of persecutions, a heroic behavior.

Rigid in his positions, he did not spare heavy criticism and inevitably, he ended up finding himself isolated. Even today, many questions remain open - not only about Tertullian's theological and philosophical thought, but also his attitude towards political institutions and pagan society.

This great moral and intellectual personality, this man who has made such a great contribution to Christian thinking, makes me think. One sees that ultimately, he lacked the simplicity, the humility to situate himself within the Church, to accept its weaknesses, to be tolerant with others and with himself.

When one only sees one's thoughts in all their greatness, then it ultimately loses this greatness itself. The essential characteristic of a great theologian is the humility to be in the Church, to accept its weaknesses and his own, because only God is truly holy, while we, instead, always have need of forgiveness.

Ultimately, the African remains an interesting witness of the early Church, when Christians found themselves authentic subjects of a 'new culture' in the close confrontation between the classical heritage and the evangelical message.

It was Tertullian who made the famous statement that our soul is naturaliter christiana (by nature Christian)" (Apologetics 17,6), evoking the perennial continuity between authentic human values and those that are Christian; as well as his other reflection, directly mutated from the Gospel, according to which "the Christian cannot hate even his own enemy" (cfr Apologetics 37), because the unavoidable moral development of choosing the faith proposes 'non-violence' as the rule of life - and there is no one who does not see the tragic actuality of that teaching, even in the light of current debates that have been ignited about religions.

In sum, we can see in the African's writings many issues which we are still called on today to face. These involve us in a fecund interior search, to which I exhort all the faithful, so that they may know how to express in an increasingly more convincing way he rule of faith - according to which, turning to Tertullian once again, "we believe that one God exists, who is none other than the Creator of the world: he took everything from nothing through his Word, which was generated before everything else" (The statute of the heretics, 13,1).


Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English:


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our catechesis on the Fathers and teachers of the early Church, we now turn to Tertullian, an African from Carthage and the first great Christian author to write in Latin.

A convert to Christianity, Tertullian became an eloquent apologist for the faith, not only defending it from its detractors but striving to present positively the Gospel message in dialogue with the pagan intellectual tradition.

He emphasized the unity of God while affirming the divinity of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Tertullians terminology of three "persons" in one divine "substance" marked a significant advance in the development of the dogma of the Trinity. His works also bear witness to the emerging understanding of the dignity of Our Lady, the nature of the Church, the Petrine Primacy, and the sacraments.

Tertullian grounds the Christian life in prayer and in hope based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Converted by the sufferings of the martyrs, whose blood he called the seed of the Church (cf. Ap., 50.13), Tertullian grew increasingly rigoristic, and eventually left the Churchs communion. Yet he remains an influential witness to the Churchs rule of faith and an important figure in the perennial dialogue between the Gospel and the world of culture.

I am pleased to greet the English-speaking pilgrims, including participants in a seminar organized by the Lay Centre "Foyer Unitas", graduates of the Classical Lyceum of Turku, and pilgrims from the parish of the Immaculate Conception in Devizes. Upon you and your loved ones, I invoke the grace and peace of Almighty God.

Until we get a translation of today's audience, here is a summary of Benedict's comments:


Benedict XVI--Christians are always and everywhere members of one Body

Vatican City, Jun 6, 2007 / 09:19 am (CNA).- Continuing his catechesis on the connection between Jesus and the Church, the Holy Father spoke today on St. Cyprian, "the first African bishop to achieve the crown of martyrdom." The Pope exhorted the 40,000 gathered and all the faithful to unity using the works of St. Cyprian.

Cyprian, said the Pope, "was born in Carthage to a rich pagan family" and "converted to Christianity at the age of 35. ... He became a priest and later a bishop. During his brief time as a bishop, he had to face the first two persecutions authorized by imperial edict, that of Decius (250) and that of Valerian (257-258)," following which many faithful "renounced their faith, or at least failed to comport themselves correctly when under trial. These were the so-called 'lapsi,' that is, the 'lapsed'."

Cyprian was "severe but not inflexible towards the 'lapsi,' giving them the chance of forgiveness after an exemplary penance." The saint also "showed great humanity and was pervaded by the most authentic evangelical spirit in exhorting Christians to offer fraternal help to pagans during the plague." But he was "irremovable in combating the corruption and sins that devastated the moral life, especially that of avarice."

St. Cyprian was concerned more with pastoral issues than with profound theological insights. He wrote above all for the edification of the community and to encourage the faithful to good behavior.

In the saint's works, the Holy Father explained, "the Church is by far the topic most dear to him. He distinguishes between the visible hierarchical Church and the invisible mystical Church, at the same time forcefully affirming that the Church is one, founded upon Peter. He never tires of repeating that 'whoever abandons the chair of Peter, upon which the Church is founded, deludes himself if he believes he remains in the Church'."

Hence, "the indispensable characteristic of the Church is unity, as symbolized by the seamless robe of Christ; a unity that finds its foundation in Peter and its perfect realization in the Eucharist," said the Holy Father.

He then referred to Cyprian's teaching on prayer "which highlights how in the Our Father Christians are shown the correct way to pray." That prayer refers to "us" and "our" rather than to "me" and "mine," said the Pope, "so that he who prays does not pray only for himself. Ours is a public and community prayer. ... The Christian does not say 'my Father,' but 'our Father,' even when praying in the privacy of a closed room, because he knows that everywhere and in all circumstances, he is a member of the one Body."

"Cyprian, then, lies at the origins of that fruitful theological-spiritual tradition that sees the heart as the privileged place of prayer. ... It is there that God meets and talks to man, ... and man listens to God."

"Let us make our own that 'understanding heart' about which the Bible and the Fathers speak," the Pope concluded. "We have such great need of it."

which is usually quite accurate in its translation:

On St. Cyprian

"His Book on the 'Our Father' Has Helped Me to Pray Better"

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 6, 2007 (Zenit.org) - Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered today at the general audience in St. Peter's Square. The reflection focused on St. Cyprian.

* * *

Dear brothers and sisters,

Continuing with our catechetical series on the great figures of the ancient Church, we arrive today to an excellent African bishop of the third century, St. Cyprian, "the first bishop in Africa to attain the crown of martyrdom." His fame, as his first biographer, the deacon Pontius, testifies, is linked to his literary production and pastoral activity in the 13 years between his conversion and his martyrdom (cf. "Vida" 19,1; 1,1).

St. Cyprian was born in Carthage to a rich pagan family. After a squandered youth, Cyprian converted to Christianity at age 35. He himself tells us about his spiritual pilgrimage: "When I was still in a dark night," he wrote months after his baptism, "it seemed to me extremely difficult and exhausting to do what the mercy of God was proposing to me. & I was bound by many mistakes of my past life and I didn't think I could be free, to such extent that I would follow my vices and favored my sinful desires. & Later, with the help of the regenerative water, the misery of my previous life was washed away; a sovereign light illumined my heart; a second birth restored me to a completely new life. In a marvelous way, all doubt was swept away. & I understood clearly that what used to live in me were the worldly desires of the flesh and that, on the contrary, what the Holy Spirit had generated in me was divine and heavenly" ("A Donato," 3-4).

Immediately after his conversion Cyprian, despite envy and resistance, was chosen for the priestly office and elevated to the dignity of bishop. In the brief period of his episcopacy, he faced the two first persecutions mandated by imperial decree: Decius' in 250 and Valerian's in 257-258. After the particularly cruel persecution of Decius, the bishop had to work hard to restore order in the Christian community. Many faithful, in fact, had renounced their faith or had not reacted adequately in the face of such a test. These were the so-called lapsi, that is, "fallen," who fervently desired to re-enter the community.

The debate regarding their readmission divided the Christians of Carthage into those who were lax and those who were rigorists. To these difficulties was added a serious plague that scourged Africa and posed grave theological questions both within the Church and in regard to the pagans. Finally, we must remember the controversy between St. Cyprian and the Bishop of Rome, Stephen, regarding the validity of baptism administered to the pagans by heretical Christians.

Amid these truly difficult circumstances, Cyprian showed a true gift for governing: He was strict, but not inflexible with the "fallen," giving them the possibility of forgiveness after a period of exemplary penance; in regard to Rome, he was firm in his defense of the traditions of the Church in Africa; he was extremely understanding and full of a truly, authentic evangelical spirit when exhorting Christians to fraternal assistance toward pagans during the plague; he knew how to maintain the proper balance when reminding the faithful, quite afraid of losing both their lives and their material possessions, that their true life and authentic goods are not of this world; he was unyielding in fighting the corrupt practices and sins that destroy the moral life, especially avarice.

"Thus were his days spent," narrates Deacon Pontius, "when by the command of the proconsul, unexpectedly, the police arrived at this house" ("Vida," 15,1). That day the holy bishop was arrested and, after a brief interrogation, courageously faced martyrdom amid his people.

Cyprian composed numerous treatises and letters, always linked to his pastoral ministry. Seldom given to theological speculation, he wrote mostly for the edification of the community and to encourage the good behavior of the faithful. In fact, the Church was his favorite subject. He distinguishes between the hierarchical "visible Church" and the mystical "invisible Church," but he strongly affirms that the Church is one, founded on Peter.

He never tires of repeating that "he who abandons the Chair of Peter, upon which the Church is founded, lives in the illusion that he still belongs to the Church" ("The Unity of the Catholic Church," 4).

Cyprian knew well, and strongly stated it, that "there is no salvation outside the Church" (Epistle 4,4 and 73,21), and that "he who doesn't have the Church as his mother can't have God as his Father" ("The Unity of the Catholic Church," 4).

Unity is an irrevocable characteristic of the Church, symbolized by Christ's seamless garment (Ibid., 7): a unity that, as he says, finds its foundation in Peter (Ibid., 4) and its perfect fulfillment in the Eucharist (Epistle 63,13).

"There is only one God, one Christ," Cyprian exhorts, "one Church, one faith, one Christian people firmly united by the cement of harmony; and that which by nature is one cannot be separated" ("The Unity of the Catholic Church," 23).

We have spoken of his thoughts on the Church, but let us not forget, lastly, his teachings on prayer. I particularly like his book on the "Our Father" which has helped me to understand and pray better the "Lord's Prayer." Cyprian teaches us that precisely in the Our Father, Christians are offered the right way of praying; and he emphasizes that this prayer is said in plural "so that whoever prays it, prays not for himself alone."

"Our prayer," he writes, "is public and communal, and when we pray, we pray not only for ourselves but for the whole people, for we are one with the people" ("The Lord's Prayer," 8).

In this manner, personal and liturgical prayer are presented as firmly united to each other. This unity is based on the fact that they both respond to the same Word of God. The Christian does not say "My Father," but "Our Father," even in the secret of his own room, because he knows that in all places and in all circumstances, he is a member of the one Body.

"Let us pray then my most beloved brothers," writes the bishop of Carthage, "as God, the teacher, has taught us. It is an intimate and confident prayer to pray to God with what is his, elevating to his ears Christ's prayer. May the Father recognize the words of his Son when we lift a prayer to him: that he who dwells interiorly in the spirit would also be present in the voice. & Moreover, when we pray, we ought to have a way of speaking and praying that, with discipline, remains calm and reserved. Let us think that we are under God's gaze.

"It is necessary to be pleasing to the divine eyes both in our bodily attitude and our tone of voice. & And when we gather with the brethren and celebrate the divine sacrifice with a priest of God, we must do it with reverent fear and discipline, without throwing our prayers to the wind with loud voices, nor elevating in long speeches a petition to God that ought to be presented with moderation, for God does not listen to the voice but to the heart ('non vocis sed cordis auditor est')" (3-4).

These words are as valid today as they were then, and they help us to celebrate well the sacred liturgy.

Undeniably, Cyprian is at the origins of that fertile theological-spiritual tradition that sees in the "heart" the privileged place of prayer. According to the Bible and the Fathers of the Church, the heart is, in fact, the inner core of the human being where God dwells. That encounter in which God speaks to man and man listens to God takes place there; there man speaks to God and God listens to man; all this takes place through the only divine Word. It is precisely in this sense that, echoing Cyprian, Smaragdus, abbot of St. Michael, at the beginning of the ninth century, asserts that prayer "is the work of the heart, not of the lips, because God does not look at the words, but at the heart of him who prays." (Diadem of the Monks, 1.)

Let us have this "listening heart" of which Scriptures and the Fathers speak (cf. 1 Kings 3:9): How greatly we need it! Only then will we be able to experience fully that God is our Father and the Church, the holy Bride of Christ, is truly our Mother.

