Francis, arriving in Greece from Cyprus, will remain in the country until Monday, meet with representatives of the Orthodox Church and visit refugees from Lesbos
The Pope has noted with “concern” how the “easy proposals” of populisms, excessive bureaucracy and distance from institutions are pushing back democracy, not only in Europe, for which he has called for a “multilateralism” that is not stifled by excessive nationalistic pretensions. “It cannot but be noted with concern how today, not only on the European continent, there is a decline in democracy. (…) Democracy is complex, while authoritarianism is expeditious and the easy promises proposed by populisms are attractive, “said the pontiff on Saturday before the civil authorities and diplomatic corps of Greece, in the second stage of his third Trip of the year and after visit to Cyprus.
“In various societies, concerned about security and anesthetized by consumerism, fatigue and discomfort lead to a kind of ‘democratic skepticism,'” the Pope said in his first speech in Athens.
The Pope landed this morning at the international airport of Athens, where he was received by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendia, accompanied by the honor guard and a group of children in traditional costumes. In Athens, the cradle of democracy as a political organization, he stated that there is “a skepticism, in relation to democracy, caused by the distance from the institutions, by fear of the loss of identity and by the bureaucracy.”
For Francisco, the remedy for this does not go through “the obsessive search for popularity” or “the proclamation of impossible promises” but through good politics that he has defined as the “supreme responsibility of the citizen” and the “art of the common good.” The pope cited a speech by the Italian politician Alcide De Gasperi who is considered along with Konrad Adenauer, Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet-as the “fathers of Europe” and called for combating the “polarizations” that “threaten to exasperate” democracy. In this sense, he denounced that “fears are spread” every day “amplified by virtual communication” and “theories are developed” that are opposed to others.
The Pontiff revealed that the European Community is “torn by nationalistic selfishness” and that rather than being a train of solidarity, it is sometimes “blocked and uncoordinated.”
With the refugees
The last visit of a pope to the Greek capital was in May 2001 with John Paul II. The Argentine pontiff had traveled to Greece in 2016, but his stay was limited to the island of Lesbos, the gateway for thousands of migrants to Europe. The Pope will visit again on Sunday this island symbol of the migration tragedy. But since his first speech in Greece he has addressed the migration issue to stress that “it has opened gaps between the south and the north” of Europe.
“I would like to once again urge a joint, community vision of the migration issue, and encourage attention to be directed to those most in need so that, according to the possibilities of each country, they are welcomed, protected, promoted and integrated into the plenary respect for their human rights and dignity, “he stated.
“The right to care and treatment for all must always be privileged, so that the weakest, particularly the elderly, are never discarded. Indeed, life is a right; death is not, it is welcomed, it is not provided, ”the Pope also stated in reference to policies such as euthanasia. Finally, he urged to act for the common good on several fronts: “I am thinking of the climate, the pandemic, the common market and above all the widespread poverty.”
The Pope is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit to the Archbishop of Athens and all of Greece, His Beatitude Ieronymos II, in the Orthodox Archbishopric of Greece. Later, in the “throne room” of the archbishopric, the Pope will deliver a speech to Orthodox leaders. In fact, one of the objectives of the trip is to strengthen ties with Orthodox Christians, separated from the Catholic Church since the Eastern Schism in 1054 between Rome and ancient Constantinople.
In a video published shortly before his departure from Rome, the pope presented himself as a “pilgrim” to meet “everyone, not just Catholics,” a minority of 1.2% in a country where the Orthodox religion dominates, linked to the state.
From there, he will go to the Catholic Cathedral of San Dionisio for his meeting with the bishops, priests, men and women religious, seminarians and catechists. The last activity on Saturday will be a private meeting with the members of the Society of Jesus at the Apostolic Nunciature, in Athens. Francisco will remain in Greece until Monday, December 6.
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