APOSTOLIC LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II FOR THE THIRD CENTENARY OF THE UNION OF THE GREEK-CATHOLIC

CHURCH OF ROMANIA WITH THE CHURCH OF ROME

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania! 1. The third centenary of the Union of your Church with the Church of Rome occurs in the Easter season of this Jubilee of the Year 2000. The Jubilee Year is a year of grace in which the whole Church recalls that our Lord Jesus Christ became man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin 2,000 years ago. In joyfully commemorating this wonderful event, the Christian community feels encouraged again to proclaim the joyful message of salvation to the world with new energy. Verbum caro factum est: this is the reason for our continual gratitude, this is the grace recalled and celebrated in a special way during the Jubilee period. In this perspective, we can view the whole history of humanity with the eyes of hope. Memory and presence 2. The 300 years that the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania has existed is an important part of this picture. Exactly one year ago we prayed together in your beloved homeland. During the Divine Liturgy celebrated with you at St Joseph's Cathedral in Bucharest, I said that "I consider it providential and highly significant that the celebrations of the third centenary will coincide with the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000" (Homily, 8 May 1999, n. 3). The possibility of being with you last May was the Lord's special gift, which enabled me in a certain way to relive with you the experience of those disciples who were "on the way": to them "Jesus himself drew near and went with them", and "interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Lk 24: 13-15, 27). Enlightened by Christ's words, together we could contemplate his presence reflected in the face of your Church. Then he nourished us with his Body and his Blood, and our hearts burned within us (cf. Lk 24: 32). 3. Since then the beauty of your land and the faith of the people living there have remained in my heart. The memory of that meeting became even more vivid in the Easter season of this year, when the third centenary of your Church's Union with the Church of Rome is being celebrated. My heart longs to be united with you in that joyous hymn - Hristos a nviat! (Christ is risen!) - which during my visit filled me with emotion, leaving a deep echo in my heart. This proclamation goes far beyond words: it is filled with the victorious power of the Risen One, who walks with his Church through history. It is in the light of this presence that I address you who are joyfully celebrating the third centenary of the Union. History and unity

4. The mystery of unity originates in the mystery of the Incarnation. For the Scriptures say that it is the Father's will to "unite all things in Christ" (Eph 1: 10). To fulfil this mystery is the mission of the Church, whose task is gradually to achieve unity with God and among men: "The Church, in Christ, is in the nature of sacrament - a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of unity among all men" (Lumen gentium, n. 1). Unity and peace blossom in the Church: in this way the history of mankind can become a history of unity. The mystery of unity particularly marks the Romanian people. We know, and I recall it here with profound reverence, that the risen Christ, through the apostolic preaching, was already joined to the historical progress of your people in ancient Christian times and entrusted to them a special commitment to the precious service of unity. The names of the Apostle Andrew, brother of Peter, Nicetas of Remesiana, John Cassian and Dionysius Exiguus are emblematic in this regard. At a time when Holy Church had not yet experienced the great schism within her, divine Providence determined that you should receive the heritage of Byzantium along with that of Rome. 5. While remaining a Latin people, Romanians were open, in fact, to receiving the treasures of Byzantine faith and culture. Despite the wound of division, this heritage continues to be shared by the Greek-Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Romania. This is the interpretive key to the history of your Church. She extricated herself from the tragic tensions that developed between the Christian East and West. The hearts of the sons and daughters of this ancient Church have always beaten with a passionate longing for the unity desired by Christ. I myself was deeply moved at witnessing this last year. This longing for unity was felt in a particular way by the Romanian Church in Transylvania, especially after the tragedy of the division between Eastern and Western Christianity. In that land, many peoples - Romanians, Hungarians, Armenians and Saxons - shared a common and sometimes difficult history, which left its marks on the human and religious make-up of the inhabitants. Unfortunately, the unity which characterized the Church in the early centuries was never achieved again, and your history too was marked by division and tears with increasing intensity. Against this background, the efforts of those who did resign themselves to the wound of schism but sought to heal it shine like bright lights of hope. In Transylvania a desire arose in the hearts of Romanian Christians and their Pastors, especially in the 16th and 17th centuries, to re-establish complete communion with the Apostolic See of Peter's Successor. These disciples of Christ, spurred by an ardent longing for the reform and the unity of the Church, sensing in the depths of their hearts an ancient bond with the Church and the city where the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul were martyred and buried, started a movement that led step by step to full union with Rome. Worthy of mention among the decisive stages are the Synods held in Alba Iulia in 1697 and 1698 which were favourable to the Union: the official decision was reached on 7 October 1698 and solemnly ratified at the Synod of 7 May 1700. 6. Thanks to the work of distinguished Bishops such as Atanasie Anghel (+1713), Ioan Inochentie Micu-Klein (+1768) and Petru Pavel Aron (+1764) and other praiseworthy prelates, priests and lay people, the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania strengthened her identity and in a short time experienced significant development. In view of this, my

