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Viewing cable 01VATICAN2213, VATICAN - "VIEWS FROM THE HILL"

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
01VATICAN2213 2001-04-20 11:31 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Vatican
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS VATICAN 002213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (VAN CLEVE), EUR/WST, EUR/PD/PA, NEA/IAI, 
DRL/IRF 
 
FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 00/01 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINR IS VT MEPP
SUBJECT: VATICAN - "VIEWS FROM THE HILL" 
 
 
1.   THE APRIL 13 - 20 EDITION OF NEWS AND VIEWS FROM 
VATICAN CITY. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  02213  212018Z 
 
CONTENTS: 
 
- POPE SPEAKS OUT ON MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE 
- EASTERN FOCUS AT POPE'S EASTER MASS 
- POST-EASTER REST FOR POPE CUT SHORT 
- NEW VATICAN AMBASSADOR TO ITALY 
 
----------------------------------------- 
NEW PAPAL APPEAL FOR PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST 
----------------------------------------- 
 
2.   POPE JOHN PAUL II MADE AN URGENT NEW PLEA FOR PEACE IN 
THE MIDDLE EAST APRIL 18 AS HE CONCLUDED HIS REGULAR WEEKLY 
AUDIENCE. THE PONTIFF SAID THAT THE VOICE OF REASON AND 
CONSCIENCE MUST TAKE THE PLACE OF THE SOUND OF ARMS. HE 
ADDED THAT "SINCERE ATTENTION TO THE LEGITIMATE ASPIRATIONS 
OF ALL PEOPLES AND SCRUPULOUS OBSERVANCE OF INTERNATIONAL 
LAW ARE THE ONLY MEANS CAPABLE OF LEADING THE SIDES BACK TO 
THE NEGOTIATING TABLES AND TRACING A PATH OF FRATERNITY FOR 
THOSE POPULATIONS." THE POPE REMARKED THAT WHILE THE 
CHRISTIAN WORLD ENJOYS EASTER, "WE CANNOT FAIL TO FEEL 
SOLIDARITY TOWARD OUR BROTHERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WHO ARE 
GOING THROUGH A MAELSTROM OF ARMED VIOLENCE AND VENGEANCE". 
THE POPE'S MESSAGE WAS HEADLINED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE 
VATICAN'S SEMI-OFFICIAL DAILY, "L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO." 
 
-------------------------------------- 
PAPAL EASTER MASS HAS BYZANTINE FLAVOR 
-------------------------------------- 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  02213  212018Z 
3.   POPE JOHN PAUL II INCORPORATED SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS 
FROM ANCIENT BYZANTINE RITES INTO HIS EASTER MASS APRIL 15, 
MARKING THE CONVERGENCE OF WESTERN AND EASTERN CELEBRATIONS 
OF THE CHRISTIAN FEAST. THE PONTIFF VENERATED AN ANCIENT 
"ACHEROPITA" (NOT PAINTED BY HUMAN HANDS) ICON OF THE RISEN 
JESUS. LATER IN THE MASS A CHOIR OF RUSSIAN SEMINARY 
STUDENTS SANG THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE RESURRECTION 
SET TO A RUSSIAN MELODY. (COMMENT: THE BYZANTINE TOUCHES 
APPEAR TO BE PART OF A VATICAN PR EXERCISE IN PREPARATION 
FOR THE POPE'S FORTHCOMING VISITS TO GREECE AND UKRAINE. THE 
MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS IN BOTH COUNTRIES USE BYZANTINE FORMS 
OF WORSHIP. REUNIFICATION OF EUROPE'S CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IS 
AT THE TOP OF POPE JOHN PAUL'S WISH LIST. IT IS LIKELY THAT 
GESTURES, HOWEVER SMALL, SIGNALING OPENNESS TO THE EASTERN 
ORTHODOX WILL CONTINUE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE VATICAN'S 
PUBLIC CEREMONIES, AT LEAST DURING THE PRESENT PONTIFICATE. 
END COMMENT). 
 
------------------------------ 
POPE SKIPS POST-EASTER HOLIDAY 
------------------------------ 
 
4.   BREAKING WITH TRADITION, POPE JOHN PAUL CUT SHORT HIS 
POST-EASTER BREAK AND RETURNED TO VATICAN CITY APRIL 18 FOR 
HIS WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE. EASTER WEEK EVENTS LEFT THE 
POPE VISIBLY FATIGUED AND AT TIMES HE APPEARED ON THE VERGE 
OF COLLAPSE. DESPITE THE RIGORS, VATICAN SPOKESMAN JOAQUIN 
NAVARRO-VALLS ANNOUNCED THAT THE 80-YEAR OLD POPE WOULD 
SPEND ONLY TWO DAYS AT HIS RETREAT 25 KILOMETERS OUTSIDE OF 
ROME. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  02213  212018Z 
------------------------------------- 
POPE APPOINTS NEW AMBASSADOR TO ITALY 
------------------------------------- 
 
5.   POPE JOHN PAUL HAS APPOINTED ARCHBISHOP PAOLO ROMEO AS 
HIS AMBASSADOR (NUNCIO) TO ITALY AND THE REPUBLIC OF SAN 
MARINO. ROMEO IS CURRENTLY PAPAL REPRESENTATIVE IN CANADA. A 
34-YEAR VETERAN OF THE VATICAN DIPLOMATIC SERVICE, 
ARCHBISHOP ROMEO HAS SERVED AS NUNCIO TO COLOMBIA AND HAITI. 
HIS OTHER POSTINGS IN LESSER CAPACITIES HAVE INCLUDED THE 
PHILIPPINES, BELGIUM, VENEZUELA AND RWANDA. HE ALSO WORKED 
IN THE VATICAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY. BORN IN 1938 IN SICILY, 
ROMEO WAS ORDAINED A PRIEST IN 1961. HE HOLDS A DOCTORATE IN 
CANON LAW AND ENTERED THE VATICAN'S DIPLOMATIC SERVICE IN 
1967. HE SPEAKS FRENCH, SPANISH, ENGLISH AND GERMAN, AS WELL 
AS HIS NATIVE ITALIAN. MERANTE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2001VATICA02213 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED