“Church would welcome Pope visit”

SPC Bishop Irinej believes that Pope Benedict XVI could visit Serbia in 2013, on the anniversary of the Edict of Milan.

Izvor: Tanjug

Friday, 22.01.2010.

10:01

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SPC Bishop Irinej believes that Pope Benedict XVI could visit Serbia in 2013, on the anniversary of the Edict of Milan. “For now, this is only an assumption and the Pope's wish to visit Serbia on the occasion of marking the anniversary of the Edict of Milan,” Irinej told Tanjug and added that he believes that the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) would welcome the visit of the head of the Roman Catholic Church. “Church would welcome Pope visit” "That would be a step forward in the meetings and contacts of the Orthodox and the Catholic churches and it cannot bring any harm, but would rather be beneficial, as without contacts and talks there can be no changes for the better in the ideals and interest for the unity of the Christian church." He pointed out that “when Serbian Patriarch Pavle was alive the Pope wanted to visit the Serbian Church, but that it was agreed that the conditions were not ripe and that there were many reasons against it." The Nis-based bishop also said that during his recent stay in Vatican, President Boris Tadic invited the Pope to visit Serbia, but explained that this was the government's invitation and that it had nothing to do with the position of the Church. No leader of the Roman Catholic Church has ever visited Serbia, Montenegro or Macedonia, and Pope Benedict XVI has received invitations to visit all Balkan countries. The bishop conference also invited the Pope to visit Belgrade. According to Irinej, it is possible that the Pope’s trip could come during the marking of the anniversary of the Edict of Milan – the 1700th anniversary since Emperor Constantine the Great brought the law that declared Christianity a religion. The Pope has unofficially expressed a wish to visit Serbia precisely on the occasion and stated that he would like to visit the southern Serbian town of Nis. The Roman empire’s first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great, was born in modern-day Nis.

“Church would welcome Pope visit”

"That would be a step forward in the meetings and contacts of the Orthodox and the Catholic churches and it cannot bring any harm, but would rather be beneficial, as without contacts and talks there can be no changes for the better in the ideals and interest for the unity of the Christian church."

He pointed out that “when Serbian Patriarch Pavle was alive the Pope wanted to visit the Serbian Church, but that it was agreed that the conditions were not ripe and that there were many reasons against it."

The Niš-based bishop also said that during his recent stay in Vatican, President Boris Tadić invited the Pope to visit Serbia, but explained that this was the government's invitation and that it had nothing to do with the position of the Church.

No leader of the Roman Catholic Church has ever visited Serbia, Montenegro or Macedonia, and Pope Benedict XVI has received invitations to visit all Balkan countries.

The bishop conference also invited the Pope to visit Belgrade.

According to Irinej, it is possible that the Pope’s trip could come during the marking of the anniversary of the Edict of Milan – the 1700th anniversary since Emperor Constantine the Great brought the law that declared Christianity a religion.

The Pope has unofficially expressed a wish to visit Serbia precisely on the occasion and stated that he would like to visit the southern Serbian town of Niš.

The Roman empire’s first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great, was born in modern-day Niš.

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