venerable Predecessor Pius IX, with the Bull Ecclesiam Christi of 16 November 1853, established the Metropolitan See of Fagaras and Alba Iulia for the united Romanians. How could we not acknowledge the precious services of the Greek-Catholic Church to all the Romanian people of Transylvania? She made a decisive contribution to their growth, symbolically represented by the "coryphaei" of the Transylvanian School of Blaj, but also by many figures - clergy and laity - who also left an indelible mark on the ecclesial, cultural and social life of Romanians. A particularly outstanding merit of your Church is to have mediated between the East and the West by adopting the values promoted by the Holy See in Transylvania and by communicating to the entire Catholic world the values of the Christian East, which were not very accessible due to the existing divisions. The Greek-Catholic Church thus became an eloquent witness to the unity of the whole Church, showing how she embodies the values of the institutions, liturgical rites and ecclesiastical traditions which in different ways derive from the same apostolic tradition (cf. Orientalium Ecclesiarum, n. 1). Witnesses and martyrs of unity 7. The way was never easy for the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania, as her suffering shows. She was asked to bear a painful and demanding witness of fidelity to the evangelical requirement of unity. Thus she became in a special way the Church of the witnesses to unity, truth and love. Despite the many difficulties encountered, the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania increasingly appeared to the whole Christian world as an extraordinary witness to the indispensable value of ecclesial unity. But it was especially in the second half of the 20th century, in the age of communist totalitarianism, that your Church had to suffer a very harsh trial, rightly earning for herself the title: "Church of confessors and martyrs". It was then that the struggle between the mysterium iniquitatis (2 Thes 2: 7) and the mysterium pietatis (1 Tm 3: 16) at work in the world became even more apparent. It is also since that time that the glory of martyrdom has shone with greater brightness on the face of your Church, like a light reflected in Christian consciences throughout the world, prompting admiration and gratitude. 8. Moved by this awareness, I made the most of every opportunity to have news of you, dear brothers and sisters, and I would now like to offer you a further expression of my solidarity and support. When I was able to pray with you last year at the Catholic cemetery of Bucharest during my pilgrimage to your land, I did so bearing in my heart the entire Church of Christ and, with the whole Church, I knelt in silence at the tombs of your martyrs. We do not even know many of their burial places, because their persecutors deprived them of even this last mark of distinction and respect. But their names are inscribed in the Book of the Living, and each one has received "a white stone, with a new name written on the stone which no one knows except him who receives it" (Rv 2: 17). The blood of these martyrs is a leaven of Gospel life which is not only active in your land, but also in many other parts of the world. This "great multitude" (Rv 7: 9) clothed in white (cf. Rv 7: 13) of your Church's martyrs and confessors, "who have come out of the great tribulation, have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rv 7: 14), and who stand "before the throne of God" (Rv 7: 15), is resplendent with the illustrious names of Bishops such as Vasile Aftenie, Ioan Balan, Valeriu Traian Frentiu, Ioan Suciu, Tit Liviu Chinezu, Alexandru Rusu and Cardinal Iuliu Hossu. Like the men of prayer who "serve God day and night within his temple" (Rv 7: 15), they intercede for their people with the other martyrs and confessors, receiving from

them true and deep veneration. May the witness of martyrdom and the profession of faith in Christ and in the unity of his Church rise like the incense of an evening sacrifice (cf. Ps 141: 2) to God's throne in the name of the whole Church, whose esteem and devotion they enjoy! Revisiting the past: the purification of memory 9. The splendour of the witness to faith and the generous service to unity must always be accompanied in the Church by a tireless commitment to truth, in which the dynamism of hope is purified and strengthened. This is the climate of the Jubilee of the Year 2000, in which the whole Church senses a duty to re-examine her past to recognize the inconsistencies committed by her children with regard to the teaching of the Gospel, and thus to be able to walk with a purified face towards the future desired by God. The current difficulties that your Church is encountering in her recovery since her suppression, as well as the limited human and material resources which dampen her enthusiasm, could be demoralizing. But Christians know that the greater the obstacles to be overcome, the more confidently they can rely on the help of God, who is near and walks at their side. This is also recalled in your very beautiful hymn "Cu noi este Dumnezeu", so full of meaning and so deeply impressed on your people's hearts. In this Jubilee your Church, along with the universal Church, has a duty to revisit her past, especially the period of persecution, in order to update her own "Martyrology". It is not an easy task due to the scarcity of sources and the time that has passed, a time too brief for making a sufficiently detached judgement, but long enough to expose regrettable omissions. Fortunately, many witnesses of the recent past are still alive. Therefore the necessary effort should be made to enrich the documentation of past events, so that future generations can know their history, after it has been critically weighed and is thus worthy of belief. In this perspective, it will be appropriate for the witness and martyrdom offered by your Church to be examined in the broader context of the suffering and persecution experienced by Christians in the 20th century. In my Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente, I specifically referred to the martyrs of our century, "many of them nameless, "unknown soldiers' as it were of God's great cause" (n. 37), and I said that "at the end of the second millennium, the Church has once again become a Church of martyrs.... The witness to Christ borne even to the shedding of blood has become a common inheritance of Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and Protestants.... This witness must not be forgotten" (ibid.). In the faith and martyrdom of these Christians the unity of the Church appears in a new light. Their blood, shed for Christ and with Christ, is a sure foundation for seeking the unity of the whole Christian ecumene. In Bucharest I highlighted the fact that in Romania, too, you suffered together: "The communist regime suppressed the Church of the Byzantine-Romanian rite united with Rome and persecuted Bishops and priests, men and women religious and lay people, many of whom paid with blood for their fidelity to Christ.... I would also like to give due recognition to the members of the Romanian Orthodox Church and of other Churches and religious communities who suffered similar persecutions and grave restrictions. Death united our brothers and sisters in faith in the heroic witness of martyrdom: they have left us an unforgettable lesson of love for Christ and his Church" (Arrival address, Baneasa Airport, Bucharest, 7 May 1999, n. 4). In this regard, I also encourage you now, during the celebration

of the Jubilee and the third centenary of your Union, to identify and appreciate the martyrs of the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania, recognizing their merit in having given a considerable impetus to the cause of Christian unity. 10. It will also be very useful to consider today's situation in the light of your history. For it seems necessary to make a thorough examination of the context, spirit and decisions of your Provincial Synods held in 1872, 1882 and 1900. The same revisiting of history should also concern other important events which have marked the history of the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania. The example of the distinguished scholars of the Transylvanian School of Blaj, who have made a close examination of events, guided by serious historical and linguistic analysis, can serve as an important reference-point for this research in order to obtain reliable results. With this kind of re-examination, fundamental aspects for the theological, liturgical and spiritual tradition of the Greek-Catholic Church in Romania will certainly come to light. In this way, your Church's identity and her spiritual profile will appear with new vigour and thus contribute to the culture of Romania and of the whole Christian world. I wholeheartedly encourage and bless every effort made in this regard. There should also be a special effort to address the problem of the reception of the Second Vatican Council on the part of the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania. Because of the persecutions at the time, your Church did not have the opportunity to participate fully in that historical event nor was the action of the Spirit clearly perceived. It was precisely that Council which devoted greater attention to the sensitive questions of the Eastern Catholic Churches, ecumenism and the Church in general. The Council's teaching was then continued by the subsequent Magisterium. I am pleased to see that the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania is currently involved in a long, laborious effort to accept fully all the Holy See's directives. A sign of unity 11. Thanks to the presence of the Holy Spirit pluralism in the Church can shine with ineffable beauty without jeopardizing her unity. In this regard, the Second Vatican Council spoke of the treasures of the Eastern Churches in communion with Rome: "For in those Churches, which are distinguished by their venerable antiquity, there is clearly evident the tradition which has come from the Apostles through the Fathers and which is part of the divinely revealed, undivided heritage of the universal Church" (Orientalium Ecclesiarum, n. 1). Thus the entire Christian ecumene needs their voice and presence: "The holy Catholic Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ, is made up of the faithful who are organically united in the Holy Spirit by the same faith, the same sacraments and the same government. They combine into different groups, which are held together by their hierarchy, and so form particular Churches or rites. Between those Churches there is such a wonderful communion that this variety, so far from diminishing the Church's unity, rather serves to emphasize it" (ibid., n. 2). The Catholic Church, supported by the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, has committed herself with all determination, especially in recent decades, to the quest for unity among Christ's disciples. My immediate Predecessors, starting with John XXIII of venerable memory, increased their efforts for ecumenical reconciliation, especially with the Orthodox Churches, seeing this as a precise requirement of the Gospel and a response to the insistent promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Under the merciful gaze of her Lord, the Church remembers her past, acknowledges the errors of her children, confesses their lack of love for their brethren in Christ and consequently asks forgiveness and forgives, seeking to re-establish full unity among Christians. 12. The attempt to seek full communion is inevitably conditioned by the historical context, the political situation and the dominant mentality of any era. In this regard, the Transylvanian Union conformed to the model of unity which prevailed after the Councils of Florence and Trent. At that time, it was the ardent longing for unity which brought the Romanians of Transylvania to union with the Church of Rome, and we are all deeply grateful to God for this gift. However, since communion among the Churches can never be considered a goal definitively reached, the gift of unity offered by the Lord Jesus once and for all must be answered with a constant attitude of acceptance, the fruit of each one's inner conversion. The changed circumstances of the present time require, in fact, that unity be pursued within a broader ecumenical horizon, in which we must be willing to listen to the Spirit and courageously rethink our relationships with the other Churches and with all our brothers and sisters in Christ, with the attitude of those who can "hope against all hope" (cf. Rom 4: 18). Precisely with regard to the gift of unity, in my Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente I noted: "We are asked to respond to this gift responsibly, without compromise in our witness to the truth" (n. 34). It will therefore be necessary to reconsider the three-centuries-old history of the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania with a new outlook, with a calm and serene approach to the events which have marked her way. Just as I encouraged the process of reviewing the ways in which the Petrine service is exercised within the Christian ecumene, while preserving the requirements that stem from the will of Christ (cf. Encyclical Ut unum sint, n. 95), so I urge you to start examining and bringing up to date the specific vocation of the Eastern Churches in communion with Rome in the new context, calling on all the Churches for the contribution of their study and reflection. The Theological Commissions established by the Pastors of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches as a whole should endeavour to work in this complex perspective. Christians are currently faced with the problem of "receiving the results already achieved. These cannot remain the statements of bilateral commissions but must become a common heritage. For this to come about and for the bonds of communion to be strengthened, a serious examination needs to be made, which, by different ways and means and at various levels of responsibility, must involve the whole People of God" (ibid., n. 80). For "this process ... to be successful, its results must be made known in appropriate ways" (ibid., n. 81). The quest for Christian unity, in love and truth, is a fundamental element for a more effective evangelization. In fact, the Church is one and indivisible by Christ's will. An authentic return to the liturgical and patristic traditions, a treasure which you share with the Orthodox Church, will contribute to reconciliation with the other Churches present in Romania. In this spirit of reconciliation the continuation of the dialogue between your Church and the Orthodox Church should be warmly encouraged at both the national and local levels, in the hope that all the disputed points will soon be clarified in a spirit of justice and Christian charity. At the same time, the spirit of dialogue requires that your Church should increasingly and gratefully discover the face of Christ Jesus traced by the Holy Spirit in her Sister Orthodox Church, and you should expect the same from her in your regard. Thus you will bear the witness that the Apostle Paul asks from the Christians of Rome (cf. Rom 12: 9-13). Importance of prayer

