Pope John Paul II, on the first day of an historic three-day visit to Romania, yesterday expressed the hope that his visit might "open a new season of trust and reciprocal collaboration" between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. Orthodox nuns were among the crowd who listened intently to the Pope's speech in front of the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest.
On his arrival in the capital, where he was greeted by the Romanian state President Ille Costantinescu and by Romania's 84-year-old Orthodox Patriarch Teoctist, the Pope said: "I hope that my visit here will help both to heal the wounds inflicted on relations between our churches during the last 50 years and also open a new season of trust and reciprocal collaboration . . .".
This is the Pope's 86th overseas visit of his 20-year pontificate and, in some senses, it is the most historic, since this is the first time he has visited a predominantly Orthodox country since the Schism of 1054 when a complex mix of cultural, political, juridical, linguistic and doctrinal differences saw Christendom divide into East and West, thus creating a rift that to this day separates the 15 autonomous and mainly Eastern European Orthodox churches from Rome.
The Orthodox churches - Greek, Russian and Slavic - have not accepted the primacy of Rome since 1054.
From a more recent historical perspective, the visit is important for Romania, which is striving for international rehabilitation and a role in European affairs in the wake of the deprivations, repression and isolation of the Ceausescu regime.
Senior Vatican spokesman, Dr Joaquin Navarro-Vals, suggested earlier this week that, ironically, the Kosovo crisis had made this visit all the easier. Whereas in the past, the Orthodox churches, especially the Serbian church, have been annoyed by what they perceive to be the Vatican's "Western" political line, they have welcomed the Pope's condemnation of both Serbian-led ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and Nato's bombing raids on Yugoslavia.
Following the downfall of East Bloc communism, tensions between Rome and the Orthodox Churches have increased, prompted by disputes over preaching rights and church properties. In Romania itself, there are tensions between Orthodox believers and the minority Greek-rite Catholics, who worship Orthodox style but remain loyal to Rome. In deference to these tensions, the Pope has chosen not to visit Transylvania, in northern Romania, where the majority of Greek-rite Catholics live.