REINVIGORATED POPE WELCOMES END OF WAR, CONDEMNS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 001694 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),NEA/NGA, NEA/IAI E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM IS WE IZ PHUM IS WE IZ VT VTPREL SUBJECT: REINVIGORATED POPE WELCOMES END OF WAR, CONDEMNS TERRORISM AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN EASTER MESSAGES REF: VATICAN 1570 -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 VATICA 01694 01 OF 02 221342Z SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) A VIGOROUS POPE JOHN PAUL II PRESIDED OVER THE VATICAN'S EASTER WEEK SERVICES, USING HIS HOMILIES AND EASTER MESSAGE TO FOCUS GLOBAL ATTENTION ON THE HOLY SEE'S TOP INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS: RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ, PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CONDEMNATION OF TERRORISM AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE, AND THE NEED TO AVOID A CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS. THE POPE ALSO CAUTIONED AGAINST NEGLECTING LESS PROMINENT CONFLICTS IN AFRICA, ASIA, AND LATIN AMERICA. HIS MESSAGES REINFORCE THE VATICAN'S FORWARD-LOOKING AGENDA IN THE WAKE OF THE IRAQ WAR, AND ITS DESIRE TO REFOCUS INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION ON ITS BROADER AGENDA AFTER MONTHS OF INTENSE FOCUS ON IRAQ. END SUMMARY. -------------- REBUILDING IRAQ FOR IRAQIS -------------- ¶2. (U) IN HIS EASTER MESSAGE "TO THE CITY AND THE WORLD", THE POPE EVOKED CHEERS FROM THE THOUSANDS IN ST. PETER'S SQUARE WITH HIS DECLARATORY STATEMENT: "PEACE IN IRAQ." HE URGED THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE, "WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY," SHOULD BECOME "THE PROTAGONISTS OF THE COLLECTIVE REBUILDING OF THEIR COUNTRY." THE FUTURE OF IRAQ WAS ALSO AT THE CENTER OF THE GOOD FRIDAY HOMILY -- TRADITIONALLY PREACHED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE POPE BY A PAPAL HOUSEHOLD PREACHER. THIS YEAR'S PREACHER, CAPUCHIN FATHER RANIERO CANTALAMESSA, WHILE NEVER MENTIONING IRAQ OR THE UNITED STATES BY NAME, QUOTED JOHN LENNON, JEAN-PAUL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 VATICA 01694 01 OF 02 221342Z SARTRE AND ST. AUGUSTINE, AND ASSERTED THAT "EVERY NATION HAS THE RIGHT TO GOVERN ITSELF." CANTALAMESSA STRESSED THE DIFFICULTY OF IDENTIFYING THE ENEMY "WHERE TERRORISM IS CONCERNED." HE ALSO OBSERVED THAT SOMEONE ONCE CRITICIZED ABRAHAM LINCOLN FOR BEING TOO COURTEOUS TO HIS ENEMIES AND TOLD LINCOLN THAT HIS JOB AS PRESIDENT WAS TO DESTROY THEM. LINCOLN ANSWERED, "DO I NOT DESTROY MY ENEMIES WHEN I MAKE THEM MY FRIENDS?" THE PAPAL PREACHER THEN ASKED: "WILL THAT GREAT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE UP THE TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE?" -------------- REFOCUSING ON GLOBAL AGENDA -------------- ¶3. (U) THE POPE'S EASTER MESSAGE ALSO SOUGHT TO REFOCUS ATTENTION TO THE "FORGOTTEN WARS AND PROTRACTED HOSTILITIES" BRINGING SUFFERING, DEATH AND DESTRUCTION IN VARIOUS PARTS OF AFRICA, ASIA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CAUCASUS REGION OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION "AMID SILENCE AND NEGLECT ON THE PART OF CONSIDERABLE SECTORS OF PUBLIC OPINION." RETURNING TO ONE OF THE VATICAN'S GREATEST PREOCCUPATIONS, THE PONTIFF DECLARED THAT VIOLENCE AND BLOODSHED IN THE HOLY LAND "WITH NO SIGN OF CEASING" WERE CAUSING HIM "PROFOUND