In Order to Live in a World of Peace All of Us Need to Work Seriously and Untiringly

Monsignor Parolin, Undersecretary of State

Monsignor Pietro Parolin was born in 1955 in Vicenza, Italy.

Prelate emeritus of His Holiness the Supreme Pontiff.

Since 1988 he has been in diplomatic service (Second Section) of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. He occupied different posts in Nigeria, Mexico and the Secretariat of State. Since 2002 he has been the Vatican's under-secretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.

What can Bulgaria use of its past in order to continue forward, now that Bulgaria is about to become an integral part of the European Union?
Across the millennia Bulgaria has been a veritable melting pot of peoples and cultures: the Thracians with their rich tombs, the Asian Bulgars adopting the culture of the Slavs, the Romans leaving behind theatres and thermal baths, Byzantium and Rome enriching Bulgaria's faith and culture, the Ottoman culture slipping into aspects of daily life, the European dynasties introducing new institutions, the Jewish people and Bulgaria's heroic act of standing up to the Nazis.... In terms of Christian heritage, the contribution to European civilization by Cyril and Methodius cannot be underestimated. Cyril's name is perennially linked to the alphabet bearing his name and to most of the Slavic languages and culture. Methodius made possible the initial contacts between the Slavic-Byzantine and the Roman-Latin traditions in the heart of Europe. For these reasons, Pope John Paul II proclaimed the brothers Apostles of the Slavic Peoples, Co-Patrons of Europe, symbols of a Europe fully breathing with two lungs, the East and the West. If I may add, even in death the brothers continue to show us the “natural unity” of Europe: Cyril's tomb is in the West, in Rome, and that of Methodius is in the East (or Centre, as some may prefer) in Velehrad. Thus the Bulgarians can rightly claim to possess a culture that has Asian, Slavic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and “modern Western European” elements in it, a cultural heritage that somehow prefigures the European Union, not only in its present state, but more so in its phase of further enlargement. The country's contribution to the EU may not be primarily economic, considering its size and population, but this wealth of culture, of history and of enduring values it will offer to the EU is considerable, indeed. And we know that the EU is not and must not become a mere economic zone, but a union of peoples as well. Moreover, Bulgaria's strategic geographical position at the crossroads of many routes makes it an ideal place to launch programmes aimed at re-enforcing the network of human relations in the region and beyond. Finally, with the country confident and assured of its rightful place in the Europe, the Bulgarians will bring into EU fresh enthusiasm, the vigour of youth, a sense of sacrifice for the greater and common good. In this perspective, the Holy See believes that Bulgaria's full membership of the EU will be mutually beneficial to both parties and thus looks forward to Bulgaria generously contributing to the construction of Europe and harmoniously playing its role in this concert of nations in crescendo that is the EU.

Is the struggle between religions somehow repeating itself in today's globalised world? Is there a risk of a conflict between the States of today's civilization based on religious grounds?
These days, people talk and argue about a “clash of civilizations” just about everywhere. But while there is no ignoring the fact that the matter is, indeed, at once very relevant and serious, it seems fatalistic to speak of a “clash of civilizations”. As you have put it well, globalisation is a major contributing factor to the meetings of diverse cultures and religions. With their differences, there are bound to be frictions and misunderstandings, prejudice and rejection. The Catholic Church anticipated this with the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), with insistent exhortations to unity among Christians, dialogue and fraternity with the non Christian religions — especially with Judaism and Islam — and the contemporary world. Differences are called to be a source not of division, but of enrichment. When religion becomes the cause of intolerance and violence against others and when it is forced on others, then religion loses its meaning. On the contrary, religion possesses a vital role in offering gestures of peace, in creating the conditions for peace. It does this by teaching and practicing its unique characteristics: openness to God, universal fraternity and a culture of solidarity. In today's multi-ethnic and multi-confessional societies, religions constitute an important factor of unity and the Christian religion, with its universal outlook, invites all to openness, to dialogue and to a harmonious working together. Here emerges the importance that religion assumes in every culture and that is why the Holy See considers one of its absolute priorities the defence and promotion of religious freedom. `The diplomacy of the Holy See is not determined by economic or political interests, nor does it have geopolitical ambitions; it's “strategic” priorities are, above all, to ensure and to promote the conditions for a free exercise of religious freedom of all, conditions that are anchored in human nature itself and in an objective moral order. In this regard, how can one fail to remember the great contribution that the outstanding Bulgarian witnesses, like the Catholic Bishop of Nicopoli (Russe) Eugene Bossilkov and all those who stood up for human rights and religious freedom, even unto death? Religious liberty implies, among other things, that while respecting the legitimate autonomy and secular nature of the State, the public dimension of religion be recognized. This argument has been advanced on various occasions by the Holy See, not only during the recent debate on the Christians roots of Europe, but also in relation to some national legislations. In this regard a “healthy dialogue between the State and the Churches, which are not rivals but partners”, is necessary – as Pope John Paul II reminded the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on January 12, 2004. This is so in order to respect the principles of an authentic pluralism and to build true democracy, either on the national or international level. Was it not Alexis De Tocqueville who underlined the fact that despotism does not need religion, but freedom and democracy do? (cfr. his Democracy in America I, 9).