[Translation by ZENIT]

[After the general audience, the Pope greeted the people in several languages. In English, he said:]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our catechesis on the Fathers of the early Church, we now turn to Saint Cyprian. A convert from paganism, Cyprian became the Bishop of Carthage and guided the Church in Africa through the persecution of the Emperor Decius and its aftermath. He showed firmness and pastoral sensitivity in readmitting, after due penance, those Christians who had lapsed during the persecution, and he worked strenuously for the spiritual and moral renewal of the community. His many writings, closely linked to his ministry as Bishop, stress the unity of Christ's Church, founded on Peter and most perfectly realized in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Cyprian is also known for his writings on prayer, and in particular his commentary on the Our Father. There he emphasizes both the public, communal nature of Christian prayer, and the importance of a personal "prayer of the heart". Cyprian's devotion to the word of God and his love for the Church found supreme expression in his death as a martyr during the persecution of Valerian. May his example and teaching help us to draw nearer to the Lord in prayer and in the unity of his Body, the Church.

I am pleased to greet the officers and cadets from the New York Maritime College and the members of the European Ophthalmic Pathology Society. I am also happy to welcome the pilgrims who have travelled to Rome for the Canonizations last Sunday. May we all continue to be inspired by the lives of these saints. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from Finland, England, Scotland, New Zealand and the United States of America, I cordially invoke God's blessings of joy and peace.

© Copyright 2007 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at Angelus today:




Dear brothers and sisters!

Today's Solemnity of Corpus Domini, which in the Vatican and some other nations was already celebrated last Thursday, invites us to contemplate the supreme Mystery of our faith: the Most Blessed Sacrament, real presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the altar.

Every time that the priest renews the Eucharistic sacrifice, he repeats at Consecration: "This is my body...this is my Blood." He says it by lending his voice, his hands and his heart to Christ, who
has wanted to stay with us and be the beating heart of the Church.

But even after the celebration of the divine mysteries, the Lord Jesus remains living in the tabernacle - that is why we worship him specially in Eucharistic adoration, as I wished to recall in the recent post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum caritatis(cfr nn. 66-69).

There is an intrinsic link between celebration and adoration. The Holy Mass is in itself the greatest act of adoration in the Church: "No one eats of this flesh," St. Augustine wrote, "unless he has adored it first"(Enarr. in Ps. 98,9: CCL XXXIX, 1385). Adoration outside the Holy Mass prolongs and intensifies what has happened in the liturgical celebration and makes possible a true and profound welcome to Christ.

Today therefore, in all the Christian communities, there will be a Eucharistic procession, a singular form of public adoration of the Eucharist, which is enriched by beautiful traditional manifestations of popular devotion.

I wish to take the occasion of today's solemnity to recommend sincerely to the pastors and to all the faithful the practice of Eucharistic adoration.

I express my appreciation to the Institutes of Consecrated Life, as well as to the associations and confraternities which are specially dedicated to the practice: they offer to all a reminder of the centrality of Christ in our personal and ecclesial life.

I am very glad to see that many young people are discovering the beauty of adoration, be it personal or communal. I invite the priests to encourage youth groups in this respect, but also to see that the forms of community adoration are always appropriate and dignified, with adequate spaces of silence and of listening to the Word of God.

In today's life, which is often noisy and disorganized, it is more than ever important to recover the capacity for interior silence and meditation: Eucharistic adoration allows doing this not only around one's "I" but in company with that "You" full of love who is Jesus Christ, "the God close to us."

May the Virgin Mary, lady of the Eucharist, introduce us to the secret of true adoration. Her heart, humble and simple, was always absorbed in the mystery of Jesus, in which she worshipped the presence of God and His redeeming love.

Through her intercession, may faith in the Eucharistic mystery, the joy of participating in the Holy Mass, especially on Sundays, and the impulse to bear witness to Christ's immense charity grow in all the Church.

After the Angelus, he said some special words in behalf of people who have been kidnapped:

I frequently receive, unfortunately, requests in behalf of persons, among them Catholic priests, who are held in captivity for different reasons in various parts of the world. I have them all in my heart and in my prayers, and I think today, among other cases, of those held hostage in Colombia.

I address my heartfelt appeal to the authors of these execrable acts so that they may become aware of the harm that they do and that they may return those they now hold captive to their loved ones as soon as possible. I entrust the victims to the maternal protection of the Most Blessed Mary, mother of all men.


In English, he said:

I greet the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims who have gathered here for the Angelus.

On this day, many are celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi, the feast of the Most Holy Eucharist. We give thanks to God for the great gift of the Eucharist, the sacred banquet in which we receive Christ. We remember his sufferings, our minds are filled with his grace and we receive a pledge of the glory that is to be ours.

I pray that all of you may grow in love for the Lord through the great sacrament of his Body and Blood. May God bless you all.

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the General Audience held today in St. Peter's Square.


Dear brothers and sisters,

In the history of early Christianity, there is a fundamental distinction between the first three centuries and those that followed the Council of Nicaea in 325, the first ecumenical meeting of the Church.

Serving almost like a hinge between these two periods were the so-called 'Constantinian turning-point' and peace in the Church, as was the figure of Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine. He was the most qualified representative of Christian culture in his time, in many ways, from theology to exegesis, from history to general erudition.

Eusebius is known above all as the first historian of Christianity, but he was also the greatest philologist of the early Church.

In Caesarea, where Eusebius was born probably around 260, Origen had taken refuge after fleeing Alexandria and had founded there a school and an enormous library. Several decades later, these books were the basis for the formation of the young Eusebius.

In 325, as Bishop of Caesarea, he played a leading role in the Council of Nicaea, a signatory to the Creed and its affirmation of the full divinity of the Son of God, defined by the Creed as 'consubstantial' with the Father (homooúsios tõ Patrí, in the Greek formulation). That is practically the same Creed that we recite every Sunday in the Holy Liturgy of the Mass.

A sincere admirer of Constantine, who had given peace to the Church, Eusebius in turn had the emperor's esteem and consideration. He praised the Emperor, not only in his writings, but even with official speeches which he gave on the 20th and the 30th anniversaries of Contanstine's accession to the throne, and after he died in 337. Eusebius himself died a couple of years later.

A tireless scholar, Eusebius set out, in his numerous writings, to reflect upon and sum up the three centuries of Christianity - three centuries that were lived under persecution - drawing primarily on the Christian and pagan sources that were preserved in the great library of Caesarea.

That is why, despite the objective importance of his apologetic, exegetic and doctrinal writings, Eusebius's enduring fame is linked above all to the ten books of his Ecclesiastical History. He was the first to write a history of the Church, which remains fundamental, thanks to the sources that Eusebius has placed at our disposal for always.

With his History, he saved from certain oblivion numerous events, personages and literary works of the early church, therefore providing us with a primary source of information about the first centuries of Christianity.

We could ask how he structured this new work and what intentions he had in undertaking it. At the beginning of the first book, the historian promptly lists the topics which he planned to write about: "I have undertaken to put in writing the succession of the holy apostles and the time that has passed, from the days of our Savior to our day; all the great things that were reported to have taken place in the history of the Church; all those who led and notably guided the most illustrious dioceses; those who in every generation were the messengers of the divine Word, either orally or in writing; and all those - who they were, how many, and at which time - who, in the desire for novelty, after having been pushed as far as possible into error, then became interpreters and promoters of a false doctrine, and who, like cruel wolves, mercilessly preyed on the flock of Christ; ...with what means and how much and at what times the pagans fought against the divine Word; and the great men who, to defend it, underwent difficult trials by blood and torture; and finally, the testimony of our times, and the mercy and goodness of our Savior towards all of us" (1,1,1-2).

Thus Eusebius covered different sectors: the apostolic succession as the framework of the Church, the spread of the Christian message, the errors, the persecutions at the hands of pagans, and the great testimonies that constitute the light of this History. And for him, it was the mercy and the goodness of the Savior that shone through all this.

In this way, Eusebius inaugurated ecclesiastical historiography, bringing his narration up to 324, the year when Constantine, after defeating Licinius, became the sole Emperor of Rome. It was the following year, at the Council of Niceaea, that Eusebius offered the 'summa' of what the Church had learned - doctrinally, morally and even juridically - in its first 300 years.

The citation which we just made from the first book of the Ecclesiastical History contains a repetition which was surely intentional. Three times in the space of a few lines, he uses the Christologic title of Savior, and refers explicitly to "his mercy' and 'his benevolence.' Thus we can grasp the fundamental perspective of Eusebius's historiography: it is a Christ-centered history, in which the mystery of God's love for man is gradually revealed.

With genuine wonder, Eusebius acknowledges that "among all the men of this whole world, only Jesus has been called, professed and acknowledged as Christ [which means Messiah and Savior of the world], who is remembered by this name by both Greeks and barbarians, who continues to be honored today by his disciples spread throughout the world as king, admired more than a prophet, glorified as the true and only priest of God; and more than all this, as the pre-existing Word [Logos] of God, a being before time itself, who received from the Father an honor worthy of veneration and is worshipped as God. But the most extraordinary thing is that those of us who are consecrated to him celebrate him not only with our voices and the sound of words, but with all our spirit, such that we consider the witness we bear of him to be more important than life itself" (1,3,19-20).

Thus emerges in the foreground another characteristic, which will remain constant in early church historiography: the 'moral purpose' that presides over the narration. Historical analysis is never the end in itself; it is not made only to make us know the past; rather, it points decisively to conversion, to an authentic testimony of Christian life on the part of the faithful. It is a guide for us as well.

In this way, Eusebius poses a lively challenge to believers in all eras about how they approach the events of history, particularly that of the Church. He asks this even of us: what is our attitude about events in the Church? Is is that of someone who is interested out of simple curiosity, or perhaps in search of the sensational and the scandalous at any cost?

Or is it an attitude of love, open to mystery, the attitude of one who knows - through faith - that he can trace the history of the Church for the signs of God's love and the great works of salvation he has fulfilled?

If this is our attitude, then we can only be stimulated to a more consistent and generous answer, to a more Christian manner of living so that in turn we can leave signs of God's love for future generations.

"There is a mystery," the eminent scholar of the Fathers of the Church, Cardinal Jean Danielou, never tired of repeating, "There is a hidden content in history...The mystery is that of the works of God which constitute in time the authentic reality, hidden behind appearances...But this story that God realizes for man, cannot be realized without him. To pause in contemplation of the 'great things' from God means seeing only one aspect of things, that to which man responds" (Essay on the mystery of history, Italian ed, Brescia, 1963, p. 182).

From a distance of so many centuries, Eusebius of Caesarea even today invites believers, invites us, to wonder, to contemplate in history the great works of God for the salvation of man. With equal vigor, he invites us to conversion. Indeed, before a God who loves us as he does, we cannot remain inert. Love demands that our whole life should be in imitation of the Beloved. Therefore, let us do all we can, so that we too can leave behind, with our life, a transparent trace of God's love.


Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English:


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing our catechesis on the writers of the early Church, we turn today to Eusebius of Caesarea.

The many theological, exegetical and historical writings of Eusebius reflect the rich Christian culture of his time, which spanned the period of the last persecutions, the peace of the Church under Constantine, and the controversies surrounding the Council of Nicaea. He attended the Council as the Bishop of Caesarea and subscribed its teaching on the Sons divinity and consubstantiality with the Father.

Eusebius is best known for his Ecclesiastical History, which documented the first centuries of the Churchs life and preserved much precious evidence which would otherwise be lost. His Christocentric approach to history emphasized the gradual revelation of Gods merciful love for humanity, culminating in the coming of Christ, the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the Church.

Eusebius writings continue to inspire Christians in every age to let their study of history bear fruit in a greater appreciation of Gods saving works, a deeper conversion to Christ and a more generous witness to the Gospel in everyday life.

I welcome the participants in the leadership course organized by the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services. My greetings also go to the Buddhist members of Rissho Kosei-Kai, and the representatives of the Apostolate for Family Consecration. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at todays Audience, especially those from England, Nigeria, Japan and the United States, I invoke Gods abundant blessings.

At the end of the Mass in Assisi, the Pope introduced the Angelus with these words, translated here:






Dear brothers and sisters,

Eight centuries ago, the city of Assisi could hardly have imagined the role that Providence had assigned it, a role which has today made it well-known throughout the world as a true 'place of the spirit."

What gave it this character was the event which took place here and imprinted it indelibly. I refer to the conversion of the young Francis, who after 25 years of a mediocre daydreaming life, that was dedicated to the quest for worldly pleasures and successes, opened himself to grace, rediscovered himself and gradually recognized in Christ the ideal of his life. My pilgrimage today to Assisi is to recall that event in order to relive its meaning and its consequences.

I lingered with particular emotion at the little church of San Damiano where Francis heard from the Crucifix the programmatic words, "Go, Francis, repair my house" (2 Cel I,6,10: FF 593). It was a mission that began with the full conversion of his heart, to become thereafter an evangelical yeast that he cast with full hands on the Church and on society.

At Rivotorto I saw the place where, according to tradition, the lepers lived whom the saint served with mercy, beginning in this way his life as a penitent, and also the Sanctuary which evokes the poor dwelling used by Francis and his first brothers.

I went to the Basilica of St. Clare, Francis's 'little plant'. And this afternoon, after a visit to the Cathedral of Assisi, I will visit the Porziuncola, from where Francis, in the shadow of Mary, guided his expanding fraternity, and where he drew his last breath. There, I will meet with the youth, in the hope that the young Francis, convert to Christ, may speak to their hearts.

At this time, from the Basilica where his mortal remains rest, I wish to share his words of praise: "Highest, Almighty, good Lord, all praises be to you, all honor, glory and every blessing" (Canticle of Brother Sun 1:FF 263). Falling in love with Christ, he encountered the face of God-Love, of whom he became a passionate singer, a 'jester of God.'

In the light of the evangelical Beatitudes, we understand the gentleness with which he knew how to live with others, presenting himself humbly to all, a witness for peace and a peacemaker.

From this city of peace, I wish to send a greeting to the representatives of other Christian confessions and other religions who in 1986 accepted the invitation of my venerated Predecessor to experience here, in the hometown of St Francis, a World Day of Prayer for Peace.

I consider it my duty to issue from here an urgent and heartfelt appeal that all the armed conflicts which are bloodying the earth may cease, that the weapons be silenced, and that everywhere, hate may give way to love, offense to forgiveness, discord to unity.

We feel the spiritual presence here of all those who weep, suffer and die because of wars and their tragic consequences in any part of the world. Our thoughts go particularly to the Holy Land, so loved by St. Francis, to Iraq, to Lebanon, to the entire Middle East.

The populations of these countries have known, for too long, the horrors of combat, of terrorism, of blind violence, the illusion that force can resolve conflicts, the refusal to listen to the other side and give it justice.

Only responsible and sincere dialog, supported by the generosity of the international community, will put an end to so much pain and give back life and dignity to persons, institutions and societies.

May St. Francis, man of peace, obtain for us from the Lord that those who accept to be 'instruments of his peace' may multiply, through thousands of small acts in our daily life; that those who have roles of responsibility may be inspired by a passionate love for peace and for the indomitable will to achieve it, choosing the right means to obtain it.

May the Holy Virgin, whom the Poverello loved with tender heart and sang with inspired words, help us to discover the secret of peace in the miracle of love that was fulfilled in her womb with the incarnation of the Son of God.

Because of unusual heat in Rome today, the General Audience was held indoors in two parts. At 10:30, the Pope greeted pilgrims who could not be accommodated in the Aula Paolo VI. He then proceeded to the latter to deliver his regular Wednesday catechesis.

GREETING AT ST. PETER'S BASILICA

This was his English greeting:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am happy to welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims to this Basilica. May your visit to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul strengthen your faith in Christ and renew your love of his Church. Commending you to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, I assure you of my prayers for each one of you, your relatives and your friends.

THE CATECHESIS

Dear brothers and sisters:

Continuing our revisitation of the great teachers of the early Church, let us turn our attention today to St. Athanasius of Alexandria. This authentic protagonist of the Christian tradition - who, within a few years of his death, already came to be celebrated as 'a pillar of the Church' by the great theologian and Bishop of Constantinople Gregory Nascianzene (Discorsi 21,26), has always been considered as a model of orthodoxy, in the East as well as in the West.

It is not surprising therefore that Gian Lorenzo Bernini put his statue among the four sainted Doctors of the Eastern and Western Churches, along with Ambrosius, John Chrysostom and Augustine, who surround the Chair of Peter in the magnificent apse of St. Peter's Basilica.

Athanasius is undoubtedly one of the most important and venerated of the Fathers of the early Church. Above all, this great saint was the passionate theologian of the Incarnation of Logos, the Word of God, which - as the prologue to the Fourth Gospel says - 'was made flesh and came to dwell among us' (Jn 1.14).

Because of this, Athanasius was also the most important and tenacious adversary of the Arian heresy which, at that time, threatened faith in Christ, whom the Arians reduced to a creature 'halfway' between God and man, according to a tendency that would be recurrent in history and which we see in different ways even today.

Probably born in Alexandria, Egypt, around 300, Athanasius received a good education before becoming a deacon and secretary to Bishop Alexander. A close collaborator of his bishop, the young priest took part with him in the Council of Nicaea, the first church council of an ecumenical character, which was called by the Emperor Constantine in 325 to insure the unity of the Church.

The Nicene fathers were able to confront different problems, principally the serious one which arose a few years earlier from the preaching of the Alexandrian priest Arius.

The Arian theory threatened authentic faith in Christ by declaring that the Logos was not a true God, but a created one, a being 'halfway' between God and man, and that therefore, the true God would always be inaccessible to us.

The bishops assembled in Nicaea answered by drawing up and defining the 'symbol of faith' which, completed later by the first Council of Constantinople, has remained in the tradition of the different Christian confessions and in the liturgy as the Nicene-Constantinople Creed.

In this fundamental text - which expresses the faith of the undivided Church, and which we recite even today, every Sunday, in the eucharistic celebration - the Greek word homoousios is used, in Latin consubstantialis - which says that the Son, Logos, is 'of the same substance' as the Father, he is God from God, he is his substance, thus highlighting the full divinity of Christ which the Arians rejected.

When Bishop Alexander died, Athanasius succeeded him in 328 as Bishop of Alexandria, and immediately showed that he was determined to reject any compromise with the Arian theories condemned by the council of Nicaea. His intransigence - which was tenacious and sometimes very harsh, though necessary - against those who opposed his election as bishop, and above all, against the adversaries of the Nicene Creed, earned him the implacable hostility of the Arians and philo-Arians.

Despite the unequivocal outcome of the Council, which clearly stated that the Son was consubstantial with the Father, the erroneous ideas started to prevail again - even Arius was rehabilitated - with the support this time, for political reasons, of Constantine himself and later of his son Constantine II.

Constantine was not interested in theological truth but rather for the unity of the Empire and its political problems. He wanted to politicize the faith, making it more accessible, or so he thought, to all the subjects of the Empire.

Thus, the Arian crisis, which was thought to have been resolved at Nicaea, continued for decades, with difficult events and sorrowful divisions within the Church. Five times within the 30 years between 336 and 366, Athanasius was forced to leave his city, spending 17 years in exile and suffering for the faith.

But during his forced absences from Alexandria, the Bishop had the opportunity to propagate the Nicene Creed in the West, first in Trier and then in Rome, as well as the ideals of monasticism, embraced in Egypt by the great hermit Anthony Abbot in a choice of life that Athanasius always felt close to. St. Anthony, with his spiritual strength, was the most important person who sustained Athanasius in his faith.

When he was once again reinstalled definitively as Bishop of Alexandria, Athanasius was able to devote himself to religious pacification and reorganization of the Christian communities. He died on May 2, 373 - and on that day, we celebrate him liturgically.

The sainted bishop's most famous doctrinal work is the treatise Sull'incarnazione del Verbo (On the Incarnation of the Word), the divine Logos which became flesh, which became like us for our salvation.

St. Athanasius says in this work, in a statement that has become rightfully famous, that the Word of God "became man so that we may become God; he became visible in the body so that we could have an idea of the invisible Father, and he underwent the violence of men so that`we may inherit incorruptibility" (54,3). With his resurrection, in fact, the Lord caused death to disappear like 'straw in the fire' (8,4).

The fundamental idea in all of St. Athanasius's theological battles was that God is accessible. He is not a secondary God, he is the true God, and through our communion with Christ, we can truly unite ourselves to God. He truly becomes 'God with us'.

Among the other works of this great Father of the Church - which for the most part deal with the Arian crisis - we remember the four letters he wrote to his friend Serapion, Bishop of Thmuis, on the divinity of the Holy Spirit, which he affirms sharply and clearly; and some thirty 'festive' letters, which he sent at the start of the year to all the Churches and monasteries in Egypt to indicate the date for Easter, but above all to assure relations with the faithful, reinforcing their faith and preparing them for the great solemnity.

Athanasius was also the author of meditative texts on the Psalms, which were well disseminated, but above all, of a work which was a best-seller in early Christian literature: the Life of Anthony, his biography of St Anthony Abbot, which he wrote shortly after the latter's death, while the Bishop of Alexandria was living with the monks in the Egyptian desert during one of his exiles. They were such friends that Anthony left him one of his two lambskin garments and a cloak which Athanasius himself had given him.

The biography of the abbot who is a figure very dear to Christian tradition, immediately became very popular, and was almost immediately translated to Latin and later, to other Oriental languages, contributing greatly to the spread of monasticism in both the East and the West.

Not incidentally, reading this biography was at the center of an emotional story about the conversion of two imperial functionaries, which St. Augustine recounts in his Confessions (VIII,6,15) as a premise for his own conversion.

Athanasius himself showed he was aware of the influence that the exemplary figure of Anthony could have on Christians. He writes at the end of the work: "That he was known everywhere, admired and liked by everyone, even by those who had never seen him, is a sign of his virtue and of a soul who was a friend of God. Indeed, Anthony is known neither for his writings nor for profane wisdom nor for any other ability but simply for his piety towards God. How indeed would they have heard of him - a man who lived in retreat in the mountains - in Spain and in Gaul, in Rome and in Africa - if it had not been God himself who caused him to be known, as he does with those who belong to him, and as Anthony himself had preached from the beginning? Even if such men act in private and wish to remain hidden, the Lord shows them to everyone like a lamp, so that whoever hears about them may know that it is possible to follow the commandments, and take courage in following the path of virtue." (Life of Anthony 93,5-6).

Yes, brothers and sisters! We have so many reasons to be grateful to St. Athanasius. His life, like that of Anthony and countless other saints, shows us that "those who draw near to God do not withdraw from men, but rather become truly close to them" (Deus caritas est, 42).


Later, the Pope synthesized the catechesis in English:


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing our catechesis on the great teachers of the ancient Church, we turn today to Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. Athanasius is venerated in East and West alike as a pillar of Christian orthodoxy.

Against the followers of the Arian heresy, he insisted on the full divinity and consubstantiality of the Son with the Father, and defended the faith of the Church as expressed in the Creed of the Council of Nicaea. The Arian crisis did not end with the Council; indeed, for his resolute defence of the Nicene dogma, Athanasius was exiled from his see five times in thirty years.

His many writings include the treatise On the Incarnation of the Word, which defends the full divinity of the Son, whose incarnation is the source of our salvation: "he became man so that we could become God".

Athanasius also wrote a celebrated Life of Anthony, a spiritual biography of Saint Anthony Abbot, whom he had known personally. This popular book had an immense influence in the spread of the monastic ideal in East and West.

Like Anthony, Athanasius stands out as one of the great figures of the Church in Egypt, a "lamp" whose teaching and example even today light up the path of the entire Church.

I welcome the participants in the course organized by Foyer Unitas Lay Center. My greetings also go to the Brothers of the Poor of Saint Francis Seraphicus. Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from England, Australia and the United States, I invoke God's abundant blessings.


After greeting the various language groups present, the Holy Father made this appeal:

Today is the World Day for Refugees, promoted by the United Nations, in order to call public attention to those who are forced to leave their countries because of real danger to their lives.

To welcome refugees and give them hospitality is an obligatory gesture of human solidarity, so that they may not feel isolated because of intolerance or disintrest. For Christians, it is a concrete way of showing evangelical love.

I hope that these brothers and sisters of ours who have been sorely tried by suffering will be guaranteed asylum and recognition of their rights, and I call on national authorities to offer protection to those who find themselves in such need.

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at noonday Angelus today:




Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, June 24, the liturgy invites us to celebrate the solemnity of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, whose life was totally oriented to Christ, as was that of his mother, Mary.

John the Baptist was the precursor, the 'voice' sent to announce the incarnate Word. Thus, to commemorate his birth really means to celebrate Christ, the fulfillment of the promises made by all the prophets, of whom the Baptist was the greatest, the one called to 'prepare the way' for the Messiah (cfr Mt 11,9-10).

