LETTER OF PATRIARCH ILIA II TO POPE JOHN PAUL II

26 June 1980

To His Holiness Pope John Paul II Your Holiness,
dear and much beloved brother in Jesus Christ,

Upon our return to Georgia I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to Your Holiness for the cordial brotherly reception in Vatican City.

We thank Their Eminences the Cardinals, Bishops and Vatican State officials for especial attention accorded our delegation.

We are firmly convinced that there must exist close brotherly relations between our Churches both in ecclesiastical and scientific and cultural spheres.

Today St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the founder of the Georgian Church rejoices and blesses us; today St. Apostle Peter, the founder of the glorious Roman Church offers up his prayers to the Lord for us. For they were brothers and there exists “One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all...” (Eph. 4,5-6). We believe that our historical meeting in Vatican will bear good fruit to the great cause of peace and co-operation between our Churches and nations.

May God bless the Roman-Catholic Church and in your person her Primate the Most Holy Pope John Paul II.

We offer our prayers for the prosperity and glorious ministry of Your Holiness.

May God strengthen and bless brotherly relations in Christ between us as the witness of One God, One Faith and One Church.

With brotherly love in the Lord Ilya II Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, President of the World Council of Churches

Ilya II Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
President of the World Council of Churches

Information Service 44 (1980/III-IV) 97