13. For the Jubilee the Church seeks to renew herself in the joyful light of the risen Christ, inviting her children to respond to God's grace with a serious examination of conscience and the effort of purification and penance. It is a long process which began at the time of the Second Vatican Council and has not yet ended. We have rediscovered what has always been the holy root nourishing the Church: the Word of God, interpreted factis et verbis by the liturgy, the Councils, the Fathers and the saints. But we have also forcefully repeated that the principal source of unity in the Church is the Holy Trinity (cf. Lumen gentium, nn. 1-8). The Greek-Catholic Church of Romania is also rooted in the Word of God, in the teaching of the Fathers and in the Byzantine tradition, but in addition finds her own particular expression in her union with the Apostolic See, in the mark of the 20th-century persecutions and in the Latin character of her people. All these elements form the identity of your Church, whose ultimate root is the Holy Trinity. These are her primary origin, the source "of living water" (Jn 7: 38), to which she should have constant recourse. It is my firm conviction that the return to the well-springs of the Church's traditions must be accompanied by a constant and fervent return to the Trinitarian Source. This will only be possible if each of us recovers that deep intimacy which is expressed in prayer. Prayer gives man strength and illumines his way. In the deep silence of the prayer experience, we can recognize the true image of the Church in her authentic and eternal identity, and can also discover that name known only to God which represents the truest identity of every Christian. For this reason the Jubilee of the Year 2000 and the third centenary of your Church's Union with Rome are a time of prayer to which God himself is inviting us. May the All-Holy Mother of God enlighten and accompany us, she who remains forever the perfect image of the Church and our advocate before God's throne. With this wish, I cordially impart the Apostolic Blessing to my Venerable Brother Cardinal Alexandru Todea, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Fagaras and Alba Iulia, to the current Archbishop-Metropolitan, Lucian Muresan, to my other Brothers in the Episcopate, and to the priests, the religious and all of you, dear faithful of the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania. From the Vatican, 7 May 2000, the twenty-second year of my Pontificate.

Scrisoarea Apostolic a Papei Ioan Paul al II-lea la tricentenarul Bisericii Romane Unite cu Roma
Mult iubii Frai i Surori ai Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia!

1. Timpul pascal al acestui Jubileu din anul 2000 coincide cu cel de al treilea centenar al Unirii Bisericii voastre cu Biserica Romei. Anul Jubiliar este un an de har n care ntreaga Biseric amintete c Domnul nostru Isus Cristos, acum dou mii de ani, s-a fcut Om n snul Preasfintei Fecioare. n evocarea cu bucurie a minunatului eveniment, comunitatea cretin recapt curaj pentru a anuna lumii cu ardoare rennoit vestea cea bun a mntuirii. Verbum caro factum est - Cuvntul s-a fcut trup: acesta este motivul recunotinei noastre continue, acesta este harul amintit i celebrat n chip special n perioada Jubileului. Punndu-ne n aceast perspectiv, putem vedea cu ochii speranei toat istoria omenirii. Amintirea i prezena 2. n acest cadru se nscriu cu deosebit relevan i cei trei sute de ani de existen ai Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia. n urm cu exact un an ne-am rugat mpreun n scumpa voastr Patrie. n timpul Sfintei Liturghii celebrate cu voi n Catedrala "Sfntul Iosif", din Bucureti, am afirmat c "socot providenial i plin de semnificaie faptul c celebrrile celui de-al treilea centenar coincid cu Jubileul anului 2000" (Omilia, nr. 3, 8 mai 1999). Faptul c am putut fi n mijlocul vostru, n mai, anul trecut, a fost pentru mine un dar special al Domnului, care mi-a ngduit s retriesc ntr-un anume mod, mpreun cu voi, experiena acelor ucenici care "se aflau n mers": lor "li s-a alturat Isus n persoan i mergea mpreun cu ei", explicnd din toate Scripturile cele despre El" (Lc. 24, 13-15,27). Iluminai de cuvintele lui Cristos, am putut contempla mpreun prezena sa reflectat pe chipul Bisericii voastre. Apoi El ne-a hrnit cu Trupul i cu Sngele su i inimile noastre ne ardeau n piept (cf. Lc. 24,32). 3. nc de atunci mi-au rmas ntiprite n suflet frumuseea pmntului vostru i credina poporului care locuiete acolo. Amintirea acelei ntlniri a devenit i mai vie n timpul pascal al acestui an, n care se celebreaz i cel de-al treilea centenar al Unirii Bisericii voastre cu Biserica Romei. Inima mea dorete s se uneasc cu voi n acel cntec de bucurie - Cristos a nviat! - care, cu ocazia vizitei mele, m-a umplut de emoie, lsnd n mine o profund amintire. Un atare anun trece dincolo de cuvinte: este ncrcat cu fora biruitoare a Celui nviat care pete cu Biserica sa prin istorie. n lumina acestei prezene m adresez vou, celor care celebrai n bucurie cel de-al treilea centenar al Unirii. Istoria i unitatea 4. Din misterul ntruprii i trage originea misterul unitii. Scripturile afirm, n fapt, c voina Tatlui este "ca toate s fie iari unite n Cristos" (Ef. 1,10). n nfptuirea acestui mister se explic misiunea Bisericii, a crei sarcin este de a realiza treptat unitatea cu Dumnezeu i ntre oameni: "Biserica este n Cristos ca un sacrament, adic semn i instrument