All the Gospels begin narrating the public life of Christ with the story of his baptism on the river Jordan by John. St. Luke presents the entrance on the scene of the Baptist in a solemn historical frame. Even my book JESUS OF NAZARETH starts off with the baptism of Jesus in teh Jordan, an event that had enormous resonance in its time.

From Jerusalem and every part of Judea, people came to listen to Jon the Baptist and to be baptized by him on the river, confessing their sins (cfr Mk 1,5). The fame of the baptist-prophet became such that many asked whether he was the Messiah. But he, the evangelist underscores, sharply denied it: "I am not the Christ" (Jn 1,20).

Nevertheless, he was the first 'witness' of Jesus, having received the sign from heaven: "He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (Jn 1,33).

And this is exactly what happened when Jesus, after being baptized, came out of the river: John saw the Spirit descend on him in the form of a dove. It was then that he 'knew' the full reality of Jesus of Nazareth, and he started to make him 'known in Israel' (Jn 1.31), pointing to him as teh Son of God and redeemer of man: "Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who taketh away the sins of the world." (Jn 1.29).

As an authentic prophet, John testified to the truth without compromises. He denounced trangressions of the commandments of God, even when the protagonists were the powerful. Thus, when he accused Herod and Herodias of adultery, he paid with his life, sealing his service to Christ - who is truth himself - with his martyrdom.

Let us invoke his intercession, along with that of the Most Blessed Mary, so that even in our day, the Church may keep herself always faithful to Christ and testify courageously to his truth and his love for everyone.


After the Angelus, the Pope also noted this:

This Sunday, which precedes the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, is also the Day of Charity for the Pope, in Italy. Dear Italian faithful, I am sincerely grateful to you for the prayers and fraternal support that you participate in the evangelizing and charitable mission of the Successor of Peter in the entire world.

In English he said:

I offer a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer.

Today, as the Church celebrates the Birth of Saint John the Baptist, let us ask for the gift of true conversion and growth in holiness, so that our lives will prepare a way for the Lord and hasten the coming of his Kingdom.

Upon all of you I invoke Gods blessings of joy and peace!


NB: I had been using the New American Bible for the English texts of Biblical citations used by the Holy Father. Starting today, however, I am using the traditional Douay-Rheims Catholic translation which I have belatedly found online from the organization that also publishes the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Because the General Audience today was indoors, the faithful were again divided into two groups. The Holy Father first greeted those in St. Peter's Basilica, and then proceeded to Aula Paolo VI where he delivered his catechesis.

At St. Peter's Basilica, he delivered greetings in Italian, French, English, German and Spanish. In English, he said:
I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present today. May your visit here to the Basilica and your time in Rome be filled with joy, and strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ and deepen your love of the universal Church. I assure you of my prayers for your families at home, particularly those who may be ill or suffering in any way. God bless you all!

[In the other languages, he reminded the pilgrims that the Church will be honoring Saints Peter and Paul this week.]

THE CATECHESIS:

Dear brothers and sisters!

Our attention today will be focused on St. Cyril of Jerusalem. His life represents a weave of two dimensions: on the one hand, pastoral care, and on the other, his involvement - against his will - in the burning controversies which troubled the Eastern Church at the time.

Born around 315 in Jerusalem or its environs, Cyril received en excellent literary formation. This was the basis for his ecclesiastical culture, centered on the study of the Bible.

Ordained a priest by Bishop Maxim, he succeeded him after the latter died or was deposed and was ordained Bishop by Acasius, an influential metropolitan of Caesarea in Palestine, an Arian follower who was convinced that he had an ally in Cyrus. Cyrus was suspected of having obtained his episcopal nomination by making confessions to Arianism.

In fact, Cyril clashed almost immediately with Acasius not only on doctrinal ground but even on jurisdiction, because Cyrus claimed the autonomy of his own seat with respect to the Metropolitan of Caesarea.

In a period of 20 years, Cyril would be exiled three times: first in 357, on the deposition of a Synod in Jerusalem; then in 360, due to Acasius; and the third and longest one - it lasted 11 years - in 367, at the initiative of the Arianist emperor Valentius. It was only when the emperor died in 378 that Cyril could regain definitive possession of his seat, bringing back unity and peace to the faithful.

His orthodoxy, that is placed in doubt by some contemporary sources in his time, is supported by other equally ancient sources . Among them, the most authoritative is the synodal letter of 382, after the second ecumenical council of Constantinople in 381, in which Cyril had participated in a distinguished role. In this letter, sent to the Roman Pontiff, the Oriental bishops officially attested to Cyril's absolute orthodoxy, the legitimacy of his episcopal ordination, and the merits of his pastoral service, which would end with his death in 387.

Preserved from his work are 24 famous catecheses which he set forth as Bishop around 350. Introduced by a Pro-catechesis of welcome, the first 18 are addressed to catechumens or 'illuminandi' (photizomenoi, in Greek) and were delivered at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.

The first 5 deal respectively with the arrangements that precede Baptism, conversion from pagan customs, the sacrament of Baptism, the 10 dogmatic truths contained in the Credo or Symbol of teh Faith.
Number 6-18 were a 'continuous catechesis' on the Symbol of Jerusalem, in an anti-Arian key.

Of the last 5 (19-23), called 'mystagogic' [initiating to mystery], the first two develop comments on the rites of Baptism, and the last three are on Confirmation, the body and Blood of Christ, and the eucharistic liturgy. The last one includes an explanation of the Our Father ('Sunday prayer'): a path of initiation to prayer, which is developed parallel to initiation in the three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.

The basis of his instruction on the Christian faith also had a polemical function against pagans, Christian Jews and Manicheans. The argumentation was based on the fulfillment of promises in the Old Testament, using a language rich in mag es.

Catechesis was an important moment, situated in the wide context of the life - particularly liturgical - of the Christian community, from whose maternal bosom would come future faithful who would be accompanied by the prayers and witness of their brothers.

In their entirety, Cyril's homilies constitute a systematic cathechism on the rebirth of the Christian through Baptism. To the catechumen he says: "You have fallen into the net of the Church (cfr Mt 13,47). Let yourself be caught alive. Do not escape, because Jesus has hooked you in, to give you, not death, but resurrection after death. In fact, you must die and rise again (cfr Rm 6,11-14)...Die to sin, and live for justice starting now. (Pro-catechesis 5).

From the doctrinal point of view, Cyril comments on the Symbol of Jerusalem by resorting to the typology of Scriptures, in a 'symphonic' relationship between the two testaments, arriving at Christ, the center of teh universe.

The typology would be described incisively by Augustine of Hippo: "The Old Testament is the veil of the New Testament, and in the New Testament, the Old is manifested" (De catechizandis rudibus, 4,8).

Cyril's moral catechesis was anchored deeply in his doctrinal catechesis: dogma is made to come down progressively into the spirit of those who are called on to transform their pagan behavior on the basis of a new life in Christ, which is the gift of Baptism.

The 'mystagogic' catechesis, finally, marked the peak of the instruction that Cyril imparted, no longer to catechumens, but to the newly baptized, the neophytes, during Holy Week. It introduced them to discover, in the baptismal rites of the Easter vigil, the mysteries enclosed but not yet revealed. Enlightened by a faith made more profound by Baptism, the neophytes would finally be able to better understand them, having by now undergone the rites.

In particular, with neophytes of Greek ancestry, Cyril lightened his teaching by appealing to their visual faculties. The passage from rite to mystery availed of the psychological effect of surprise and the experience of the Easter vigil.

Here is a text that explains the mystery of Baptism:
"Three times you were immersed in water, and each time, you re-emerged, to symbolize the three days that Christ was buried - thus imitating our Savior, who spent three days and three nights in the bosom of the earth" (cfr Mt 12.40).

"With the first immersion, you confessed to the first night in the tomb, like someone who does not see in the dark of night. Whereas whoever is in daylight, enjoys the light, just as you do. As you were immersed in night and could not see anything earlier, when you come out of the water, you come out to full daylight. Mystery of death and birth, this water of salvation was for you both tomb and mother...For you...the time to die was also the time of birth: both events are realized in a single moment." (Second Mystagogic Catechism 4).

The mystery to grasp is the design of God, which is realized through teh saving grace of Christ in the Church. This mysterious dimension is accompanied by symbols that express the spiritual experience which they allow to 'explode.'

So Cyril's catechesis, on the basis of the three components described - doctrinal, moral and mystagogic - is a global catechesis in the Spirit. The mystagogic dimension enables the synthesis of the first two, orienting them towards the sacramental celebration in which the salvation of the whole man is realized.

It is, in short, an integral catechesis - involving body, soul and spirit - which is emblematic even for the catechetical formation of Christians today.

==================================================================
NOTE: The following sentences are taken from the AsiaNews report, but except for the phrase 'integral catechesis'. I do not find any of the other statements in the text released by the Vatican. They are, conceivably, extemporaneous additions by the Pope, which the Press Office failed to incorporate into the prepared text:


'Denying Christs divinity', which was at the centre of Aryan heresy, "is still today a temptation for Christians". In order to counter this, 'integral catechesis' is needed, through which the faithful can teach Christianity "which truly involves our entire existence and which makes us credible witnesses of Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man". That was the objective which Saint Cyril of Jerusalem aimed to achieve in the IV century but which is still valid today...."Doctrine and life are not two distinct entities but one existential journey". The objective which we must attempt to reach even today remains: "learning a Christianity that really involves our entire existence".

====================================================================


Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing our catechesis on the great teachers of the early Church, we now turn to Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. Cyril is best known for his Catecheses, which reveal his orthodox doctrine and his pastoral wisdom.

The Catecheses prepared the catechumens of the Church of Jerusalem first to receive the sacraments of Christian initiation, and then, after their Baptism, to understand more deeply the Churchs faith as expressed in the sacred mysteries.

Based on the "symphonic" harmony of the Old and the New Testaments, and centred on the fulfilment of the ancient prophecies of the coming of Christ, the Catecheses explained the articles of the Creed and the Lords Prayer, the reality of Baptism as an event of spiritual rebirth, and the importance of the sacramental life and personal prayer for every Christian.

Cyrils catechesis spans Gods entire plan of salvation, accomplished through the work of Christ in the Church. With their rich doctrinal, moral and mystagogical teaching, the Catecheses remain a model for instruction today, leading the whole person  body, soul and spirit  to a living experience of Christs gift of salvation.

I extend a special welcome to the English-speaking visitors here today, including pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Kampala in Uganda, led by Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga. I also greet the group of supporters of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, and participants in the Jewish-Christian dialogue symposium organized by the Focolari Movement, as well as various groups from Wales, Norway, Malawi Australia, India and the United States. Upon you all and your families at home, I invoke Gods blessings of joy and peace.

In his Italian greeting, the Pope said something about stem-cell research:

I greet the participants in the international conference on adult stem cells organized by the La Sapienza University of Rome, on developments in autologous celluar therapy for cardiac diseases using adult stem cells.

In this regard, the position of the Church, validated by reason and science is clear: scientific research must be rightly encouraged and promoted as long as it does not come at the expense of other human beings whose dignity is inviolable from the very first stages of existence.

Because the General Audience today was indoors, the faithful were again divided into two groups. The Holy Father first greeted those in St. Peter's Basilica, and then proceeded to Aula Paolo VI where he delivered his catechesis.

At St. Peter's Basilica, he delivered greetings in Italian, French, English, German and Spanish. In English, he said:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present today. May your visit here to the Basilica and your time in Rome be filled with joy, and strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ and deepen your love of the universal Church. I assure you of my prayers for your families at home, particularly those who may be ill or suffering in any way. God bless you all!

[In the other languages, he reminded the pilgrims that the Church will be honoring Saints Peter and Paul this week.]

THE CATECHESIS:

Dear brothers and sisters!

Our attention today will be focused on St. Cyril of Jerusalem. His life represents a weave of two dimensions: on the one hand, pastoral care, and on the other, his involvement - against his will - in the burning controversies which troubled the Eastern Church at the time.

Born around 315 in Jerusalem or its environs, Cyril received an excellent literary formation. This was the basis for his ecclesiastical culture, centered on the study of the Bible.

Ordained a priest by Bishop Maxim, he succeeded him after the latter died or was deposed, and was ordained Bishop by Acasius, an influential metropolitan of Caesarea in Palestine, an Arian follower who was convinced that he had an ally in Cyrus. Cyrus was therefore suspected of having obtained his episcopal nomination by making confessions to Arianism.

In fact, Cyril clashed almost immediately with Acasius not only on doctrinal ground but even on jurisdiction, because Cyrus claimed the autonomy of his own seat with respect to the Metropolitan of Caesarea.

In a period of 20 years, Cyril would be exiled three times: first in 357, on the deposition of a Synod in Jerusalem; then in 360, due to Acasius; and the third and longest one - lasting 11 years - in 367, at the initiative of the Arianist emperor Valentius. It was only when the emperor died in 378 that Cyril could regain definitive possession of his seat, bringing back unity and peace to the faithful.

His orthodoxy, placed in doubt by some contemporary sources in his time, is supported by other equally ancient sources . Among them, the most authoritative is the synodal letter of 382, after the second ecumenical council of Constantinople in 381, in which Cyril had participated in a distinguished role. In this letter, sent to the Roman Pontiff, the Oriental bishops officially attested to Cyril's absolute orthodoxy, the legitimacy of his episcopal ordination, and the merits of his pastoral service, which would end with his death in 387.

Preserved from his work are 24 famous catecheses which he set forth as Bishop around 350. Introduced by a Pro-catechesis of welcome, the first 18 are addressed to catechumens or 'illuminandi' (photizomenoi, in Greek) and were delivered at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.

The first 5 deal respectively with the arrangements that precede Baptism, conversion from pagan customs, the sacrament of Baptism, the 10 dogmatic truths contained in the Credo or Symbol of the Faith.
Number 6-18 were a 'continuous catechesis' on the Symbol of Jerusalem, in an anti-Arian key.

Of the last 5 (19-23), called 'mystagogic' [initiating to mystery], the first two are extended comments on the rites of Baptism, and the last three are on Confirmation, the Body and Blood of Christ, and the eucharistic liturgy. The last one includes an explanation of the Our Father ('Sunday prayer'): a path of initiation to prayer, which is developed parallel to initiation in the three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.

The basis of his instruction on the Christian faith also had a polemical function against pagans, Christian Jews and Manicheans. The argumentation was based on the fulfillment of promises in the Old Testament, using a language rich in images.

Catechesis was an important moment, situated in the wide context of the life - particularly liturgical - of the Christian community, from whose maternal bosom would come future faithful, accompanied by the prayers and witness of their brothers.

In their entirety, Cyril's homilies constitute a systematic cathechism on the rebirth of the Christian through Baptism. To the catechumen he says: "You have fallen into the net of the Church (cfr Mt 13,47). Let yourself be caught alive. Do not escape, because Jesus has hooked you in to give you, not death, but resurrection after death. In fact, you must die and rise again (cfr Rm 6,11-14)...Die to sin, and live for justice starting now. (Pro-catechesis 5).

From the doctrinal point of view, Cyril comments on the Symbol of Jerusalem by resorting to the typology of Scriptures, in a 'symphonic' relationship between the two testaments, arriving at Christ, the center of the universe.

The typology would be described incisively by Augustine of Hippo: "The Old Testament is the veil of the New Testament, and in the New Testament, the Old is manifested" (De catechizandis rudibus, 4,8).

Cyril's moral catechesis was anchored deeply in his doctrinal catechesis: dogma is made to come down progressively into the spirit of those who are called on to transform their pagan behavior, on the basis of a new life in Christ, which is the gift of Baptism.

The 'mystagogic' catechesis, finally, marked the peak of the instruction that Cyril imparted, no longer to catechumens, but to the newly baptized, the neophytes, during Holy Week. It introduced them to discover, in the baptismal rites of the Easter vigil, the mysteries enclosed but not yet revealed. Enlightened by a faith made more profound by Baptism, the neophytes would finally be able to better understand them, having by now undergone the rites.

In particular, with neophytes of Greek ancestry, Cyril lightened his teaching by appealing to their visual faculties. The passage from rite to mystery availed of the psychological effect of surprise and the experience of the Easter vigil.

Here is a text that explains the mystery of Baptism:
"Three times you were immersed in water, and each time, you re-emerged, to symbolize the three days that Christ was buried - thus imitating our Savior, who spent three days and three nights in the bosom of the earth" (cfr Mt 12.40).

"With the first immersion, you confessed to the first night in the tomb, like someone who does not see in the dark of night. Whereas whoever is in daylight, enjoys the light, just as you do. As you were immersed in night and could not see anything earlier, when you come out of the water, you come out to full daylight. Mystery of death and birth, this water of salvation was for you both tomb and mother...For you...the time to die was also the time of birth: both events are realized in a single moment." (Second Mystagogic Catechism 4).

The mystery to grasp is the design of God, which is realized through the saving grace of Christ in the Church. This mysterious dimension is accompanied by symbols that express the spiritual experience which they allow to 'explode.'

So Cyril's catechesis, on the basis of the three components described - doctrinal, moral and mystagogic - is a global catechesis in the Spirit. The mystagogic dimension enables the synthesis of the first two, orienting them towards the sacramental celebration in which the salvation of the whole man is realized.

It is, in short, an integral catechesis - involving body, soul and spirit - which is emblematic even for the catechetical formation of Christians today.

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NOTE: The following sentences are taken from the AsiaNews report, but except for the phrase 'integral catechesis'. I do not find any of the other statements in the text released by the Vatican. They are, conceivably, extemporaneous additions by the Pope, which the Press Office failed to incorporate into the prepared text:


'Denying Christ's divinity', which was at the centre of Aryan heresy, "is still today a temptation for Christians". In order to counter this, 'integral catechesis' is needed, through which the faithful can teach Christianity "which truly involves our entire existence and which makes us credible witnesses of Jesus Christ, truly God and truly man". That was the objective which Saint Cyril of Jerusalem aimed to achieve in the fourth century but which is still valid today...."Doctrine and life are not two distinct entities but one existential journey". The objective which we must attempt to reach even today remains: "learning a Christianity that really involves our entire existence".

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Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Continuing our catechesis on the great teachers of the early Church, we now turn to Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. Cyril is best known for his Catecheses, which reveal his orthodox doctrine and his pastoral wisdom.

The Catecheses prepared the catechumens of the Church of Jerusalem first to receive the sacraments of Christian initiation, and then, after their Baptism, to understand more deeply the Churchs faith as expressed in the sacred mysteries.

Based on the "symphonic" harmony of the Old and the New Testaments, and centred on the fulfilment of the ancient prophecies of the coming of Christ, the Catecheses explained the articles of the Creed and the Lord's Prayer, the reality of Baptism as an event of spiritual rebirth, and the importance of the sacramental life and personal prayer for every Christian.

Cyril's catechesis spans God's entire plan of salvation, accomplished through the work of Christ in the Church. With their rich doctrinal, moral and mystagogical teaching, the Catecheses remain a model for instruction today, leading the whole person  body, soul and spirit  to a living experience of Christs gift of salvation.

I extend a special welcome to the English-speaking visitors here today, including pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Kampala in Uganda, led by Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga. I also greet the group of supporters of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and participants in the Jewish-Christian dialogue symposium organized by the Focolari Movement, as well as various groups from Wales, Norway, Malawi Australia, India and the United States. Upon you all and your families at home, I invoke God's blessings of joy and peace.

In his Italian greeting, the Pope said something about stem-cell research:

I greet the participants in the international conference on adult stem cells organized by the La Sapienza University of Rome, on developments in autologous celluar therapy for cardiac diseases using adult stem cells.

In this regard, the position of the Church, validated by reason and science is clear: scientific research must be rightly encouraged and promoted as long as it does not come at the expense of other human beings whose dignity is inviolable from the very first stages of existence.

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at Angelus today:

Dear brothers and sisters:

A short whole ago, we concluded the Eucharistic Celebration at St. Peter's Basilica in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, patrons of Rome and 'pillars' of the universal Church.

As it has been every year, for this solemn occasion, the Metropolitan Archbishops whom I named during the past year have gathered in Rome. I have imposed on them the Pallium, the liturgical sign of the communion that links them to the Successor of Peter.

To my dear brother Metropolitan bishops, I renew my most heartfelt greeting. I invite everyone to pray for them and for the communities entrusted to their pastoral care.

Moreover, on the occasion of this Solemnity observed today, the Church of Rome and its Bishop have the joy of welcoming the delegation sent by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. To the venerated brothers who make up the delegation, I renew my cordial greeting, which, through them, I also address affectionately to His Holiness Bartholomew I.

The feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul invites us, in a very special way, to pray intensely and act with conviction for the cause of the unity of all the disciples of Christ. Christians of the East and the West are already very close, and we can already count on an almost full Communion, a beacon to guide the ecumenical journey.

Our meetings, our reciprocal visits, the dialogs in progress, are not mere gestures of courtesy, or attempts to reach a compromise, but the sign of a common will to do what is possible so that we may soon arrive at that full communion invoked by Christ in his prayer to the Father at the last Supper: "ut unum sint", may they be one.

Among these initiatives would count the Pauline Year which I announced yesterday at the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, at the tomb of the Apostle Paul. It is a Jubilee Year dedicated to him, which will start on June 28, 2008 and end on June 29, 2009, on the bimillenial anniversary of his birth.

I hope that the different manifestations which will be organized for the Jubilee may contribute to renew our missionary enthusiasm and to render more intense our relations with our brothers in the East and with the other Christians who, like us, venerate the Apostle of the Gentiles.

Let us now turn to the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles. Through her maternal intercession, may the Lord grant to the Church in Rome and the whole world that we may always be faithful to the Gospel, in the service of which Saints Peter and Paul consecrated their lives.

After the Angelus, he had a special message for the Italian faithful:

On this feast of the Patron Saints of Rome, I send the city and all its inhabitants a special wish for peace and Christian prosperity. I particularly encourage the faithful to always behave in a manner worthy of the Gospel, so you may be the 'yeast' in every sphere of life.

On this occasion I am also pleased to announce that, in response to the invitation of Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, I will be making a pastoral visit to Naples on Sunday, October 21. I greet affectionately the beloved Neapolitan community, whom I invite to prepare for our meeting in prayer and charitable work.

In English, he said:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus, including the new Metropolitan Archbishops who have received the Pallium, accompanied by their relatives and friends. I also extend a cordial welcome to the Delegation of the Patriarch of Constantinople, present for this joyous celebration.

Let us continue to support these Archbishops and sustain them with our prayers as they strive to be zealous Christian leaders after the example of the Apostles Peter and Paul. May these Holy Patrons help all Christians to be generous in bearing witness to the Gospel. God bless you all!

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at Angelus today:

[


Dear brothers and sisters!

The Biblical Reading for this Sunday's Mass invites us to meditate on a fascinating subject which may be summarized thus: freedom and how to follow Christ.

The evangelist Luke narrates that "when the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, Jesus resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem" (Lk 9,51). In the expression 'resolutely' we can see Christ's freedom. In fact, he knew that in Jerusalem, death on the Cross awaited him, but in obedience to the will of the Father, he offered himself for love.

It is in this obedience to the will of the Father that Jesus realizes his own freedom, making a conscious choice motivated by love. Who is more free than he who is omnipotent? But he did not exercise his freedom by imposing his will or dominion. He lived it in service. This way, he has 'filled up' the idea of freedom, which otherwise would remain simply the 'empty' possibility of doing or not doing something.

Like the life of man itself, freedom carries a sense of love. Indeed who is more free? He who keeps to himself all possibilities for fear of losing them, or he who 'resolutely' spends himself in service and thus finds himself full of life through the love he has given and received?

The apostle Paul, writing to the Christians of Galatia, in present-day Turkey, said; "For you, brethren, have been called unto liberty. Only make not liberty an occasion to the flesh: but by charity of the spirit serve one another" (Gal 5,13).

To live according to the flesh means following the selfish tendency of human nature. To live according to the Spirit means, instead, to allow oneself to be guided in one's intentions and works, by the love of God which Christ has given us.

Christian freedom is therefore anything but arbitrariness. It is following Christ's example in giving himself to the point of sacrificing himself on the Cross. It may seem a paradox, but the Lord experienced the peak of his freedom on the cross, as the height of love.

When, on Calvary, they shouted at him: "If you are the son of God, come down from the Cross!", he showed his freedom as the Son precisely by remaining on that scaffold in order to fulfill to the very end the merciful will of the Father.

So many other witnesses to the truth have shared this experience - men and women who have shown that they remain free even in a prison cell and under threat of torture. "The truth will set you free." Who abides by the truth will never be the slave of any power, but will always know how to freely make himself a servant to his brothers.

Let us look on the Most Blessed Mary. Humble handmaid of the Lord, the Virgin is a model of the spiritual person, fully free because immaculate, immune from sin and all holy, dedicated to the service of God and other men. With her maternal concern, may she help us to follow Jesus, to know the truth and to live freedom in love.


