ISTANBUL (CNS) – With their different rites, cultures, languages and races, Catholics find a unity around the altar that “is a gift from God. As such, it is strong and invincible, because it is the work of his grace,” Pope Leo XIV said.
Celebrating Mass Nov. 29 in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena, Pope Leo was joined by laypeople, priests and bishops from the Latin, Chaldean, Armenian and Syriac Catholic churches.
The readings and prayers at the Mass were recited in Latin, Turkish, English, Armenian, Arabic and Italian.
Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and representatives of other Christian communities attended as well.
Celebrating the vigil Mass for the first Sunday of Advent, Pope Leo gave the Catholics what he described as “resolutions” to work on this Advent: building bridges with other Catholics, other Christians and other believers in God.
The unity in diversity on display in the arena, like three Istanbul bridges over the Bosphorus Strait linking Europe and Asia, need constant maintenance to stay strong, Pope Leo said.
Speaking to the diverse Catholic communities, the pope urged them to make every effort “to foster and strengthen the bonds that unite us, so that we may enrich one another and be a credible sign before the world of the Lord’s universal and infinite love.”
The second bond Catholics must cultivate, he said, is that with other Christians, because “the same faith in Jesus our savior unites not only those of us within the Catholic Church, but all our brothers and sisters belonging to other Christian churches.”
And, in a nation where about 99 percent of the population is Muslim, Pope Leo said, Catholics must practice dialogue and tolerance, promoting respect and peace in “a world where religion is too often used to justify wars and atrocities.”
“We want to walk together by appreciating what unites us, breaking down the walls of prejudice and mistrust, promoting mutual knowledge and esteem in order to give to all a strong message of hope and an invitation to become peacemakers,” he said.
Father Ryan C. Boyle, a lieutenant colonel and chaplain at Incirlik Air Base, was one of the concelebrants at the Mass, but unfortunately the U.S. military personnel who traveled to Istanbul with him were outside the arena with hundreds of other people, who did not get one of the 4,000 free tickets for Mass.
The bridge-building metaphor was appropriate, Father Boyle told Catholic News Service. “‘Pontifex Maximus’ – one of the titles for the pope – means great bridge builder.”
“And then, as a military chaplain, I work in a pluralistic environment with Protestant chaplains, Jewish chaplains, Muslim chaplains,” he said, “and even though we have very diverse backgrounds and faith traditions, we are often able to find the things in common and work together.”
As for the various Christian traditions, he said, “we are all united in our love for Jesus Christ. We all look forward to being in heaven with the angels and saints forever and ever. And of course, in heaven there won’t be signs, you know, saying ‘Catholics this way’ and ‘Orthodox that way.’”