al unirii intime cu Dumnezeu i al unitii ntregului neam omenesc" (Lumen Gentium, 1). n Biseric ncolesc unitatea i pacea: n felul acesta istoria oamenilor poate deveni istorie a unitii. Misterul unitii marcheaz n mod deosebit poporul romn. tim, i aici amintesc cu profund veneraie, c Cristos nviat s-a unit prin predica apostolic cu drumul istoric al poporului vostru deja n epoca paleocretin i i-a ncredinat o sarcin special n serviciul preios al unitii. Numele apostolului Andrei, fratele lui Petru, ale lui Niceta Remesiananul, Ioan Casian i Dionisie cel Mic, sunt n acest sens, emblematice. Providena divin a dispus ca, n timpul n care Sfnta Biseric nu experimentase nc n interiorul ei marea divizare, voi s primii odat cu motenirea Romei i pe cea a Bizanului. 5. Romnii, n fapt, rmnnd un popor latin, s-au deschis primirii comorilor credinei i culturii bizantine. Cu toat rana divizrii, aceast motenire rmne mprtit de Biserica Greco-Catolic i de Biserica Ortodox din Romnia. Aici se afl cheia de interpretare a evoluiei istorice a Bisericii voastre. Ea s-a petrecut n mijlocul tensiunilor dramatice produse ntre Orientul i Occidentul cretin. Din totdeauna, n inimile fiilor i fiicelor acestei strvechi Biserici pulseaz cu putere pasiunea pentru unitatea voit de Cristos. Eu nsumi i-am fost anul trecut martor profund impresionat. Aceast nzuin spre unitate a fost trit ntr-un fel deosebit de Biserica romn din Transilvania, mai presus de toate dup tragedia divizrii dintre cretintatea Rsritului i cea a Apusului. n acel inut, multe popoare - romni, maghiari, armeni i secui - au trit laolalt o istorie comun, uneori dificil, care i-a lsat urmele n configurarea uman i religioas a locuitorilor. Din pcate, unitatea care a caracterizat Biserica primelor veacuri nu a mai fost atins niciodat i nsi istoria voastr a fost marcat cu intensitate crescnd de divizare i de lacrimi. n aceast panoram strlucesc ca nite lumini de speran eforturile acelora care, neresemnndu-se n faa rnii divizrii, au cutat s o vindece. n Transilvania dorina de a restabili deplina comuniune cu Scaunul Apostolic al Succesorului lui Petru s-a nscut n inimile cretinilor romni i ale pstorilor lor mai ales n secolele XVI i XVII. Aceti discipoli ai lui Cristos, mnai de aspiraia fierbinte a reformei Bisericii i a unitii ei, simind n adncul inimilor lor strvechea legtur cu Biserica i Oraul martirajului i mormintelor Fericiilor Apostoli Petru i Pavel, au pornit o micare ce, pas cu pas, a ajuns s realizeze deplina unire cu Roma. ntre etapele decisive merit a fi amintite Sinoadele inute la Alba Iulia n anii 1697 i 1698, care s-au pronunat n favoarea Unirii; hotrt oficial la 7 octombrie 1698, ea a fost ratificat solemn n Sinodul de la 7 mai 1700. 6. Graie strdaniei unor ilutri Episcopi, precum Atanasie Anghel (+1713), Ioan Inoceniu Micu-Klein (+1768), Petru Pavel Aron (+1764), precum i a altor merituoi prelai, preoi i laici, Biserica Greco-Catolic din Romnia i-a ntrit propria identitate i a recunoscut n scurt timp o nsemnat dezvoltare. innd seama de aceasta, veneratul meu predecesor Pius IX, prin Bulla "Ecclesiam Christi", din 16 noiembrie 1853, a voit s instituie Mitropolia de Fgra i Alba Iulia pentru Romnii unii. Cum s nu fie recunoscute serviciile preioase aduse de Biserica Greco-Catolic ntregului popor romn din Transilvania? La creterea acestuia ea a avut o contribuie decisiv, reprezentat emblematic de "corifeii" colii Ardelene de la Blaj, dar i de numeroasele personaliti - ecleziastici i laici - care au lsat o amprent de neters n viaa bisericeasc, cultural i social a romnilor. Un merit nsemnat al Bisericii voastre a fost, ndeosebi, acela de a fi mediat ntre Orient i Occident, asumnd, pe de o parte, valorile promovate n Transilvania de Sfntul Scaun i comunicnd, pe de alta, ntregii catoliciti valorile Orientului cretin, care, din cauza divizrii existente, erau puin accesibile. Biserica

Greco-Catolic a devenit astfel o mrturie gritoare a unitii ntregii Biserici, artnd c ea include n sine valorile instituiilor, rituri liturgice i tradiii ecleziastice provenind pe ci diferite din aceeai tradiie apostolic (cf. Orientalium Ecclesiarum, 1). Martori i martiri ai uniti 7. Drumul Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia nu a fost niciodat uor, dup cum demonstreaz vicisitudinile sale. n decursul veacurilor i s-a cerut acesteia o dureroas i grea mrturie de fidelitate fa de exigena evanghelic a unitii. Ea a devenit astfel n mod special Biserica martorilor unitii, ai adevrului i iubirii. Cu toate dificultile pe care le-a avut de ntmpinat, Biserica Greco-Catolic din Romnia, n faa ntregii comuniti ecumenice cretine s-a dovedit a fi din ce n ce mai mult un martor deosebit al valorii eseniale a unitii bisericeti. ns mai presus de toate, n cea dea doua jumtate a secolului douzeci, n epoca totalitarismului comunist, Biserica voastr a trebuit s ndure o crncen ncercare, meritndu-i pe drept titlul de "Biseric a mrturisitorilor i martirilor". Atunci s-a manifestat cu mai mare claritate lupta dintre "mysterium iniquitatis" - "misterul nelegiuirii" (2 Tes. 2,7) i "mysterium pietatis" - "misterul dreptei credine" (1 Tim. 3,16) lucrnd n lume. De atunci i slava martiriului strlucete cu mai mult vigoare pe chipul Bisericii voastre ca lumin ce se reflect n contiina cretinilor lumii ntregi, suscitnd admiraie i gratitudine. 8. Micat de aceast contiin, am profitat de orice ocazie pentru a avea tiri despre voi, mult iubii Frai i Surori, iar acum doresc s fac s v parvin nc o expresie a solidaritii mele i a sprijinului meu. Cnd, anul trecut, n timpul pelerinajului n ara voastr, mi-a fost dat s m rog mpreun cu voi n cimitirul catolic din Bucureti, am fcut acest lucru purtnd n inima mea toat Biserica lui Cristos i, mpreun cu ntreaga Biseric, am ngenuncheat n tcere la mormintele martirilor votri. Multora dintre ei nu le cunoatem nici mcar locul nmormntrii. Dar numele lor sunt nscrise n Cartea celor Vii i fiecare dintre ei a primit "o pietricic alb pe care este scris un nume nou, pe care nimeni nu-l tie, dect primitorul" (Ap. 2,17). Sngele acestor martiri este un ferment de via evanghelic ce acioneaz nu doar pe pmntul vostru, ci i n attea alte pri ale lumii. n aceast "imens mulime" (Ap. 7,9), mbrcat n veminte albe (cf Ap. 7,13), de martiri i mrturisitori ai Bisericii voastre, "care vin din strmtorarea cea mare i i-au splat vemintele lor i le-au fcut albe n sngele Mielului" (Ap. 7,14) i care "stau naintea tronului lui Dumnezeu" (Ap. 7,15), strlucesc numele ilustre de Episcopi ca Vasile Aftenie, Ioan Blan, Valeriu Traian Freniu, Ioan Suciu, Tit Liviu Chinezu, Alexandru Rusu i al cardinalului Iuliu Hossu. Ei, asemenea rugtorilor care "slujesc ziua i noaptea n templul lui Dumnezeu" (cf Ap. 7,15), mijlocesc mpreun cu ceilali martiri i mrturisitori pentru poporul lor, bucurndu-se din partea acestuia de adevrat i profund veneraie. Mrturia martirajului i profesiunea de credin n Cristos i n unitatea Bisericii Sale se nal ca fumul de tmie al jertfei de sear (cf Ps. 141,2) spre tronul lui Dumnezeu n numele ntregii Biserici, bucurndu-se de stima i devoiunea ei. Rememorarea trecutului: purificarea memoriei 9. Splendoarea mrturiei de credin i lucrarea generoas pentru unitate trebuie s fie mereu nsoite n Biseric de angajarea neobosit pentru adevrul n care se purific i se consolideaz dinamismul speranei. Acesta este climatul Jubileului din anul 2000, cu ocazia cruia toat Biserica simte ndatorirea de a-i reexamina trecutul pentru a recunoate incoerenele n care au czut fiii si n raport cu nvtura evanghelic i pentru a putea astfel

pi cu faa purificat spre viitorul voit de Dumnezeu. Dificultile actuale pe care Biserica voastr le ntmpin n ncercarea de a-i reveni dup suprimarea ei, precum i resursele umane i materiale limitate care i nfrneaz avntul, ar putea demoraliza sufletele. ns cretinul tie c, cu ct sunt mai mari obstacolele pe care le are de depit, cu att mai ncreztor poate conta pe ajutorul lui Dumnezeu, care i este aproape i pete mpreun cu el. Acest lucru este amintit i n frumoasa voastr cntare "Cu noi este Dumnezeu", att de bogat n semnificaii i att de profund ntiprit n sufletele credincioilor votri. La acest Jubileu, Biserica voastr, mpreun cu Biserica universal, are ndatorirea de a se rentoarce la trecutul propriu i, mai presus de toate, la perioada persecuiilor, pentru a actualiza propriul "martirologiu". Nu este o sarcin uoar, din cauza izvoarelor reduse i a timpului care s-a scurs, un timp prea scurt pentru maturizarea unei judeci detaate, dar i destul lung pentru a se expune unor uitri nedorite. Din fericire, muli martori ai trecutului recent nc triesc. Trebuie, de aceea, depuse eforturile necesare pentru a mbogi documentaia privind evenimentele petrecute, nct s permit generaiilor viitoare s-i cunoasc istoria, o istorie evaluat critic i astfel demn de ncredere. n aceast perspectiv se cuvine ca mrturia i martiriul oferite de Biserica voastr s fie examinate ntr-un context mai amplu al suferinelor i persecuiilor ndurate de cretini n secolul al XX-lea. n Scrisoarea Apostolic Tertio millenio adveniente am fcut o referire precis la martirii secolului nostru, "adesea anonimi, ca nite soldai necunoscui ai cauzei mree a lui Dumnezeu" (nr. 37) i am afirmat c, "la sfritul celui de-al doilea mileniu, Biserica a devenit din nou o Biseric de martiri... Mrturia adus lui Cristos pn la snge adevenit un patrimoniu comun catolicilor, ortodocilor, anglicanilor i protestanilor... Este o mrturie ce nu trebuie uitat" (Ibidem). n credina i martirajul acestor cretini unitatea Bisericii apare ntr-o lumin nou. Sngele lor, vrsat pentru Cristos i cu Cristos, este temelia sigur pe care se nal cutarea unitii ntregii "comuniti ecumenice" cretine. La Bucureti s-a pus n eviden faptul c i n Romnia ai suferit mpreun: "Regimul comunist a suprimat Biserica Unit cu Roma i a prigonit episcopi, preoi, clugri, clugrie i laici, dintre care nu puini au pltit cu sngele fidelitatea lor fa de Cristos... A dori s aduc un cuvenit tribut de recunotin i celor care, fcnd parte din Biserica Ortodox Romn i din celelalte Biserici i Comuniti religioase, au ndurat persecuii similare i grave limitri. Moartea i-a unit pe aceti frai ai notri de credin n mrturia eroic a martiriului: ei ne las o lecie de neuitat de iubire fa de Cristos i de Biseric" (Discurs n timpul ceremoniei de bun venit, Aeroportul Bneasa din Bucureti, 7 mai 1999, 4). n aceast privin v ncurajez i acum, cu ocazia Jubileului i a celui de al treilea centenar al Unirii voastre, de a identifica i valoriza figurile martirilor Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia, recunoscnd meritul lor de a fi dat un impuls considerabil cauzei unitii tuturor cretinilor. 10. Va fi, apoi, foarte util s considerai situaia actual n lumina istoriei voastre. n fapt, devine necesar o examinare aprofundat a contextului, a spiritului i deciziilor sinoadelor provinciale desfurate n anii 1872, 1882 i 1900. Aceeai rememorare istoric ar trebui s priveasc i alte importante evenimente care au marcat istoria Bisericii Greco-Catolice Romne. Pilda ilutrilor votri intelectuali ai colii Ardelene de la Blaj, care au realizat o examinare atent a evenimentelor, inspirat de o serioas analiz istoric i lingvistic, poate servi acestei cercetri ca baz important de referin pentru a obine rezultate demne de atenie. n cadrul acestui tip de reexaminare nu vor ntrzia s ias la lumin aspecte fundamentale pentru tradiia teologic, liturgic i spiritual a Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia. n felul acesta identitatea Bisericii voastre i profilul ei spiritual vor aprea cu o nou vigoare, contribuind att la cultura Romniei, ct i la cea a ntregii "comuniti