After the Angelus, the Pope took note of the recent event in Colombia:

From Colombia comes the sad news of the barbaric assassination of 11 regional deputies in the Valle del Cauca department, which has been in the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia for more than five years.

As I offer prayers in their memory, I join the profound sorrow of their families and of the beloved nation of Colombia, which is once more aggrieved by fratricidal hate.

I renew my heartfelt appeal that kidnappings may cease and that the victims of such unacceptable violence may be sent back to their loved ones immediately.

In English, he said:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for today's Angelus.

Today's Liturgy reminds us that to be a Christian means to follow Jesus. He is the Teacher, we are his disciples. May the Lord give us grace and courage so that our life will always be inspired by the words and actions of Jesus.

I wish you all a pleasant stay in Rome and a blessed Sunday!

The General Audience today again consisted of two parts. First the Pope greeted the overflow crowd in St. Peter's Basilica before proceeding to Aula Paolo VI for the catechesis.

GREETINGS TO THE FAITHFUL
AT ST. PETER'S BASILICA

I am happy to greet all of you, dear pilgrims. May your visit to the tombs of the Apostles strengthen your faith.

I call on each of you to understand and increasingly make room for the love of God, source and cause of our true joy. We should show this love that can change lives above all to those who are weakest and most in need. Never forget that each of us, by spreading divine love, contributes to construct a more just and fraternal world.

In English, he said:

I am happy to welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present today. May your visit to this Basilica and to the city of Rome inspire you to imitate the apostles in following Christ and serving the Church. I assure you of my prayers for your families and friends at home, especially those afflicted by illness or suffering of any kind. God bless you all!

THE CATECHESIS

Dear brothers and sisters!

Today we shall recall one of the great Fathers of the Church, St. Basil, who is described in Byzantine liturgical texts as a 'luminary of the Church.'

He was a great Bishop of the fourth century, whom both the Churches of the East and the West regard with admiration for the sanctity of his life, for the excellence of his doctrine and for his harmonious synthesis of speculative and practical gifts.

He was born around 330 to a family of saints, 'a true domestic church', who lived in a climate of profound faith. He completed his studies with the best teachers in Athens and Constantinople.

Unhappy with his worldly successes and aware of having wasted too much time in vanities, he later confessed; "One day, as if awaking from profound sleep, I turned to the miraculous light of truth in the Gospel... and I wept over my miserable life." (cfr Ep. 223: PG 32,824a).

Drawn by Christ, he started to look to Him and listen to Him alone
(cfr Moralia 80,1: PG 31,860bc). With determination, he dedicated himself to the monastic life of prayer, meditation on the Sacred Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers of the Church, and in the exercise of charity (cfr Epp. 2 e 22), following the example of his sister, Saint Macrina, who already lived in monastic asceticism. He was then ordained a priest, and in 370, he was ordained Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, present-day Turkey.

Through preaching and writing, he carried out an intense pastoral, theological and literary activity. With wise equilibrium, he knew how to unite service to others and his own dedication to prayer and meditation in solitude.

Availing of his own personal experience, he promoted the establishment of many 'brotherhoods' or communities of Christians consecrated to God whom he visited often (cfr Gregory Nazianzene, Oratio 43,29 in laudem Basilii: PG 36,536b).

With his words and writing, many of which have come down to us, (cfr Regulae brevius tractatae, Proemio: PG 31,1080ab), l he exhorted them to live by progressing to perfection. Many legislators of early monasticism drew from his works, including St. Benedict who considered St. Basil as his teacher (cfr Regula 73,5).

In fact, St. Basil created a very special kind of monasticism: one that was not closed but open to the community of the local Church. His monks were part of the local Church, of which they were the inspirational nucleus. By preceding the other faithful in following Christ and not only in the faith, they showed a firm adherence to him - love for him - especially in works of charity.

These monks, who set up schools and hospitals, were at the service of the poor, demonstrating Christian life in its fullness. The Servant of God, John Paul II, speaking of monasticism, wrote: "Many think that that pillar of the Church which monasticism represents was put into place by St. Basil, or that at least, it could not have been defined in its most proper sense without his contribution" (Lettera Apostolica Patres Ecclesiae 2).

As Bishop and Pastor of his vast diocese, Basil was constantly concerned with the difficult material conditions in which the faithful lived; he denounced evils firmly; he committed himself in behalf of the poorest and most marginalized; he even intervened with the authorities to relieve the suffering of the people, especially in times of calamity; he looked after the freedom of the Church, opposing authorities to defend the right to profess one's faith (cfr Gregorio Nazianzeno, Oratio 43,48-51 in laudem Basilii: PG 36,557c-561c).

To God, who is love and charity, Basil gave valid testimony by building hospices for the needy (cfr Basilio, Ep. 94: PG 32,488bc), almost a city of mercy that was called Basiliad after him (cfr Sozomeno, Historia Eccl. 6,34: PG 67,1397a). These were the origins of our modern hospitals.

Knowing that "liturgy is the peak towards which the activity of the Church reaches, as well as the source from which all its virtue comes" (Sacrosanctum Concilium 10), Basil, even while concerned with carrying out the charity which is the mark of faith, was also a wise 'liturgical reformer' (cfr Gregorio Nazianzeno, Oratio 43,34 in laudem Basilii: PG 36,541c).

In fact, he left us a great eucharistic prayer, an anaphora, which takes its name from him and has given a fundamental order to prayer and psalmody - it was through his urging that the people came to know and love the Psalms and learned to pray them even at night (cfr Basilio, In Psalmum 1,1-2: PG 29,212a-213c).

And so we see how liturgy, adoration, and prayer can go with charity, how these elements condition each other reciprocally.

With zeal and courage, Basil knew how to oppose heretics who did jot accept that Jesus Christ was God like the Father (cfr Basilio, Ep. 9,3: PG 32,272a; Ep. 52,1-3: PG 32,392b-396a; Adv. Eunomium 1,20: PG 29,556c).

Similarly, against those who did not accept the divinity of the Holy Spirit, he maintained that the Spirit was God and "with the Father and the Son must be together named and glorified" (cfr. De Spiritu Sancto: SC 17bis, 348).

Basil was thus one of the great Fathers who formulated the doctrine of the Trinity: the only God, precisely because he is love, is one God in three persons, who form the most profound unity there is, divine unity.

In his love for Christ and his Gospel, the great Cappadocian also set about to repair divisions within the Church (cfr Epp. 70 e 243), so that all might be converted to Christ and his Word (cfr De iudicio 4: PG 31,660b-661a), the unifying force which all believers must obey (cfr ibid. 1-3: PG 31,653a-656c).

Finally, Basil gave himself completely to faithful service of the Church in the multi-form exercise of his episcopal ministry. According to the program he set for himself, he became "an apostle and minister of Christ, dispenser of God's mysteries, herald of the kingdom, model and rule of piety, an eye in the body of the Church, shepherd of Christ's flock, merciful physician, father and provider of food, a co-operator of God, a farmer of God, builder of the temple of God" (cfr Moralia 80,11-20: PG 31,864b-868b).

That was also the program that the holy Bishop gave to all proclaimers of the Word - yesterday as well as today, a program he himself worked generously to put into practice.

In 379, Basil, not yet 50, consumed by work and by asceticism, returned to God "in the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (De Baptismo 1,2,9).

He was a man who truly lived with his eyes fixed on Christ, a man of love for his fellowmen. Full of hope and of the joy of the faith, Basil shows us how to be truly Christian.


After greetings in various languages, and before the final blessing, the Holy Father issued this special message for World Youth Day 2008, delivered in English except for the first two sentences:


APPEAL TO THE YOUTH IN PREPARATION
FOR WORLD YOUTH DAY 2006 IN SYDNEY

My thoughts now turn to the World Encouter of Youth which will take place in Sydney one year from now. To the youth present here and to all the young people of the world who are preparing for that joyous encounter of faith, I now wish to address some words of warm greeting and encouragement in English:

Dear Young People,

One year from now we will meet at World Youth Day in Sydney! I want to encourage you to prepare well for this marvellous celebration of the faith, which will be spent in the company of your bishops, priests, Religious, youth leaders and one another. Enter fully into the life of your parishes and participate enthusiastically in diocesan events! In this way you will be equipped spiritually to experience new depths of understanding of all that we believe when we gather in Sydney next July.

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). As you know, these words of Jesus form the theme of World Youth Day 2008. How the Apostles felt upon hearing these words, we can only imagine, but their confusion was no doubt tempered with a sense of awe and of eager anticipation for the coming of the Spirit. United in prayer with Mary and the others gathered in the Upper Room (cf Acts 1:14), they experienced the true power of the Spirit, whose presence transforms uncertainty, fear, and division into purpose, hope and communion.

A sense of awe and eager anticipation also describes how we feel as we make preparations to meet in Sydney. For many of us, this will be a long journey. Yet Australia and its people evoke images of a warm welcome and wondrous beauty, of an ancient aboriginal history and a multitude of vibrant cities and communities. I know that already the ecclesial and government authorities, together with numerous young Australians, are working very hard to ensure an exceptional experience for us all. I offer them my heartfelt thanks.

World Youth Day is much more than an event. It is a time of deep spiritual renewal, the fruits of which benefit the whole of society. Young pilgrims are filled with the desire to pray, to be nourished by Word and Sacrament, to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, who illuminates the wonder of the human soul and shows the way to be "the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ" (Deus Caritas Est, 33).

It is this love  Christs love  for which the world yearns. Thus you are called by so many to "be his witnesses". Some of you have friends with little real purpose in their lives, perhaps caught up in a futile search for endless new experiences. Bring them to World Youth Day too!

In fact, I have noticed that against the tide of secularism many young people are rediscovering the satisfying quest for authentic beauty, goodness and truth. Through your witness you help them in their search for the Spirit of God. Be courageous in that witness! Strive to spread Christs guiding light, which gives purpose to all life, making lasting joy and happiness possible for everyone.

My dear young people, until we meet in Sydney, may the Lord protect you all. Let us entrust these preparations to Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Help of Christians. With her, let us pray: "Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love".

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at noonday Angelus today:





Dear brothers and sisters:

Today the Gospel (cfr Lk 10,1-12.17-20) presents Jesus who sends 72 disciples to the villages which he would be visiting so that they may prepare the way. This is a detail by the evangelist Luke, who thereby underscores that the mission was not reserved to the twelve Apostles but extended to other disciples.

In fact, Jesus says, "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few" (Lk 10,2). There is work for everyone in the fields of God. But Christ does not limit himself to sending out disciples - he also gives missionaries clear and precise rules of behavior.

Above all, he sends them out "two by two" so they may help each other and give testimony of fraternal love. He warns them they will be "like sheep before wolves": they should therefore be peaceful in spite of everything and bring to every situation a message of peace.

They are not to take with them clothing nor money, but live on what Providence offers them. They are to take care of the sick, as a sign of God's mercy. Where they are rejected, they should leave, limiting themselves to warning about the responsibility of rejecting the Kingdom of God.

St. Luke highlights the enthusiasm of the disciples for the good fruits of the mission, and reports this beautiful sentence by Jesus: "But yet rejoice not in this, that spirits are subject unto you: but rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven" (Lk 10,20).

This Gospel arouses in all who are baptized the awareness of being missionaries of Christ, called to prepare the way for him with words and the testimony of our lives.

Tomorrow, I will leave for Lorenzago di Cadore, where I will be a guest of the Bishop of Treviso in the house which previously welcomed the venerated John Paul II. The mountain air will be good for me and I will be able to dedicate myself more freely to reflection and prayer.

I wish that everyone - especially those who need it most - will be able to have a little vacation to recharge physical and spiritual energies, and to be in healthy contact with nature. Mountains, in particular, evoke the ascent of the spirit upwards, an elevation towards the 'high standards' of our humanity which unfortunately, daily routine tends to lower.

In this respect, I wish to call attention to the fifth Youth Pilgrimage to the Cross of Adamello, which the Holy Father John Paul II visited twice. The pilgrimage took place in the past few days, and just now culminated in Holy Mass celebrated at some 3000 meters altitude.

In greeting the Archbishop of Trento and the Secretary-General of the Italian bishops conference (CEI), as well as the authorities of Trento, I also renew my reminder to all Italian youth for our appointment in Loreto on September 1-2.

May the Virgin Mary protect us always, whether in our work or in our just rest, so that we may be able to carry out our task with joy and fruition in the vineyard of the Lord.


