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Pope Makes Pilgrimage to Rila Monastery
May 25 (BTA) - Pope John Paul II went on pilgrimage to the Rila
Monastery (Southwestern Bulgaria) Saturday morning. He flew by
helicopter from Sofia to a meadow near the cloister and was
driven to the sanctuary by car. Upon arrival at the Monastery,
he was welcomed by the Hegumen, Bishop Ioan of Dragovitia, and
entered the Monastery Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.
"You bring us the blessing of the two first principal apsotles,
Peter and Paul, and of the numberless martyrs who laid their
life for Christ and for the Holy Gospel," Bishop Ioan said,
addressing the guest.
He thanked the Holy Father that, during his brief stay in
Bulgaria, he vouchsafed to visit the holiest Bulgarian shrine,
Rila Monastery, "a little corner in the ancient garden of the
Theotokos, who is the patron of this cloister."
Addressing the pilgrims, His Holiness said he "wanted to make
this pilgrimage to Rila to venerate the relics of the holy monk
John and to express gratitude and affection to all of you.
Eastern monasticism, together with that of the West, constitutes
a great gift for the whole Church," the Pope said, adding that
he was "pleased today to acknowledge the authenticity of the
path of sanctification traced out in the writings and lives of
so many of your monks, who have offered eloquent examples of
radical discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ."
"Monastic life, in virtue of the uninterrupted tradition of
holiness on which it is based, preserves with love and fidelity
certain elements of Christian life that are important also for
modern men and women: monks and nuns are the Gospel memory for
Christians and the world."
The Pope praised the Blessed John of Rila, whom he had depicted
along which other holy men and women of East and West in the
mosaic of the Redemptoris Mater Chape in the Apostolic Palace,
for leaving "everything for the precious pearl of the Gospel,"
and for placing himself "under the tutelage of holy ascetics in
order to learn the art of spiritual combat." The Holy Father
described St John's testament as "an extraordinary teaching on
the quest for and experience of God for the desirous of leading
an authentic Christian and monastic life."
"We gratefully admire the precious tradition that Eastern monks
and nuns live faithfully and continue to hand on from generation
to generation as an authenic sign of the eschaton, that future
to which God continues to call every person through the hidden
power of the Spirit. They are a sign, through their adoration of
the Most Holy Trinity in the liturgy, through their communion
in the agape, through the hope which in their intercession
encompasses every person and every creature, to the very
threshold of hell."
"All the Orthdoox Churches know how much the monasteries are a
priceless heritage of their faith and culture. What would
Bulgaria be without the Monastery of Rila, which in the darkest
periods of your national history kept the flame of faith
burning ? What would Greece be without the Holy Mountain of
Athos ? Or Russia without that myriad of dwelling places of the
Holy Spirit which enabled it to overcome the inferno of Soviet
persecution? And so, the Bishop of Rome is here today to tell
you that the Latin Church also and the religious of the West are
grateful to you for your life and witness!"
"Dearly beloved Monks and Nuns, God bless you! May he confirm
you in your faith and in your vocation, and may he make you
instruments of communion in his holy Church and witnesses of his
love in the world."
The arrival of the Pope at the Monastery was announced by
ringing of the church bells.
After the official welcoming ceremony, John Paul II proceeded to
the Icon Hall for a private meeting with Bulgarian Prime
Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
The monastery and its surroundings are guarded by some 600
policemen. Several ambulances and fire trucks are also on
standby.
On Pilgrimage to Rila Monastery, Pope Venerates Miracle-Working Icon of Virgin, Saint's Relics, pays Respects to Royal Grave
Rila Monastery, Southwestern Bulgaria, May 25 (BTA) - Pope John
Paul II made a pilgrimage to the Rila Monastery (Southwestern
Bulgaria) Saturday morning. He flew by helicopter from Sofia to
a meadow near the cloister and was driven to the sanctuary by
car. Upon arrival at the Monastery, he was welcomed by the
Hegumen, Bishop Ioan of Dragovitia, and by Bulgarian Prime
Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who was here together with
his wife, two sons with their wives and children.
The arrival of the Pope was announced by ringing of the church
bells.
At the Monastery Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, the Pope
venerated a miracle-working icon of the Virgin, in which
particles of the relics of 32 saints are imbedded. The Holy
Father lit two candles in front of the icon, as is the Eastern
Orthodox ritual practice.
"You bring us the blessing of the two first principal apsotles,
Peter and Paul, and of the numberless martyrs who laid their
life for Christ and for the Holy Gospel," Bishop Ioan said,
addressing the guest.
He thanked the Holy Father that, during his brief stay in
Bulgaria, he vouchsafed to visit the holiest Bulgarian shrine,
Rila Monastery, "a little corner in the ancient garden of the
Theotokos, who is the patron of this cloister."
The Hegumen said that the Rila Monastery was a "granite pillar
of the Orthodox faith, piety, culture, education and aspiration
to freedom during the stormy history of the Bulgarian people.
This is why the paths to this national sanctuary have never been
overgrown with weeds."
"The walls of division between the two Christian churches do not
reach up to the skies. Like any man's work, they are transient.
Humans have built them up, and humans will pull them down,"
Bishop Ioan said.
He wished the Holy Father that the power and grace of St John of
Rila be with him abundantly and that he guide the flock
entrusted to him by Christ for many more years in good health
and spiritual strength.
The Hegumen presented the Pontiff with a lavishly illustrated
book on Rila Monastery.
The Head of the Roman Catholic Church was particularly pleased
to greet Bishop Ioan, who was sent by the late Patriarch Kiril
to attend the sessions of the Second Vatican Council
(1963-1965).
