Martyrs'
legacy and coexistence key themes of Albania visit
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis hast left the Albanian capital,
Tirana, at the end of his one day visit to the former communist country. After
a brief farewell ceremony, as the president and prime minister said goodbye to
their special guest, the Pope’s Alitalia plane took off slightly ahead of
schedule and was expected to arrive back in Rome just before 9.30pm.
The
brief, but very intense 11 hour journey to Albania has been focused on two main
themes: the witness of the martyrs and the importance of peaceful co-existence,
as our Vatican Radio correspondent for this visit, Christopher Wells reports:
Looking to the martyrs of Albania’s atheistic communist regime
means looking to the past – but not to a dead past. The witness of Albania’s
Church of Silence speaks loudly, bearing witness to the nation’s traditions of
faith, the firm rock upon which the future can be built.
It
is a future that can be built around the mutual coexistence that has
characterized Albania since the fall of communism. More than simply living in
the same place, living together in peace and harmony involves mutual respect
for the person of the other – a respect for the dignity of the human person
that must be rooted in faith in God, the Creator of all.
The
Albanian people clearly have a strong sense of the past, especially the tragic
history of the recent past. Albanian Catholics are rightly proud of their
martyrs, who, relying on God, stood firm in their Faith.
Their
hopes for the future, awakened in the transition toward democracy, have yet to
be achieved. One can sense the concern for the future, the fear that the
promise of a new springtime for Albania might not live up to expectations. But
if they are worried about the future, they are not discouraged. One can sense
the optimism in everyone you meet.
Pope
Francis came to Albania to support and encourage this “young people.” He
reminded them that the future cannot be built on the empty promises of
individualism and selfishness. It must be built on mutual love and respect,
which must ultimately rest on the message of salvation of Jesus Christ.
That
is the great message of encouragement and hope – a hope that will never
disappoint – that Pope Francis has brought to the people of Albania.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét