SPEECHES OF POPE JOHN PAUL II IN KAZAKHSTAN,
SEPTEMBER 22-25
From this city, from Kazakhstan, a country that is an example of harmony between men and women of different origins and beliefs, I wish to make an earnest call to everyone, Christians and the followers of other religions, to work together to build a world without violence, a world that loves life, and grows in justice and solidarity. We must not let what has happened lead to a deepening of divisions. Religion must never be used as a reason for conflict.
From this place, I invite both Christians and Muslims to raise an intense prayer to the One, Almighty God whose children we all are, that the supreme good of peace may reign in the world. May people everywhere, strengthened by divine wisdom, work for a civilization of love, in which there is no room for hatred, discrimination or violence.
With all my heart I beg God to keep the world in peace.
Pope John Paul II, Angelus,
Astana, Square of the Motherland, September 23 2001
Excerpts from the speeches on various occasions
ARRIVAL SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER
Astana International Airport, Saturday 22 September 2001
...I give thanks to God who has guided my steps to the city of Astana, capital of this noble and vast Country, located in the heart of Eurasia. It is with affection that I kiss this Land, which has given rise to a multi-ethnic state, heir to numerous centuries-old spiritual and cultural traditions, and now on the move to new social and economic objectives. I have long desired this meeting and great is my joy at being able to hold all the citizens of Kazakhstan in an admiring and affectionate embrace.
...This visit of mine is taking place ten years after the proclamation of the independence of Kazakhstan, achieved following a long period of darkness and suffering. The date of 16 December 1991 is indelibly inscribed in the annals of your history. This regained freedom has rekindled in you a surer confidence in the future, and I am convinced that your past experience will provide a wealth of lessons from which to draw in order to move courageously towards new horizons of peace and progress. Kazakhstan wishes to grow in brotherhood, dialogue and understanding; these are the indispensable requisites for building bridges of solidarity and cooperation with other peoples, nations and cultures.
It is in this light that Kazakhstan made the bold move in 1991 to close the nuclear facility of Semipalatinsk, subsequently announcing its unilateral rejection of nuclear arms and its adherence to the Pact totally banning atomic experimentation. This decision is based on the conviction that controversies must be resolved not by recourse to arms but by the peaceful means of negotiation and dialogue. I can only encourage this type of commitment, which well corresponds to the fundamental demands of solidarity and peace to which human beings aspire ever more knowingly.
...Today in your Country, which is one of the world's largest in area, citizens belonging to over a hundred nationalities and ethnic groups live side by side, each guaranteed the same rights and freedoms by your Constitution. This spirit of openness and cooperation is part of your tradition, for Kazakhstan has always been a land where different traditions and cultures come together and coexist. This has given rise to significant cultural achievements, seen in original artistic styles as well as in a flourishing literary tradition.
...Beloved peoples of Kazakhstan! Having learned from the experiences of your ancient and recent past, and especially from the sad events of the twentieth century, you must see to it that your commitment to your country is always based on the safeguarding of freedom, the inalienable right and profound aspiration of every person. In particular, recognize the right to religious freedom, which enables people to express their most deeply held beliefs I pray that God Almighty will bless and strengthen your steps along this path. May he help you to grow in freedom, unity and peace.
...Dear Kazakh people, a challenging mission awaits you: building a Country under the banner of true progress, in solidarity and peace. Kazakhstan, Land of martyrs and of believers, Land of deportees and of heroes, Land of intellectuals and of artists, do not be afraid! If the scars of the wounds inflicted on your body remain many and deep, if difficulties and obstacles hinder your work of material and spiritual rebuilding, you will find balm and encouragement in the words of the great Abai Kunanbai: "Love and justice are humanity's principles, these are the crowning of the work of the Most High" (Sayings, chapter 45).
...Love and justice! May the Most High, who guides men's steps, make these stars shine brightly upon your path, vast Land of Kazakhstan!
HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER
Astana, Square of the Motherland, Sunday 23 September 2001
...I know your history. I know the sufferings to which many of you have been subjected, when the previous totalitarian regime took you from your lands of origin and deported you here in a situation of distress and deprivation. I am happy to be here today among you and to tell you that you are close to the Pope's heart.
