After the Pauline Year, in Tarsus, everything is back as it was before

“"After the Pauline Year, in Tarsus, everything is back as it was before”: it was said today by card. Joachim Meisner (Cologne), as he commented the news from the Turkish city. “The promises made by the top ranks down to the local authorities have not been kept”, stated the cardinal to the Cologne newspaper “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”, saying he received as “a big disappointment” the news that the Church of Tarsus will remain a museum. The measures taken by the authorities, he added, “will enforce again the practice that applies to any other Turkish place, where Christian liturgical celebrations are only occasionally permitted”. Meisner’s protest is loud: “Whenever freedom of religion is so massively violated, one cannot but have serious doubts on the other human rights as well”. In addition, “one should hope the Turkish citizens in Germany, i.e. the Islamic organisations, given how generously they are treated in this country, for example in the building of their mosques, may put in a good word for the Christians in their native country. I expressly ask for a clear, visible gesture", concluded the archbishop of Cologne, who has striven long and hard to obtain full freedom of worship in that Church that is particularly beloved by Christians.

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“A clampdown”. Mgr. Luigi Padovese, president of the Turkish Bishops Conference (Cet), does not mince his words about the decision taken by the Turkish authorities to let the Church of Saint Paul, in Tarsus, as a museum. “With a document of the Ministry of Tourism dated 8th July, sent on 28th July to the director of the Museum of Tarsus – explains to SIR mgr. Padovese, who is also the apostolic vicar to Anatolia, in whose province Tarsus is located –, the Turkish authorities ruled that the church, where pilgrimages were celebrated during the just-ended Pauline Year, will still be used as a museum, just as before. Now, to celebrate, one will have to make a reservation with the museum director at least three days earlier and will have to pay a ticket. Without a reservation, one can no longer celebrate. In addition – the apostolic vicar adds –, if the Masses are detrimental to the museum and get in the way of the tourists’ visits, they must be kept shorter. The situation has got worse – the president of the Turkish Bishops denounces –. This is a clear clampdown on rights”. Mgr. Padovese is extremely annoyed, especially “after so many words and so many commitments taken to enable Christians to have a permanent place of worship in Tarsus. This is tantamount to denying a freedom of religion and worship”.
Mgr. Padovese’s annoyance is shared by the archbishop of Cologne, card. Joachim Meisner, who had worked hard, with the German Government, for the Church of Tarsus. As reported to SIR by mgr. Padovese, “the cardinal of Cologne, in a note he sent me, speaks of ‘promises that have not been kept, a lack of religious freedom, an unworthy treatment of the Church, and decisions that go against the European Directives. The cardinal himself urges the thousands of Turks who live in Germany to make their voices be heard against such decision on the basis of their rights that are respected in Germany”. Just one month ago, on the occasion of the closing of the Pauline Year, mgr. Padovese stated to SIR that the church-museum of Saint Paul, in Tarsus, would have been used, even after June 30th, as a place of worship, “pending a final decision by the Turkish central and local authorities that we expect will arrive soon. The city of Tarsus owes it to the apostle Paul, who has made it famous all over the world. The pilgrims who keep going to Tarsus, even now the Pauline Year has ended, need a church to collect their thoughts in meditation. One cannot pray in a museum. I thank the authorities for understanding this need”. Unfortunately, such need was not understood as the Church had hoped for.

© SIR 31 luglio 2009 Ultimo aggiornamento Venerdì 31 Luglio 2009 19:32