GRIEF." ¶4. (U) THE POPE REITERATED HIS CONSISTENT REJECTION OF TERRORISM "WHICH THREATENS THE ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN FAMILY" AND URGED FOLLOWERS OF ALL RELIGIONS TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING AND TO WORK TOGETHER FOR A "NEW ERA OF JUSTICE AND PEACE." HE ALSO PRAYED FOR UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 VATICA 01694 01 OF 02 221342Z DELIVERANCE FROM "THE PERIL OF A TRAGIC CLASH BETWEEN CULTURES AND RELIGIONS." PRAYERS WERE OFFERED FOR ALL SOLDIERS THAT "THEY WOULD NOURISH IN THE MINDS AND HEARTS THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT VENGEANCE" AND THAT THEY WORK FOR "RECONSTRUCTION AND LIFE." ¶5. (U) THE VATICAN'S BROAD INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS ALSO FOUND AN ECHO IN THE SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS CEREMONY AT ROME'S COLISEUM. THOSE CARRYING THE CROSS IN PROCESSION AROUND THE COLISEUM INCLUDED A WOMAN FROM COLOMBIA, MEN FROM SIERRA LEONE AND LIBERIA, FRANCISCAN FRIARS FROM THE HOLY LAND, AND AN ENGAGED COUPLE AND A WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER WHO HAD FLED IRAQ BEFORE THE WAR BEGAN. INTRODUCING THE SERVICE, THE POPE IMPLORED GOD'S ATTENTION TO "THE BLOOD SHED BY THE MANY VICTIMS OF HATRED, WAR AND TERRORISM." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) THE POPE'S EASTER SERVICES ARE BROADCAST VIA UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ9144 PAGE 01 VATICA 01694 02 OF 02 221343Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 DHS-00 PA-00 TEST-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /003W -------------- 59517F 221352Z /38 R 221344Z APR 03 FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN TO SECSTATE WASHDC INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE USINT HAVANA UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 001694 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT. FOR EUR/WE (MENNUTI),NEA/NGA, NEA/IAI E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM IS WE IZ PHUM IS WE IZ VT VTPREL SUBJECT: REINVIGORATED POPE WELCOMES END OF WAR, CONDEMNS TERRORISM AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN EASTER MESSAGES SATELLITE TO A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN A BILLION PEOPLE. THIS GLOBAL STAGE OFFERED THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HOLY SEE TO REINFORCE ITS GLOBAL REACH UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 VATICA 01694 02 OF 02 221343Z AND CONCERN, AND TO CALL INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC ATTENTION TO AREAS THE VATICAN BELIEVES REQUIRE THE MOST URGENT ATTENTION. THE ABSENCE OF DIRECT CRITICISM ABOUT THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AND THE CLEAR EFFORT TO BROADEN GLOBAL FOCUS BEYOND IRAQ REINFORCES THE MESSAGE CONVEYED TO U/S BOLTON RECENTLY (REFTEL) OF A VATICAN SEEKING TO MOVE BEYOND RECENT TENSIONS OVER IRAQ AND REINVIGORATE COOPERATION TO ADDRESS OTHER TROUBLE SPOTS AND LONG-RANGE PRIORITIES. THROUGHOUT THIS PHYSICALLY DEMANDING PERIOD, THE POPE APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL FORM, FREQUENTLY RAISING HIS VOICE FOR EMPHASIS AND EXTEMPORIZING IN RESPONSE TO ACTIONS FROM THE FAITHFUL. THE POPE'S PARTICIPATION WAS FACILITATED THIS YEAR WITH A NEW MOBILE PAPAL THRONE THAT CAN BE RAISED AND LOWERED ACCORDING TO LITURGICAL REQUIREMENTS. END COMMENT. NICHOLSON UNCLASSIFIED > 2003VATICA01694 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED