Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Starting today 12 June 2007, the Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus Chrysostomos II is visiting the Vatican and Rome. The visit will conclude with a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday 16 June.
During his visit to Rome Archbishop Chrysostomos will meet leading members of the Italian Bishops' Conference including Conference president Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa on Wednesday 13 June. On the same day he will also have meetings with Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, and Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone Secretary of State.
On Thursday 14 June Archbishop Chrysostomos in the morning will receive an honorary degree in Missology at the Pontifical Urban University and in the after noon he will be received by the Italian prime minister Romano Prodi on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.
On Friday 15 June Cardinal Renato Martino, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace will receive Archbishop Chrysostomos II, who in the afternoon will see Cardinal Paul Poupard, President of the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Interreligious Dialogue. Friday will end with a prayer service in the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere with members of the Sant’Egidio Community.
Saturday morning Chrysostomos II will be received in audience by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and in the afternoon he will give a media conference.
This is the first visit to the Pope made by the Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus although the Orthodox Church of Cyprus is one of the oldest (established in 46 AD and recognised as an Autocephalus Church by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD).
On Sunday 17 June the Archbishop will go to Naples to meet the Archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, in preparation for an International Prayer Meeting for Peace in October organised by the archdiocese of Naples and the S. Egidio Community at which the Archbishop of Cyprus will be present.
Back in Rome on Monday 18 June at the International Communion and Liberation Centre, Archbishop Chrysostomos II will meet group of leading members of Communion and Liberation Church Movement. (AP) (12/6/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:33; Parole: 372)