ecumenice" cretine. Din toat inima ncurajez i binecuvntez orice efort care va fi depus n acest domeniu. Cu o angajare special va trebui, de asemenea, s se adnceasc problema receptrii Conciliului Vatican II din partea Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia. Din cauza persecuiilor fptuite n acea epoc, Biserica voastr nu a avut posibilitatea s participe de deplin la acel eveniment istoric, nici s-i perceap n mod clar lucrarea Spiritului. Tocmai acel Conciliu a nfruntat cu mai mare atenie chestiunile delicate ale Bisericilor Catolice Orientale, ale ecumenismului i ale Bisericii n general. nvtura conciliar i-a aflat apoi continuitatea n Magisterul succesiv. i recunosc bucuros Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia faptul c, n prezent, este angajat ntr-un ndelungat i susinut efort pentru a-i nsui pe deplin indicaiile Sfntului Scaun. Semnul unitii 11. Graie prezenei Spiritului Sfnt, varietatea n Biseric poate strluci de frumusee inefabil, fr s aduc prejudicii unitii. n acest sens, Conciliul Vatican II a vorbit despre comorile Bisericilor orientale n comuniune cu Roma: "Cci n ele, ntruct sunt ilustre prin vechimea lor venerabil, strlucete tradiia care vine de la Apostoli prin Sfinii Prini i care constituie o parte a patrimoniului revelat de Dumnezeu i indivizibil al Bisericii universale" (Orientalium Ecclesiarum, 1). Prin urmare, ntreaga "comunitate ecumenic" cretin are nevoie de glasul lor i de prezena lor. "Biserica sfnt i catolic, care este trup mistic al lui Cristos, este alctuit din credincioi unii organic n Spiritul Sfnt prin aceeai credin, aceleai sacramente i aceeai conducere i care, unindu-se n diferite comuniti a cror coeziune este asigurat de ierarhie, formeaz Biserici particulare sau Rituri. ntre ele exist o admirabil comuniune, astfel nct diversitatea din Biseric nu duneaz unitii, ci mai degrab o manifest (Ibidem, 2). Biserica Catolic, susinut de nvmintele Conciliului Vatican II, s-a angajat cu toat hotrrea, mai ales n decursul ultimelor decenii, pe calea cutrii unitii ntre ucenicii lui Cristos. Predecesorii mei imediai, ncepnd cu Ioan al XXIII-lea, de venerat amintire, au nmulit eforturile n favoarea reconcilierii ecumenice, n mod deosebit cu Bisericile ortodoxe, ntrevznd n aceasta o preioas cerin ce deriv din Evanghelie i un rspuns la ndemnurile insistente ale Spiritului Sfnt. Sub privirea milostiv a Domnului ei, Biserica i amintete trecutul su, recunoate erorile fiilor i mrturisete lipsa lor de iubire fa de fraii n Cristos i, n consecin, cere iertare i iart, cutnd s restabileasc deplina unitate ntre cretini. 12. ncercarea de a cuta deplina comuniune este n mod inevitabil condiionat de contextul istoric, de situaia politic i de mentalitatea dominant a fiecrei epoci. n acest sens, Unirea transilvan s-a conformat modelului de unitate care prevala dup Conciliile din Florena i Trento. n acel timp, dorina fierbinte a unitii i-a purtat pe romnii din Transilvania la unirea cu Biserica Romei, i de acest dar noi toi suntem profund recunosctori lui Dumnezeu. Totui, deoarece comuniunea ntre Biserici nu se poate considera niciodat o int definitiv atins, darului unitii, oferit de Domnul Isus, odat pentru totdeauna, trebuie s-i corespund o atitudine constant de nnoire, rod al convertirii interioare a fiecruia. Circumstanele schimbate ale prezentului reclam, n adevr, s se urmreasc unitatea ntr-un orizont ecumenic mai larg, n care este necesar a se face disponibili ascultrii Spiritului i reconsiderrii cu curaj a raporturilor cu celelalte Biserici i cu toi fraii n Cristos, atitudinea aceluia care tie c "mai presus de ndejde a crezut n ndejde" (Rm. 4,18). Tocmai cu privire la darul unitii, n Scrisoarea apostolic Tertio millennio adveniente notam: "Nou ni se cere s sprijinim aceste dar fr uurtate sau reticene n mrturisirea

