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POPE-TURKEY Sep-15-2005 (410 words) xxxi
Turkish government invites pope to visit in 2006
By John Thavis
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The government of Turkey has invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit the country in 2006, apparently ruling out a hoped-for papal visit this fall.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Sept. 15 that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was inviting the pope to come to Turkey next year in order to help "strengthen dialogue between civilizations."
The Foreign Ministry said Turkey was closely following the new pope's efforts to promote interreligious dialogue and tolerance. It said the government was awaiting a response from the Vatican to its invitation.
The Vatican press office had no immediate comment on the Turkish announcement.
Only a week earlier, Vatican officials had expressed hope that the pope would be able to travel in late November of this year for a meeting with Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who invited the pope several months ago.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, who coordinates ecumenical dialogue at the Vatican, said Sept. 8 that the pope had welcomed the Orthodox leader's invitation and hoped to make the trip Nov. 30, the feast of St. Andrew.
Cardinal Kasper said at the time that the Vatican was holding talks with Turkish authorities to reach a final agreement on the visit.
The pope's visit has political overtones in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country that has been trying to gain membership in the European Union. Turkey's bid to join the EU was scheduled to be discussed in October.
Several months before his election, Pope Benedict -- then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger -- said he thought it would be a mistake to admit Turkey to the European Union, citing historical and cultural differences. Turkish officials replied that the Vatican was extraneous to the EU membership issue.
Pope Benedict has said repeatedly that he wants to make ecumenism a priority of his pontificate, and Patriarch Bartholomew, who holds a place of special honor among the world's Orthodox leaders, invited the pope to Istanbul shortly after the pope's election in April.
Each year, the Vatican sends a delegation to Istanbul for the celebration of the feast of St. Andrew, patron of the ecumenical patriarchate, and the patriarchate sends a delegation to Rome for the June 29 celebration of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Vatican patrons.
Patriarch Bartholomew attended the Sts. Peter and Paul liturgy in June 2004 and invited Pope John Paul II to return the visit in November, but the late pope's health made the trip impossible.
END
Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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