..."There is one God". The Apostle proclaims before all else the absolute oneness of God. This is a truth which Christians inherited from the children of Israel and which they share with Muslims: it is faith in the one God, "Lord of heaven and earth" (Lk 10:21), almighty and merciful.
In the name of this one God, I turn to the people of deep and ancient religious traditions, the people of Kazakhstan. I turn as well to those who belong to no religion and to those who are searching for truth. To them let me repeat the well-known words of Saint Paul, which it was my joy to hear repeated last May at the Areopagus in Athens: "[God] is not far from each one of us, for in him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:27-28). And I recall what was written by your great poet Abai Kunanbai: "Can his existence really be doubted / if every thing on the earth bears witness to him?" (Poetry, 14).
...Dearly beloved, humanity's homeland is the Kingdom of heaven! How compelling it is for us to ponder this truth in this place, in the Square which bears the name of the Mother Land, and where stands the monument symbolizing it. The Second Vatican Council taught that there is a link between human history and the Kingdom of God, between the various stages of society's progress and the final goal towards which humanity is called by the free decision of God (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 33-39).
The tenth anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan, which you celebrate this year, prompts us to view things in this perspective. What link is there between this earthly homeland, with its values and goals, and the heavenly homeland, into which the whole human family is called to enter beyond every injustice and conflict? The Council's answer is enlightening: "Earthly progress must be distinguished from the unfolding of the Kingdom of Christ, but to the extent that it contributes to a better ordering of human society, it is most important for the Kingdom of God" (ibid., 39).
...In this celebration we want to pray for Kazakhstan and its inhabitants, so that this vast nation, with all its ethnic, cultural and religious variety, will grow stronger in justice, solidarity and peace. May it progress on the basis in particular of cooperation between Christians and Muslims, committed day by day, side by side, in the effort to fulfill God's will.
...Dear Brothers and Sisters, may the "Mother Land" of Kazakhstan find in you her loving and concerned children, faithful to the spiritual and cultural heritage received from your forebears and able to adapt this heritage to new demands.
In keeping with the Gospel, distinguish yourself by your humility and integrity, offering your talents for the sake of the common good and showing special concern for the weakest and most disadvantaged. Respect for each one's rights, even when that person has different personal beliefs, is the foundation of all truly human harmony.
...Dear Brothers and Sisters, deeply moved with joy, I want to exhort you and all the believers united with us in the words which I have often repeated as we begin this millennium: Duc in altum!
With affection I embrace you, people of Kazakhstan, and I encourage you to bring to completion all your projects of love and salvation. God will never abandon you. Amen.
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER
MEETING WITH THE ORDINARIES OF CENTRAL ASIA
Astana (Apostolic Nunciature), Sunday 23 September 2001
...It is with deep joy that I meet you again, following this morning's solemn Eucharistic celebration in the great Square of the Motherland. I greet each one of you with affection and I thank you for your zeal and sacrifice in contributing to the rebirth of the Church in these vast regions, situated on the border between two continents.
Here, the Catholic Church is only a little plant, but she is full of hope because of her trust in the power of divine grace. The long years of the Communist dictatorship, during which so many of the faithful were deported to the gulags set up in these lands, caused much suffering and bereavement. How many priests, religious and laity paid for their faithfulness to Christ with unimaginable suffering, and even the sacrifice of their lives! The Lord has heard the cry of these martyrs, whose blood has drenched the soil of your land. Yet again "the blood of martyrs has been the seed of Christians" (cf. Tertullian, Apologeticum, 50, 13). From this blood your Christian communities have sprung up like seedlings, and now they look to the future with confidence.
...The experiences of the small Christian communities of Central Asia after communism and its present strongly minority situation call to mind the Gospel parable of the leaven which causes the dough to rise (cf. Mt 13:33).
...The recent establishment of the Apostolic Administrations and the Missions sui iuris, by means of which the Church has gained a visible and solid structure, heralds the beginning of a promising time of evangelization.
...It is ten years since Kazakhstan obtained the independence it had longed for. But the climate of a weakening of values which it inherited from the previous regime still needs attention. The long winter of communist domination, with its claim to eradicate God from the human heart, often reduced the spiritual content of these peoples' cultures. For this reason there is a scarcity of ideals which makes people particularly vulnerable to the myths of consumerism and hedonism imported from the West. These are social and spiritual challenges which call for a courageous missionary impulse.
...I wish to express my great pleasure at the completion of the Seminary at Karaganda, which offers much promise for the future. As the seminary for all of Central Asia, it is a sign of effective cooperation between your Churches. Make every effort to ensure that within its walls a solid human and spiritual formation, as well as a serious theological and pastoral training, is given to candidates to the priesthood.
...Dear Brothers, I wish to end by encouraging you to promote ecumenical dialogue. Your pastoral activity is carried out in close contact with the members of the Orthodox Church, who share the same faith in Christ and the richness of a large part of the same ecclesial tradition. May your mutual relations be characterized by warmth and respect, in fidelity to the Lord's words: "Love one another". At the dawn of the new millennium, let us harbour the hope that Christ's disciples, even if not fully united, will be at least closer to one another, also as a result of the experience of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.
Respect and dialogue should also be fostered in relation to the Muslim community, with those who belong to other religions and with those who profess themselves to be non-believers. May everyone be able to appreciate the gift of your faith lived in charity and may they open their hearts to the most profound dimensions of life.
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER
COURTESY VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
Presidential Palace, Astana, Sunday 23 September 2001
I am grateful to you Mr President for your kind words. Again I thank Providence for having allowed me to come here and to be here. A few days ago some felt that it would not be possible on account of the tragic events in the United States. But we have seen that it is possible, thanks be to God.
It is the first time I visit this part of the globe, Central Asia. The first source of information on Kazakhstan was for me Fr Bukowinski, who is well known here. During the Second World War he was deported as a priest from Poland to the Soviet Union and here he passed his entire life. Here he died and was buried, at Karaganda. From him I begin to learn about Kazakhstan. But now it is the first time that I can see them with my own eyes. It is a shame that I cannot visit Karaganda and the tomb of Fr Bukowinski.
I see here that Astana is a modern city. These meetings, these experiences I have lived, compel me to pray even more for your country, your People and for you, Mr President. I am happy that my visit falls on the tenth anniversary of your independence, because I am convinced - as is the Church - that every nation has the right to its sovereignty. This national sovereignty is also the full expression of what a nation is to be as a political subject. I make the wish for all of you, and above all for you Mr President that this sovereignty be long lasting, fruitful, ever fuller, embracing all the sectors of national life: economic, political, cultural. This is very important.
I hope that the Catholics present in Kazakhstan may be able to contribute to the common good of the country. They are a restricted group, a minority but they can and will contribute - to the best of their ability - to the common good of Kazakhstan.
After the President finished his greeting, begging God's blessings on Kazakhstan, the Holy Father added:
My wish for you, Mr President, and for the whole people, is that God may bless all of you.
ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II
MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
Astana, Eurasia University, Sunday 23 September 2001
It is a great joy for me to meet with you, and I am deeply grateful for your warm welcome. I greet especially the Rector and the academic authorities of this new and already prestigious University. Its very name, Eurasia, indicates the particular mission which it has in common with your great nation which is a point of contact between Europe and Asia: a mission of linking two continents, their respective cultures and traditions, and the different ethnic groups who have mingled here through the centuries.
Indeed, yours is a country in which the world can see accord and harmony between different peoples as an eloquent sign of the vocation of all peoples to live together in peace, in mutual knowledge and openness, and an ever deeper discovery and appreciation of the distinctive traditions of each people. Kazakhstan is a land of encounter, exchange and newness; a land which stirs in everyone the desire for new discoveries and makes it possible to experience difference not as a threat but as an enrichment.
Recognizing this, dear young people, I greet each one of you. To all of you I say as a friend: peace be with you, may peace fill your hearts! Know that you are called to be the builders of a better world. Be peace-makers, because a society solidly based on peace is a society with a future.
...I am happy to meet you, the descendants of the noble Kazakh people, proud of your indomitable yearning for freedom, which is as limitless as the steppe where you were born. You come from different backgrounds, in which suffering played a big part.
Here you sit side by side, in a spirit of friendship, not because you have forgotten the evil there has been in your history, but because you are rightly more interested in the good that you can build together. There is no true reconciliation which does not lead to generous shared commitment.
...I have been told that, in your beautiful Kazakh language, "I love you" is "men senen jasky korejmen", which can be translated as "I look upon you well, my gaze upon you is good". Human love, but more fundamentally still God's love for humanity and creation, stems from a loving gaze, a gaze that helps us see the good and leads us to do what is good: "God saw everything he had made, and he found it very good" (Gen 1:31). Such a gaze allows us to see all that is positive in things and leads us to ponder far beneath the surface the beauty and richness of every human being we meet.
...I came among you in order to offer you encouragement. We are at the beginning of a new millennium: it is an important time for the world, because in people's minds there is a growing conviction that we cannot go on living divided as we are. Unfortunately nowadays, when communications are becoming easier by the day, differences are often apparent in still more dramatic forms. I urge you to work for a more united world, and to do so in your everyday life, bringing to the task the creative contribution of a heart renewed.
Your country is counting on you and expects much from you in the years ahead: the path your country takes will be determined by your choices. You will be the face of Kazakhstan tomorrow! Be courageous, fear nothing, and you will not be disappointed.
HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER
Astana. Cathedral of the Virgin of Perpetual Help, Monday 24 September 2001
...We celebrate this Eucharist in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. After the Communist oppression, you too - not unlike exiles - once more return to proclaim together your common faith. Today, ten years after regaining your freedom, you remember the struggles of the past and you sing praise to the provident mercy of the Lord, who does not abandon his children in their distress. I have long looked forward to today's meeting in order to share your joy.
With fraternal affection I greet Bishop Jan Pawe Lenga of Karaganda, who this year celebrates his tenth anniversary as a Bishop. I thank him for the gracious words which he addressed to me and I join him in thanking God for the good he has done in service of the Church. I would also have liked to visit his Diocese, but that was not possible. With similar affection I greet Bishop Tomasz Peta, the Apostolic Administrator of Astana, Bishop Henry Theophilus Howaniec, the Apostolic Administrator of Almaty, and the Reverend Janusz Kaleta, the Apostolic Administrator of Atyrau. I greet the Superiors of the Missions sui iuris and all my Brother Bishops here present.
...Rebuild the temple of the Lord: this is the mission to which you have been called and to which you have devoted yourselves. My thoughts turn at this time to your communities, once scattered and sorely tried. In heart and in spirit I relive the unspeakable trials of all those who suffered not only physical exile and imprisonment, but public ridicule and violence because they chose not to renounce the faith.
Here I wish to mention, among others, Blessed Oleksa Zarytsky, priest and martyr, who died in the gulag of Dolynka; Blessed Mykyta Budka, Bishop, who died in the gulag of Karadzar; Bishop Alexander Chira, for over twenty years the beloved and generous Pastor of Karaganda, who in his last letter wrote: "I consign my body to the earth, my spirit to the Lord, but my heart I give to Rome. Yes, with my final breath I desire to profess my complete fidelity to Christ's Vicar on earth". I also recall Father Tadeusz Federowicz, whom I know personally and who "invented" a new form of pastoral care for deportees.
In this Eucharist, I remember them all with gratitude and affection. From their sufferings in union with the Cross of Christ the new life of your Christian community has blossomed.
...During these ten years of rediscovered liberty much has been accomplished, thanks to the tireless zeal for evangelization which has been your hallmark. External structures, however, must be matched by a solid interior foundation. It is important, then, to ensure the theological, spiritual and pastoral formation of those whom the Lord calls to his service.
I am very pleased at the opening of the new seminary in Karaganda for seminarians from the Republics of Central Asia. Together with the Diocesan Centre, you have chosen to dedicate it to a zealous priest, Father Wadysaw Bukowiski, who throughout the difficult years of Communism continued to exercise his ministry in that city. "We have been ordained not to spare ourselves" he wrote in his memoirs "but, if necessary, to give our lives for the flock of Christ". I myself had the good fortune to know him and to appreciate his deep faith, the wisdom of his words, and his unshakable confidence in God's power. To him and to all those who spent their lives amid hardships and persecutions I wish to pay homage today, in the name of the whole Church.
...Before being heralds of the Gospel, we need to be credible witnesses. Now that the political and social climate has been freed from the burden of totalitarian oppression - and let us hope that the State will never again seek to limit the freedom of believers - there is a great need for every disciple of Christ to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 4:13-14).
