Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “The diffusion of artistic and historical culture in all sectors of society provides the men and women of our age with means to rediscover their own roots and extract cultural and spiritual elements that help them in establishing a society with truly human dimensions. Every man, every society, is in need of a culture open to the anthropological, moral, and spiritual dimension of its existence. Thus, my fervent desire is that, thanks to the work of your Institute, research on Christian roots of society may continue and intensify.” With this exhortation, the Holy Father Benedict XVI addressed the students and teachers of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, whom he received in an audience on December 20.
Greeting the authorities, collaborators, and students of the Institute, the Pope expressed his great appreciation for their “valuable and fruitful cultural, literary, and academic activities” carried out at the service of the Church and, more in general, of the culture, recalling that the main goal of the Institute “is that of studying the remains of the life of the Church over the the centuries.”
The Pope explained that “in describing the history of the Church, which is a 'sign and instrument of intimate union with God and unity among all peoples,' the patient research of the archaeologist cannot avoid delving into the supernatural realities, without renouncing the rigorous analysis of archaeological finds...A complete vision of the reality of the Christian community, whether it be ancient or recent, cannot be held if one is not aware of the fact that the Church is composed of a human element and a divine element. Christ, her Lord, dwells in her and has made her a 'community of faith, hope, charity, a visible entity, through which truth and grace is offered to all people.' In this theological premise, the foundational criteria can be none other than that of letting oneself be conquered by truth, sought in its authentic sources, with a spirit free of passions and prejudice, thus making Christian archaeology an historical science, and as such, one based on the methodical study of its sources.”
In his address, the Pope mentioned that “the study of archaeology, especially of the paleo-Christian monuments, allows for a deepening in the awareness of the truth of the Gospel that has been communicated to us, and offers an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the masters and witnesses of the faith, who have gone before us. Being familiar with the inheritance we have from past Christian generations allows the ones that follow to remain faithful to the depositum fidei of the first Christian community and, following this same path, to continue making the unchanging Gospel of Christ known in every age and place.”
Pope Benedict XVI concluded by asking the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology to continue promoting “the conservation and in-depth insight into the extremely vast archaeological inheritance of Rome and the various other regions of the ancient world,” thus completing their mission “to serve history and art, giving importance to the many signs to Western civilization, as well as Catholic culture and spirituality, held in the 'eternal city.'” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 22/12/2008)