adevrului" (nr. 34). De aceea, va fi necesar s fie reconsiderat cu suflet nou istoria de trei ori secular a Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia, printr-o abordare linitit i senin a evenimentelor care i-au marcat drumul. Aa cum am ncurajat procesul de revizuire a modalitilor de exercitare a serviciului petrin n snul lumii cretine, pstrnd neatinse exigenele ce deriv din voina lui Cristos (cf. Enc. Ut unum sint, 95), la fel ndemn s se treac la o actualizare i la o aprofundare a vocaiei specifice Bisericilor orientale n comuniune cu Roma, n noul context, fcndu-se apel la contribuia de studiu i de reflecie a tuturor Bisericilor. Comisiile teologice stabilite de Pstorii Bisericii Catolice i ai Bisericilor Ortodoxe, n ansamblul lor s caute s lucreze n aceast complex perspectiv. Actualmente, n faa cretinilor se pune problema modului "de a primi rezultatele obinute pn acum. Ele nu pot rmne la nivelul afirmaiilor comisiilor bilaterale, ci trebuie s devin un patrimoniu comun. Pentru a se ajunge la aceasta i pentru a ntri astfel legturile de comuniune, este necesar un serios examen care, n diferite feluri, forme i competene, trebuie s implice poporul lui Dumnezeu n ansamblul su" (Enc. Ut unum sint, 80). Pentru ca: "acest proces... s dea rezultate favorabile, este necesar ca acestea s fie difuzate corespunztor" (Idib., 81). Cutarea unitii ntre cretini, n iubire i n adevr, este element fundamental pentru o mai rodnic evanghelizare. Din voina lui Cristos, n fapt, Biserica este una i indivizibil. O adevrat ntoarcere la tradiiile liturgice i patristice, comoar pe care voi o mprtii cu Biserica Ortodox, va contribui la reconcilierea cu celelalte Biserici prezente n Romnia. n acest spirit de reconciliere trebuie ncurajat cu cldur continuarea dialogului ntre Biserica voastr i Biserica Ortodox, att la nivel naional, ct i la nivel local, n sperana c toate punctele controversate vor fi clarificate ct mai curnd, n spirit de dreptate i dragoste cretineasc. Spiritul dialogului reclam, totodat, ca Biserica voastr s descopere din ce n ce mai mult, prin aducerea de mulumire, chipul lui Isus Cristos, pe care Spiritul Sfnt l zugrvete n Biserica sor Ortodox i acelai lucru este de ateptat de la aceasta din urm, n raport cu voi. Vei da astfel mrturia la care apostolul Pavel i invit pe cretinii din Roma (cf. Rm. 12,9-13). Importana rugciunii 13. Cu ocazia Jubileului, Biserica caut s rennoiasc n lumina plin de bucurie a lui Cristos cel nviat, invitnd fiii si s rspund harului divin printr-un serios examen de contiin i prin strdania purificrii i a pocinei. Este un proces ndelungat care a nceput n timpul Conciliului Vatican II i nc nu s-a ncheiat. Am redescoperit ceea ce a constituit mereu rdcina sfnt care nutrete Biserica: Cuvntul lui Dumnezeu, interpretat "factis et verbis" - n fapte i cuvinte, de Liturghie, de Concilii, de Prinii Bisericii i de Sfini. Dar am i repetat cu trie c izvorul principal al unitii n Biseric este Preasfnta Treime (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1-8). i Biserica Greco-Catolic din Romnia i nfige rdcinile n Cuvntul lui Dumnezeu, n nvtura Sfinilor Prini i n tradiia bizantin, dar gsete, n afar de aceasta, o expresie a sa specific, n unirea cu Scaunul Apostolic i n rnile persecuiilor din secolul XX, pe lng latinitatea poporului su. Din toate aceste elemente rezult identitatea Bisericii voastre, a crei rdcin ultim este Preasfnta Treime. Aceasta este originea primar, izvorul "de ap vie" (Ioan 7,38), la care trebuie s se recurg necontenit. Este convingerea mea ferm c ntoarcerea la izvoarele tradiiei bisericeti trebuie s fie nsoit de o constant i fervent urcare la Izvorul trinitar. Acest lucru se va putea ntmpla datorit recuperrii acelei intimiti profunde a fiecruia dintre noi care se exprim n rugciune. Rugciunea d putere i ilumineaz drumul omului. n tcerea profund a tririi n rugciune se poate ajunge la gsirea adevratului chip al Bisericii, n autentica i venica sa

identitatea i se poate descoperi chiar i acel nume cunoscut doar lui Dumnezeu, care reprezint adevrata identitate a fiecrui cretin. De aceea, Jubileul din 2000, ca i cel de-al treilea centenar al Unirii Bisericii voastre cu Roma, reprezint timpul rugciunii la care nsui Dumnezeu ne invit. Preasfnta Mam a lui Dumnezeu s ne lumineze i s ne nsoeasc, ea care rmne mereu icoana desvrit a Bisericii i ocrotitoarea noastr la tronul lui Dumnezeu! Sub aceste auspicii dau din inim Veneratului Frate, Cardinal Alexandru Todea, Arhiepiscop i Mitropolit emerit de Fgra i Alba Iulia, actualului Arhiepiscop i Mitropolit Lucian Murean i celorlali Frai ntru Episcopat, Preoilor, Clugrilor, Clugrielor i vou tuturor, iubii Credincioi ai Bisericii Greco-Catolice din Romnia, cuvenita Binecuvntare Apostolic. Din Vatican, la 7 mai anul 2000, al XXII-lea de Pontificat

Ioan Paul al II-lea