Later, he greeted English-speaking pilgrims:

I warmly welcome the English-speaking pilgrims present at this Angelus. In a special way I am pleased to greet those taking part in the Interamnia World Cup, handball tournament in Teramo - Italy. The participants in this event come from more than a hundred different Countries, some of which are in conflict with each other. Yet this peaceful gathering of athletes is an example of how sports can bring us together in the spirit of fellowship between peoples and cultures. Sports are indeed a sign that peace is possible.

In todays Gospel we are reminded that the harvest is plenty but the labourers are few. Let us all pray that the Lord of the Harvest will continue to bless his Church with confident and generous workers. I thank you for your prayerful presence, and I invoke the abundant blessings of Almighty God upon you and your families.

This isn't the text, but I thought I'd post here. I saw the Angelus live today on CTV. The welcome from the people of Lorenzago [and others from a wider area, I am sure] was stupendous!!!!! How they love Papa!
A special covered platform had been erected at the wall of the castle and Papa walked to this and greeted the local bishops. Monsignor Gaenswein was with him and the bishops stayed for the Angelus and brief greetings in several languages afterwards.
Before praying the Angelus, Papa gave a short talk, which I was able to follow with a lot of difficulty. But I gathered this much: Papa thanked the people of Lorenzago and of the diocese of Treviso for the invitation to spend his holidays in such a beautiful place. He mentioned John Paul II and applause followed.
He introduced the various bishops and other clerics [can't remember whether this was before or after the Angelus]. At the end, when Papa was about to leave, there was joyful singing of the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's "Messiah"- very fitting for the occasion.
Just from this brief viewing [on the small screen in the middle of my monitor!] I could see that the sky was a perfect blue - not a cloud - and the mountains and pine trees gave a magnificent setting.
Although I would dearly love Papa to visit England, I'm glad he's in the sun and mountain air, for we have the usual grey cloud cover and persistent rain today!
Una buona domenica, una buona settimana!
E non dimentica.....AMOR VINCIT OMNIA!!!!!
Mary x

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at Angelus today, delivered from the Castello Mirabello in Lorenzago di Cadore:

Dear brothers and sisters,

I thank the Lord for offering me the opportunity to spend these days of rest in the mountains, and I thank all who have welcomed me here to Lorenzago, to this enchanting scenery against the background of the Cadore peaks, which was visited several times by my beloved predecessor John Paul II.

I thank specially the Bishop of Treviso and the Bishop of Belluno-Feltre, and everyone who has contributed to assuring me of a peaceful and fruitful vacation. These meadows and woods and peaks raised towards heaven spontaneously inspire in the spirit the desire to praise God for the wonders of his work, and our admiration for these natural beauties is easily transformed into prayer.

Every good Christian knows that vacations offer us a chance not only to be physically relaxed but also to nourish the spirit during more ample occasions for prayer and meditation, to grow in our personal relationship with Christ and conform ourselves ever more to his teachings.

Today, for instance, the liturgy invites us to reflect on the famous parable of the good Samaritan (cfr Lk 10,25-37) which goes to the heart of the Gospel message: love of God and love of our neighbor.

But who is my neighbor?, his interlocutor had asked Jesus. And the Lord answered by turning the question around, showing through the story of the good Samaritan, that each of us should make ourselves the neighbor of whoever we come in contact with. "Go and do the same," (Lk, 10,37), says the Lord.

To love, he tells us, is to act like the good Samaritan. We know that the good Samaritan, par excellence, is Jesus himself. Despite being God, he did not hesitate to come down and become man in order to give us life.

Love is the 'heart' of Christian life. Only love, inspired in us by the Holy Spirit, makes us witnesses for Christ.

I wanted to re-state this important spiritual truth in my message for the 23rd World Youth Day which will be published on Friday, July 20: "But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me" (Acts 1,8).

This, dear young people, is the theme on which I invite you to reflect in the coming months, to prepare for the great encounter which will take place in Sydney, Australia, within a year, precisely at this time of year.

The Christian communities of that beloved nation are actively working to welcome you, and I am grateful to them for the organizational work which they are doing.

Let us entrust to Mary - whom we invoke tomorrow as Our lady of Mt. Carmel - the work of preparation and the event itself of this next meeting of youth from all over the world, to which I invite you all, my dear young friends in every continent, to participate in great numbers.

After the Angelus, the Pope spoke more words of appreciation for his hosts:

I am happy to greet one by one the bishops who are present; Mon. Andrirch of Belluno-Feltre; Mons Mazzocato of Treviso; Mons. Magnani, Bishop emeritus of Treviso; Mons. Pasqualotto, auxiliary bishop of Manaus, Brazil, who is a native of Treviso. I assure you of my special prayers for yourselves and the pastoral work in your dioceses.

I also greet the Presidents of the Veneto Region and the Province of Treviso, as well as the officials of local institutions.

My thoughts go to the priests and permanent deacons, to the educators and seminarians of the Seminary of Treviso, and their families; to the representatives of various institutes for the consecrated life and lay organizations, including Catholic Action, the Scouts and ecclesiastical movements; to all those who work in diocesan agencies and in Catholic schools.

And with great affection, I greet all the children and youth who are spending summer camp here in the Cadore.

[He then greeted German-speaking pilgrims. He used no other language today].

Thanks again to everyone for coming here. I wish you all a good Sunday.

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at Angelus today, from Piazza Calvi in Lorenzago di Cadore.


Dear brothers and sisters!

In these days of rest which, thanks to God, I am spending here in Cadore, I feel even more intensely the sorrowful impact of the news that reaches me about the bloody encounters and episodes of violence which are taking place in so many parts of the world. This has led me to reflect even more on the tragedy of human freedom in the world.

The beauty of nature reminds us that we have been placed by God to 'cultivate and protect' this 'garden' which is Earth (cfr Gn 2,81-7). If men lived in peace with God and among themselves, then earth would truly resemble a Paradise. But sin unfortunately ruined the divine plan, generating divisions among men and bringing death to the world.

And so it happens that men yield to the temptations of the Evil One and make war against each other. The consequence is that, in this wondrous 'garden' which the world should be, spaces of 'hell' have opened up.

War, with its trail of mourning and destruction, has always been rightly considered a calamity that opposes the plan of God, who has created everything for life, and in particular, wished to make of the human species a family.

I cannot, at this moment, fail to go back to a significant date, August 1, 1917, just about 90 years ago, when my venerated predecessor, Pope Benedict XV, addressed his famous note to the belligerent powers, calling on them to put an end to the First World War (cfr AAS 9 [1917], 417-420).

While that tremendous conflict raged, the Pope had the courage to say that it was a 'useless slaughter.' This expression of his has been inscribed in history. It was justified in the concrete situation of that summer of 1917, specially on this front in the Veneto.

But those words 'useless slaughter' also contain a much wider prophetic value and can be applied to so many other conflicts which have carried off so many human lives.

This very land where we are, which in itself speaks of peace and harmony, was a theater of the First World War, as we are still reminded today by some moving Alpine songs. They tell us of events that cannot be forgotten.

We must`guard in memory the negative experiences which unfortunately, our fathers had to suffer in order that they may not be repeated.

Pope Benedict XV's note was not limited to condemning the war. It also indicated, on a juridical basis, the means to construct a just and lasting peace: the moral force of the law, balanced and controlled disarmament, arbitration of controversies, freedom of the seas, reciprocal condonation of war damages, restitution of occupied territories, and equitable negotiations to resolve disputes.

The proposal of the Holy See was oriented towards the future of Europe and the world, according to a plan with Christian inspiration that could be shared by all because it was founded on the rights of man.

It is the same formulation that the Servants of God Paul VI and John Paul II advocated in their memorable addresses to the General Assembly of the United Nations, repeating, in the name of the Church, "War never again!"

From this place of peace, in which the inhabitants are more vividly aware how unacceptable are the horrors of 'useless slaughters', I renew an appeal to follow tenaciously the rule of law, to reject the arms race with determination, and in general to resist the temptation of facing new situations with old ways.

With these thoughts and hopes in our hearts, let us now raise a special prayer for peace in the world, entrusting it to the Most Holy Mary, Queen of Peace.

After the Angelus, the Pope added these greetings:

Here at the Piazza of Lorenzago, I wish to address my most heartfelt greetings to the residents of this beautiful town who have received me with such affection, and I thank once again the Mayor and the municipal administration for their diligent hospitality, as I also thank the authorities of the Veneto region and the province of Belluno, and the mayors of all the towns in the Cadore.

I greet the Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Angelo Scola, and the Bishop of Hongkong, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, who is with us today. I greet the president of the Italian bishops conference, Mons. Angelo Bagnasco; the Bishop of Belluno-Feltre, Mons. Giuseppe Andrich; the Bishop of Treviso, Mons. Andrea Mazzocato; and the representatives of lay associations in the Diocese of Belluno-Feltre.

I am very happy for the presence here of Signor Edoardo Luciani, brother of the Servant of God John Paul I, and I greet him most especially.

I welcome with joy all the vacationers and pilgrims, in particular, the Fathers of the Congregation of the Schools of Charity, Cavanis Institute, who are holding their Chapter General meeting.

Dear brothers, I encourage you to pursue with enthusiasm your educational mission in order to transmit to the new generations solid motivations for life and hope.

I also salute the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the King, the youth of the pastoral union of Cappella Maggiore-Anzano-Sarmede, the Association of Sons of the Church, the Folklore Dance group of Udine and so many other youth groups.

[He addressed a greeting to German-speaking pilgrims].

To all, I wish a good Sunday and a serene vacation time.

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at Angelus today.




Dear brothers and sisters!

Having come back the other day from Lorenzago, I am happy to be here once again at Castel Gandolfo in the familiar atmosphere of this beautiful little city where I plan to stay, God willing, for the rest of the summer.

I must thank the Lord once more for having been able to spend so many peaceful days in the mountains of the Cadore, and I am grateful to all who efficiently organized my vacation and attentively ministered to it.

With similar affection, I greet you and wish to express my gratefulness to you, dear pilgrims, and especially to you, dear residents of Castel Gandolfo, who have welcomed me with your typical warmth and have always accompanied my stay here with discretion.

Last Sunday, recalling the note that on August 1 ninety years ago, Pope Benedict XV addressed to the belligerent nations of the First World War, I dwelt on the theme of peace.

Today, I have a new opportunity to reflect on another important aspect in this connection. Today is the 50th anniversary of the International Atomic Energy Agency, created with the mandate to "promote and increase the contribution of atomic energy to the cause of peace, health and prosperity in the world" (Art. II of the IAEA Statute).

The Holy See, fully approving the purpose of this organization, has been a member from the very beginning and continues to support its activities.

The epochal changes that have taken place in the past 50 years show how, in the difficult crossroads at which humanity now finds itself, the commitment has become even more actual and urgent to encourage the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, to promote a progressive and consensual nuclear disarmament, and to favor the peaceful and safe use of nuclear technology for authentic development, which is respectful of the environment and always mindful of the most disadvantaged populations.

I hope that the efforts of those who are working to pursue these three objectives with determination will have the desired outcome, so that "the resources saved in this manner may be employed in development projects for the benefit of all, especially the poorest" (Message for teh World Day of Peace, No. 13).

Indeed, it would be good to reiterate on this occasion that "the arms race should be replaced by a common effort to mobilize resources towards objectives of moral, cultural and economic development, redefining priorities and scales of values" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2438).

Let us entrust anew to the intercession of the Most Blessed Mary our prayer for peace, especially that scientific and technological knowledge may always be applied with a sense of responsibility and for the common good, in full compliance with international law.

Let us pray that men may live in peace as brothers and children of the one Father, God.


After the Angelus, he added an appeal:

Now, a plea for the Koreans held hostage in Afghanistan. The practice of using innocent persons to press for partisan claims is becoming widespread among armed groups. This constitutes grave violations of human dignity which are against every elementary standard of civilization and right, and seriously offend divine law.

I raise an appeal so that the authors of such criminal acts may desist from the wrong which they are committing and release their victims unharmed.

In English, he said:

I extend heartfelt greetings to all the English-speaking visitors here today.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, the disciples see Jesus praying, and they ask him, "Lord, teach us to pray." So he teaches them the "Our Father", and in this way he draws the disciples, and all of us, into his own prayer.

I encourage all of you to be faithful to prayer, and so to be united with Jesus, in his intimate relationship with the Father. Upon all of you, and upon your families and loved ones at home, I invoke God’s abundant blessings.


He had special words for the Polish pilgrims, referring to a road accident in France last week in which many Polish pilgrims died:

I warmly greet all the Poles. I turn my thoughts again to those pilgrims whose journey was tragically interrupted on their return from a visit to the Sanctuary of La Salette. I ask God for the eternal rest of all the victims and I join their loved ones in their grief. I wish the wounded a quick recovery. I pray that God may protect you all on the roads as you travel to your vacations.