Speaking in Bulgarian, His Holiness addressed the metropolitans
and bishops and the monks and nuns of Bulgarian and of all the
Holy Orthodox Churches. He said he "wanted to make this
pilgrimage to Rila to venerate the relics of the holy monk John
and to express gratitude and affection to all of you. 'We give
thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in
our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of
faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ' (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Eastern monasticism,
together with that of the West, constitutes a great gift for the
whole Church," the Pope said, adding that he was pleased today
"to acknowledge the authenticity of the path of sanctification
traced out in the writings and lives of so many of your monks,
who have offered eloquent examples of radical discipleship of
the Lord Jesus Christ."
"Many times I have emphasized that precious contribution that
you make to the ecclesial community through the example of your
lives," the Holy Father recalled. "In my Apostolic Letter
Orientale Lumen I wrote how I would like to 'look at the vast
panorama of Eastern Christianity from a specific vantage point
which affords a view of many of its features: monasticism.' I am
in fact convinced that the monastic experience constitutes the
heart of Christian life, so much so that it can be proposed as a
point of reference for all the baptized," the Pope said.
"Monastic life, in virtue of the uninterrupted tradition of
holiness on which it is based, preserves with love and fidelity
certain elements of Christian life that are important also for
modern men and women: monks and nuns are the Gospel memory for
Christians and the world."
The Pope praised the Blessed John of Rila, whom he arranged to
have depicted along which other holy men and women of East and
West in the mosaic of the Redemptoris Mater Chapel in the
Apostolic Palace, for leaving "everything for the precious pearl
of the Gospel," and for placing himself "under the tutelage of
holy ascetics in order to learn the art of spiritual combat."
"Through the spiritual combat, Blessed John of Rila also lived
his 'submission' in the obedience and mutual service required by
life in common. Blessed John experienced, then, the
hermit's life in 'compunction' and pennance, but above all in
uninterrupted listening to the Word and in unceasing prayer, to
the point of becoming - as Saint Nilus says - a 'theologian',
that is, a man endowed with wisdom that is not of this world,
but comes from the Holy Spirit. John's testmanent, which he
wrote out of love for his disciples who wished to have his last
words, is an extraordinary teaching on the quest for and
experience of God for those desirous of leading and authentic
Christian and monastic life."
"More than ever in the lives of Christians today, idols are
seductive and temptations unrelenting; the art of spiritual
combat, the discernment of spirits, the sharing of one's
thoughts with one's spiritual director, the invocation of the
Holy Name of Jesus and of his mercy must once more become a part
of the inner life of the disciple of the Lord. This battle is
necessary in order not to be distracted or worried, and to live
in constant recollection with the Lord," the Holy Father said.
"How many witnesses of the path of holiness have shone brightly
in this Monastery of Rila during its many centuries of history,
and in so many other Orthodox monasteries! How great is the
universal Church's debt of gratitude to all the ascetics who
have kept in mind the 'one necessary thing', man's ultimate
destiny!" the Pope said.
"We gratefully admire the precious tradition that Eastern monks
and nuns live faithfully and continue to hand on from generation
to generation as an authenic sign of the eschaton, that future
to which God continues to call every person through the hidden
power of the Spirit. They are a sign, through their adoration of
the Most Holy Trinity in the liturgy, through their communion
in the agape, through the hope which in their intercession
encompasses every person and every creature, to the very
threshold of hell."
"All the Orthdoox Churches know how much the monasteries are a
priceless heritage of their faith and culture. What would
Bulgaria be without the Monastery of Rila, which in the darkest
periods of your national history kept the flame of faith
burning? What would Greece be without the Holy Mountain of
Athos? Or Russia without that myriad of dwelling places of the
Holy Spirit which enabled it to overcome the inferno of Soviet
persecution? And so, the Bishop of Rome is here today to tell
you that the Latin Church also and the religious of the West are
grateful to you for your life and witness!" the Pontiff said,
concluding his address.
He blessed the monks and nuns and wished them that God confirm
them in their faith and in their vocation, and make them
instruments of communion in His holy Church and witnesses of His
love in the world.
The Pope presented to the Monastery an icone of the Virgin, done
in the style of the Catholic tradition at the Vatican mosaics
school and depicting the Mother of God flanked by two angels,
one holding a cross and the other a lance, which symbolizes the
suffering of Christ.
The Pontiff venerated the relics of St John of Rila, who was
also canonized by the Roman Catholic Church under Pope Clement
III (1187-1191). Before leaving the church, the guest and the
cardinals said a short prayer over the grave of King Boris III
(Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's father), in the company of
Bishop Ioan and the Prime Minister.
After the official welcoming ceremony, John Paul II proceeded to
the Icon Hall for a 15-minute private meeting with Bulgarian
Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. They talked in Italian,
according to the Council of Ministers' Information Directorate.
The PM told the guest about his father's life and about the
history of the Monastery. They were later joined by the members
of the PM's family. The Pope gave each of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's
grandchildren a mother-of-pearl rosary.
Talking to journalists after the meeting, the Prime Minister
described the Pope's statement Friday, in which he exonerated
Bulgaria from involvement in the 1981 assassination attempt
against him, as "historic and most important for Bulgaria."
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha recalled that for 20 years he has been trying
to contribute to such categorical declaration of this fact. The
PM said he had been "emotionally shattered" by the brief prayer
which the Pontiff said at his father's grave in the Monastery
Church.
The monastery and its surroundings were guarded by some 600
policemen. Several ambulances and fire trucks were also on
standby.
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