...To the power of witness, dear Brothers and Sisters, add the gentleness of dialogue. Kazakhstan is a land of people of diverse origins, followers of different religions, heirs to illustrious cultures and a rich history. The sage Abai Kunanbai, an authoritative representative of Kazakh culture, spoke from a great heart when he said: "Precisely because we worship God fully and have faith in him, we have no right to claim that we must force others to believe in him and worship him" (Sayings, Chapter 45).
The Church has no wish to impose her own faith on others. It is clear, however, that this does not exempt the Lord's disciples from communicating to others the great gift which they have received: life in Christ.
ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II
MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WORLD OF CULTURE
Auditorium of the Congress Hall,Astana, 24 September 2001
Kazakhstan is heir to a history in which complex and often sorrowful events have given rise to diverse traditions, so that today it stands as a unique example of a multiethnic, multicultural and multireligious society. Be proud of your Nation and conscious of the great responsibility which is yours in preparing for its future.
Kazakhstan is a vast country which down the centuries has given rise to a vibrant local culture, rich in creative developments, thanks also to the influence of Russian intellectuals confined here by the totalitarian regime.
How many people have passed through this country! I would like to mention, in particular, the Venetian traveler and merchant Marco Polo, who in medieval times admiringly described the moral qualities and the rich traditions of the men and women of the steppe. The endless stretches of your plains, the sense of human frailty in the face of the untrammelled power of nature, the awareness of the mystery which lies hidden beyond the phenomena of the senses, everything inspires in your people an openness to fundamental human questions and the search for answers which are significant for universal culture.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, you are called to acquaint the world with Kazakhstan's rich cultural tradition: this is a demanding undertaking, and yet an attractive one, for it commits you to discovering the deepest features of that tradition, in order to combine them in a harmonious synthesis.
One of your country's great thinkers, the teacher Abai Kunanbai, put it this way: "A man cannot be a man unless he perceives the evident and the hidden mysteries of the universe, unless he seeks an explanation for everything. Anyone who fails to do this is no different from the animals. God distinguished man from the animals by giving him a soul... It is absolutely necessary that we constantly extend our interests, increasing the knowledge which nourishes our souls. It is important to realize that the goods of the soul are incomparably superior to the benefits of the body, and that carnal needs should be subordinated to the imperatives of the soul" (Sayings of Abai, Chapter 7).
How can we not appreciate the profound wisdom of these words, which seem like a commentary on the disturbing question asked by Jesus in the Gospel: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" (Mk 8:36). "If the heart no longer aspires to anything", Abai Kunanbai says, "who can unveil its thought? / ... If reason abandons itself to desire, / it loses all its depth. / ... Can a people worthy of this name do without reason?" (Poems, 12).
Questions like this are religious by their very nature, in the sense that they appeal to those supreme values which have God as their ultimate foundation. Religion, for its part, cannot fail to grapple with these existential questions; otherwise it loses contact with life.
Christians know that in Jesus of Nazareth, called the Christ, a complete answer has been given to the questions dwelling deep in the human heart. Jesus' words, his actions and, in the end, his Paschal Mystery, have revealed him to be the Redeemer of man and the Saviour of the world. Of this "good news", which for two thousand years has been on the lips of countless men and women in every part of the earth, the Pope of Rome comes before you today as a humble and convinced witness, in full respect for the search which other people of good will are engaged in along different paths.
...Consequently - even in the context of a soundly secular State, which is obliged in any event to guarantee to each citizen, without distinction of sex, race and nationality, the fundamental right to freedom of conscience - there is a need to acknowledge and defend the right of believers to bear public witness to their faith. Authentic religious practice cannot be reduced to the private sphere or narrowly restricted to the edges of society. The beauty of the new houses of worship which are beginning to rise up almost everywhere in the new Kazakhstan is a precious sign of spiritual rebirth and a sign of promise for the future.
For their part, centres of education and culture can only gain from an openness to greater knowledge of the more vital and significant religious achievements in your nation's history.
...Let us listen to the great teacher Abai Kunanbai: "All people, whatever their religion, attribute to God love and justice. Love and justice are the origin of humanity. Those in whom sentiments of love and justice prevail are the truly wise" (Sayings of Abai, Chapter 45).
In this context, and precisely here in this Land of encounter and dialogue, and before this distinguished audience, I wish to reaffirm the Catholic Church's respect for Islam, for authentic Islam: the Islam that prays, that is concerned for those in need. Recalling the errors of the past, including the most recent past, all believers ought to unite their efforts to ensure that God is never made the hostage of human ambitions. Hatred, fanaticism and terrorism profane the name of God and disfigure the true image of man.
...At the end of this meeting, which in a certain sense concludes my visit to your beautiful country, I wish to assure you of the real cooperation and the sincere prayers of the Pope and of the whole Catholic Church to the Almighty and Most High God that Kazakhstan, faithful to its native Eusasian vocation, will continue to be a land of encounter and acceptance, in which men and women of the two great continents will be able to live long days of prosperity and peace.
ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II
FAREWELL CEREMONY
Astana International Airport, Tuesday 25 September 2001
These three memorable days which have enabled me to meet so many people here in Astana and to experience at first hand the vitality of the Kazakh people are coming to an end. The memory of my stay in this noble country, rich in history and cultural traditions, will be with me for a long time.
I thank you for the kind and heartfelt welcome which you have given me. I thank you, Mr President, for the exquisite hospitality which you have shown in all sorts of ways. I thank the administrative, military and religious authorities as well as those who prepared my visit and took care of its organization. To each and every one of you I express my most sincere gratitude.
The words which I have heard in the various moments we have spent together remain impressed on my mind. I have in mind the hopes and expectations of this dear people, which I have come to know and respect more deeply: a people that has suffered years of harsh persecution, but has not hesitated to commit itself with enthusiasm to the path of development. A people seeking to build a serene future for its children, marked by solidarity, because it loves and seeks peace.
Kazakhstan, a nation which has centuries of history behind it, knows how important and urgent peace is. Because of your geographical position, you are a frontier land and a land of encounter. Here, in these endless steppes, men and women of different races, cultures and religions have met and continue to meet in peace.
Kazakhstan, may you with God's help grow in unity and solidarity! This is the heartfelt wish that I repeat as I recall the theme of this entire visit: "Love one another!" (Jn 13:34). These demanding words of Jesus, uttered on the eve of his death on the Cross, have inspired and marked each stage of my pilgrimage.
"Love one another!" This country, home to men and women of different origins, needs solid agreements and stable social relations. It is not an exaggeration to say that your country has a vocation all its own: that of being, in an ever more conscious way, a bridge between Europe and Asia. May this be your civil and religious choice. Be a bridge made up of people who embrace other people: people who communicate fullness of life and hope.
In saying farewell to you, dear Kazakh people, I wish to assure you that the Church will continue to be at your side. In close cooperation with the other religious communities and with all men and women of goodwill, Catholics will not fail to do their part to ensure that all together can build a common home which is ever more open and welcoming.
The quest for dialogue and harmony has characterized relations between Christianity and Islam here ever since the time of the formation of the Turkish Khanate in the endless spaces of your steppes, and this has enabled your country to become a junction between East and West on the great Silk Road. The younger generations too should follow this path with renewed commitment.
"Love one another!" This demanding saying of the Lord tests our credibility as Christians. Jesus himself warns: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn 13:35).
4. The Great Jubilee of the Year Two Thousand spurred Christians to an intense spiritual reawakening and called them to be witnesses to love in order to respond to the challenges of the third millennium. May you also be witnesses to love, without respite! Be ready to promote "peace, so often threatened by the spectre of catastrophic wars" (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 51). Be vigilant watchmen, committed to "respect for the life of every human being" (Ibid.).
Men and women of other religions who have the destiny of your people at heart, may you also be witnesses to love! Abai Kunanbai's question is directed to us all: "If I have been given the name of man, can I fail to love?" (Poetry 12). I am happy to echo this question now as I leave you: can a human being fail to love?
As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, as I recall the many events which have marked the history of the past century, I repeat: Look to the future with confidence! I have come among you as a pilgrim of hope, and I now prepare to undertake my return journey, not without emotion and nostalgia. The memories of these days will go with me; I will carry the certainty that you, people of Kazakhstan, will not fail in your mission of solidarity and peace.
May God bless and protect you always!
