Latvia

Pope: Latvia can serve as an example for Europe

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June 21, 2012

Pope Banadict XVI and Valdis Dombrovskis

When meeting with the Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis on Wednesday, June 20, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his contentment that Latvia managed to overcome the crisis.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis passed on greetings from the Latvian people to the Pope, and proposed the Pope to support Latvia’s candidacy for the organization of the World Youth Day on 2015, as well as offered him to visit Latvia.

Both the Pope and the Prime Minister agreed that there is need for spiritual renewal in society, where Christian traditions have a large role: teaching responsibility and long term thinking.

Dombrovskis pointed that the organization of the World Youth Day in Latvia would be the first time for this event to transpire in a post-Soviet type of country with ecumenism traditions. Another reason why Latvia would be a good place for organizing the World Youth Day is the role of Aglone as an important pilgrimage destination in the region. Also, 2015 will mar 800 years since Pope Innocent III proclaimed Livonia as Terra Mariana, or Land of Mary.

Pope Benedict XVI also pointed that Latvia can serve as an example for Europe in terms of ecumenism traditions. The Prime Minister and the Pope agreed that family plays an important role in society and that demographic problems need to be resolved.

Dombrovskis also met with the Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. During their meeting, both sides agreed that the relationships between Latvia and the Vatican are very good. Bertone respectively evaluated the successful cooperation between the Latvian state and the Vatican in offering aid to low-income layers of society and protecting the family institute. The Foreign Affairs Minister of the Vatican Dominique Mamberti pointed that moral recovery of post-Soviet society is very important to the Vatican.

During the official visit, Latvian government’s representatives awarded the former Italian ambassador to Latvia Francesco Puccio with the Medal of Three Stars, to thank him for his hard work in developing Latvian – Italian relations.

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