Special words also for the residents of Castel Gandolfo:

Finally, I greet you once again, dear residents of Castel Gandolfo, who celebrate today the traditional Feast of Peaches. I am particuarly grateful to the Mayor, the communal administration, the parish priest and other priests of St. Thomas Villanova, and all those who in many ways are working to assure me and my co-workers of a peaceful stay.

Thank you all, and have a good Sunday!

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the resumption of the Wednesday General Audiences today. The Pope flew in by helicopter from Castel Gandolfo for the audience which was held at Aula Paolo VI.



Dear brothers and sisters!

After a pause of three weeks, we resume our usual Wednesday encounters. Today I will continue my last catechesis on the life and writings of St. Basil, bishop in what is now Turkey, then known as Asia Minor, in the fourth century.

The life of this great saint and his works are rich with points for reflection and teaching that are valid even today.

Above all, his emphasis on the mystery of God, which remains the most significant and vital reference point for man. The Father is "the beginning of all and teh cause for being of all that exists, the root of everything that lives" (Hom. 15,2 de fide: PG 31,465c), and above all, he is "the father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Anaphora sancti Basilii).

By reaching to God through his creatures, we "become aware of his goodness and his wisdom" (Basilio, Contra Eunomium 1,14: PG 29,544b). The Son is "the image of the goodness of the Father and in form equal to him" (cfr Anaphora sancti Basilii). With his obedience and through his Passion, the incarnate Word realized his mission as Redeemer of mankind" (cfr Basilio, In Psalmum 48,8: PG 29,452ab; cfr anche De Baptismo 1,2: SC 357,158).

Finally, he also talks amply of the Holy Spirit, to whom he dedicated an entire book. He tells us that the Spirit animates the Church, fills it with his gifts, makes it holy.

The splendid light of the divine mystery shines down on man, image of God, and elevates his dignity. Looking at Christ, one understands fully the dignity of man.

Basil exclaims, "Man, take note of your greatness, considering the price that has been paid for you. Look on the price of your salvation and understand your dignity!" (In Psalmum 48,8: PG 29, 452b).

In particular, the Christian, living in conformity with the Gospel, recognizes that all men are brothers among themselves; that life is an administration of the gifts received from God, for which each one is responsible with respect to others; and whoever is rich should be like 'an executor of orders from God the benefactor' (Hom. 6 de avaritia: PG 32,1181-1196). We should all help each other and cooperate as members of one body"(Ep. 203,3).

In his homilies, Basil used courageous and strong words in this respect. Whoever, according to God's commandment, would love his neighbor as himself "should not possess anything more than his neighbor has" (Hom. in divites: PG 31,281b).

In a time of famines and calamities, the saintly bishop exhorted the faithful with passionate words "not to be more cruel than the beasts...by taking and possessing what belongs to everyone in common" (Hom. tempore famis: PG 31,325a).

Basil's profound thinking is obvious in this suggestive statement: "All those who are in need look at our hands as we look at the hands of God when we are in need."

The eulogy of Gregory Nazianzene at Basil's death was indeed well-merited: "Basil persuaded us that we, as men, should not look down on other men, nor offend Christ, our common head, by our inhumanity towards our fellowmen; rather, in the misfortune of others, we should benefit by lending our own mercy to God's, because we too need his mercy" (Gregory Nazianzene, Oratio 43,63: PG 36,580b).

These are words which are very topical today. We see here how St. Basil was truly one of the Fathers of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

Moreover, Basil reminds us that in order to keep alive in us our love for God and our fellowmen, we need the Eucharist, the appropriate nourishment for all who are baptized, capable of nourishing the new energies arising from Baptism (cfr De Baptismo 1,3: SC 357,192).

It is cause for immense joy to be able to participate in the Eucharist, he said (Moralia 21,3: PG 31,741a), which was instituted "to guard ceaselessly the memory of Him who died and resurrected for us" (Moralia 80,22: PG 31,869b).

The Eucharist, great gift of God, preserves in each of us the seal of baptism and allows us to live its grace in fullness and in faith. That is why the saintly bishop recommends frequent, even daily, Communion: "To receive communion every day, receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is good and useful, because he himself said clearly, 'Who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life' (Jn 6,54). Who therefore can doubt that being in communion continually through life is indeed living in fullness?" (Ep. 93: PG 32,484b). In short, we need the Eucharist in order "to have true life, eternal life" (cfr Moralia 21,1: PG 31,737c).

Finally, Basil was interested, of course, in that part of the People of God who are the youth, society's future. He addressed to them a discourse on how to gain something from the pagan culture of the time.

With great equilibrium and openness, he acknowledged that Greek and Latin classic literature had many exemplary virtues. In particular, the lives of those who lived rightly could be useful to the young Christian in search of truth, of the right way of living (cfr Ad Adolescentes 3).

Nevertheless, he said, one must take from the classic texts what is convenient as well as in conformity with truth: that way, with a critical and open attitude - indeed, of discernment - young people may grow in freedom.

Using his famous image of the bees which take from flowers only that which they need to make honey, Basil said, "Just as the bees know how to draw honey from flowers - where other animals are limited to simply enjoying their perfume and colors - so it is with these writings from which we can draw some useful benefit for the spirit. We should use such books following the example of the bees. They do not go indiscriminately from flower to flower, nor do they seek to take away everything from the flower they alight on, but they only take what will serve them to make honey and leave all the rest behind. If we are wise, we shall take from these writings what we need that is in conformity with truth, and leave everything else behind" (Ad Adolescentes 4).

Above all, Basil urges young people to grow in virtue, in the right way of living. "While other things that are good may change from one to another as in a game of dice, only virtue is an inalienable good which remains throughout life and after death" (Ad Adolescentes 5).

Dear brothers and sisters, I think we can say that this Father from a remote time speaks even to us and tells us important things. Above all, his attentive, critical and creative participation in the culture of the day. Then, social responsibility: we live in times where, in a globalized world, even peoples who are geographically remote are really our neighbors now. Next, friendship with Christ, God with a human face. And finally, recognition and gratitude towards God the Creator, father of us all: only if we are open to this God, our father in common, can we construct a just world and a fraternal world.


He synthesized the catechesis in English this way:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I would like to continue our catechesis on Saint Basil, a great fourth-century Doctor of the Church.

Saint Basil spoke eloquently of the Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of truth, the first-fruits of eternal life, the pledge of our future inheritance, the giver of life". The Spirit enables us to recognize our human dignity as children of God, and hence our obligations to one another.

Saint Basil frequently exhorted the people of his day to give to the poor. Indeed, he said, if we are to love our neighbour as ourselves, we ought not to own any more than our neighbour owns. He had particularly severe words for those who, in time of famine, would take what food there was for themselves, leaving others in want.

Saint Basil spoke also of the importance of the Eucharist, food for our souls which nourishes the new life received in Baptism and enables us to live that life to the full.

And finally, Saint Basil showed particular concern for young people. He encouraged them to grow in virtue, exercising discernment in order to learn from the positive aspects of the surrounding culture, just as bees know how to extract the goodness from flowers, in order to make honey! This great saint has much to teach us today about love for God and neighbour, and about growth in holiness. Let us learn from his wisdom!

I greet all the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including groups from Iceland, Japan, Canada and the United States of America. I extend a special welcome to the musicians present and to the large group from Cherry Hill, Colorado. May the peace and joy of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and may God bless you all!



The Holy Father had a special greeting to the Scouting movement:

I greet the Scouts of Europe who, with their presence here today reaffirm their participation in the Church, after renewing the Scouts' oath which commits them to fulfill their duty to God and to serve others with generosity.

My thoughts go to all Scouts and Guides all over the world, who renew their oaths today, which is the 100th anniversary of the start of the scouts movement. On August 1, 1907, on the island of Brownsea, the first scouts camp in history opened.

I hope with all my heart that the educational movement of scouting, which was borne out of the profound intuition of Lord Robert Baden Powell, may continue to produce fruitful results of human, spiritual and civic formation in all the nations of the world.



At the end, he addressed the people of Iraq:

At the conclusion of this general audience, I wish to acknowledge the good news about Iraq which generated an explosion of popular joy in all the nation.

I refer to the victory of the Iraqi national team in the Asian Cup (football). It is a historic success for Iraq which has become football champion in Asia for the first time.

I have been happily impressed by the enthusiasm which has infected all the people of that country, sending them out into the streets to celebrate.

Just as I have wept with them so many times, I now rejoice with them in this event. This experience of happy sharing shows the desire of a people for a normal and peaceful life.

I hope that this event may contribute to realize in Iraq, with the contribution of everyone, a future of authentic peace in freedom and in reciprocal respect. Congratulations!

Here is a translation of the Pope's homily and messages at noonday Angelus today in Castel Gandolfo.


Dear brothers and sisters,

On the 18th Sunday in ordinary time today, the Word of God urges us to reflect on what our relationship should be with material goods. Wealth, although it is good in itself, should not be considered absolutely good. Above all, it does not assure salvation, but ti could even compromise it seriously.

It is this that Jesus wants his disciples about, in today's Gospel. It is wise and virtuous not to attach ourselves to worldly goods because everything passes, everything can end suddenly.

The true treasure that we Christians should pursue ceaselessly are in "the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father".

St. Paul in his Letter to the Colossians reminds us of that today, adding that our life is henceforth "hidden with Christ in God" (cfr 3,1-3).

The Solemnity of the Transfiguration of our Lord, which we celebrate tomorrow, also invites us to turn our eyes 'upward', toward heaven. In the Gospel account of the transfiguration, we are given a premonitory sign which allows us a fleeting glimpse of the kingdom of the saints where even we, at the end of our earthly existence, may share in the glory of Christ which is complete, total and definitive. At that time, the whole universe will be transfigured and the divine design of salvation will finally be fulfilled.

The Feast of the Transfiguration is now linked as well to the memory of my venerated predecessor, the Servant of God Paul VI, who completed his earthly mission here at Castel Gandolfo in 1978, and was called to the house of our heavenly Father.

May his memory be an invitation for us to look upward and to faithfully serve the Lord and the Church, as he did in the last century during a period which was not easy.

May this grace be obtained for us by the Virgin Mary, whom we remember today in celebrating the liturgical memory of the Dedication of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

As you know, this was the first Basilica in the West constructed in honor of Mary, rebuilt in 432 by Pope Sixtus III to celebrate the Divine Maternity of the Virgin, a dogma which was solemnly proclaimed by the ecumenical council of Ephesus the year before.

May the Virgin, who, more than any other creature, participated in the mystery of Christ, sustain us in our journey of faith in order that, as today's liturgy invites us to pray, "operating with our powers to subjugate the earth, we do not allow ourselves to be dominated by cupidity and selfishness, but that we may always look for that which has value in the eyes of God" (cfr Collect).


After the Angelus, he added this special message:

Now I wish to address a special thought to the leaders and the faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on the death of His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist a few days ago.

For the solemn funeral services which were held at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest last Friday, I sent as my representative Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, with an appropriate delegation.

I remember with esteem and affection that noble figure of a Pastor who loved his Church and contributed positively to the relations between Catholics and Orthodox, constantly encouraging the Mixed International Commission for Theological Dialog between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

Clear proof of his ecumenical commitment were the two visits that he made to my venerated predecessor John Paul II and the welcome with which he, in turn, accorded the Bishop of Rome on his historic pilgrimage to Romania in 1999.

"May his memory be eternal", says the traditional Orthodox liturgy that closes the final rites for those who have gone to rest with God. Let us make it our invocation, too, asking the Lord to welcome our Brother in his kingdom of infinite light and grant him the rest and peace promised to faithful servants of the Gospel.


Later, he addressed English-speaking pilgrims:

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors at this Angelus.

Today’s Gospel reminds us that all the treasures we have come from the goodness of God.

May your time here at Castel Gandolfo and in Rome deepen your understanding of our faith and renew in you the desire to share your gifts and goods with others. Upon each of you present and your families, I invoke God’s blessings of peace and joy!

He had a different message for the German-speaking pilgrims:

I give joyous greetings to all pilgrims and visitors from German-speaking countries who are here in Castel Gandolfo.

Many are enjoying their annual vacation these days. In the Creation story, we read that God himself 'rested' on the seventh day,, after he had completed his work. God was allowing Creation, we might say, time to answer him freely.

May this time for renewal open your senses to the beauty of Creation, in which the voice of God resounds. May it give you ways to encounter the Lord who gives light, love and strength to our lives.

I wish you all a blessed Sunday and a good week.