Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday began his two-day apostolic visit to Aquileia and Venice in north-eastern Italy. After touching down in the late afternoon at the Friuli-Venezia Giulia airport, the Holy Father journeyed to Aquileia’s Piazza Capitolo – or Chapter Square – where he greeted civil authorities and local citizens. Pope Benedict then moved on to visit the basilica where he attended a preparatory assembly for the 2nd Ecclesial Assembly of Aquileia, which is due to be held at Pentecost in 2012.Chris Altieri is in north-eastern Italy with the Pope, and told us more about Saturday’s events:
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It really was remarkable to see the Holy Father make his way from the airport in Gorizia, more than 11 miles away from Aquileia, in the Pope-mobile. He was greeted along the route by the faithful, to whose spirit I really would not do justice by calling them “enthusiastic”.
Pope Benedict wasted no time in establishing the themes and the tone of the visit, right from the get-go. In Aquileia, the Holy Father’s first public remarks were at the Piazza del Capitolo outside the Basilica of Aquileia. Often these greetings are really just an exchange of official pleasantries, but this time, Pope Benedict praised the Church of Aquileia in a prose that waxed rhapsodic.
He recalled the ancient roots of the Church, the Aquileian Church’s pivotal role in the evangelization of central Europe and also – this is poignant – in the defence of the true faith against the Arian heresy – a false teaching in the early centuries of the Church, which denied the full divinity of Christ. In this connection, Pope Benedict mentioned the great bishop Cromatius of Aquileia, by name. He was, said Pope Benedict, diligent and attentive as St Augustine of Hippo or St Ambrose of Milan – and St Jerome, a figure not known to praise often or lightly, called him “Holy and learned among the bishops.” So, Pope Benedict celebrated the way in which he worked to serve the Church: a perfect synthesis of learning and loving care for his flock.
But the Holy Father didn’t stop with the praise of Aquileia’s past glories: he also encouraged the faithful of Aquileia and all her daughter Churches in equally thrilling language:
“Dear brothers and sisters,” he said, children and heirs of the glorious Church of Aquileia, I am now among you to admire this rich and ancient tradition, but above all, I am here to confirm you in the deep faith of your fathers: in this hour of history,” he said, “rediscover, defend, and professes with warmth of spirit this fundamental truth.”
These were themes the Holy Father developed in his remarks to the organizers of the 2nd Ecclesial Assembly of Aquileia, shortly after the greeting in the square. He showed the organizers of the event – which is to take place in just under a year, so the Pope’s remarks really are offering guidance – that he has a firm grasp on the challenges to the faith. In many respects, the Church in Aquileia is facing the same challenges the Church is facing almost everywhere: the often exasperated search for economic well-being in a period of severe economic and financial crisis, practical materialism, and a dominant trend of subjectivism.
The Pope said, “In the complexity of these situations, you are called to promote the Christian meaning of life through the explicit proclamation of the Gospel, carried with gentle pride and great joy in the various areas of daily life. From faith lived with courage springs, today as in the past, a rich culture built upon the love of life, from conception until its natural end, the promotion of human dignity, high regard for the family based on faithful marriage open to life, commitment to justice and solidarity…” and he concluded with a reference to the 1st letter of Peter: “The cultural changes taking place,” he said, are calling you to be committed Christians, "ready to answer whoever asks you the reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15).”
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On Saturday evening, the Holy Father travelled by helicopter to Venice, where he was scheduled to speak in the square outside of St Mark’s Basilica. Afterwards, the Pope will enter the Basilica and venerate the relics of St Mark.