Pope Francis met the civil authorities in Kazakhstan, urging them to seek harmony, as they have done in history and tradition, so that peace and democracy prevail at home.
(Vatican News Network)Pope Francis arrived in Kazakhstan on 13 September for his 38th international pastoral visit. In the evening, local time, the Pope met the civil authorities and the diplomatic corps in the capital Nur-Sultan, offering his sincere greeting and stating that he was “honored” to visit the country as a “peaceful pilgrim”, “seek dialogue and solidarity “.
The Pope, straight to the point, underlined the urgency of peace in today’s world and of “re-establishing harmony”. The Pope used the image of the traditional Kazakh instrument, the dombra, throughout his speech to illustrate his thoughts. The dongbra, also known as two-stringed qin, originates in the Middle Ages and has been handed down through legends and poems, linking past and present.
Dombola symbolizes the legacy of tradition in the search for common ground while reserving differences, and its melody goes hand in hand with the memory of Kazakhstan. For this reason, the Pope observed, Dombura “serves as a reminder that, in the current rapid economic and social changes, the bonds that bind us with those who preceded us cannot be ignored”. The memory of Kazakhstan contains “a glorious history of culture and humanity, as well as suffering”. The country has had prison camps and mass exiles. However, “the Kazakh people do not allow themselves to continue to suffer these injustices: the memory of restricted freedoms makes them genuinely interested in the topic of inclusiveness”.
Returning to the image of the Dombura, the Pope recalled that it was a plucked instrument with two strings. The two parallel threads symbolize the harmony of the harsh winter and the heat of Kazakhstan, the harmony of modernity and the historic city. “Above all, we can hear the ‘fluttering music’ of the souls of Asia and Europe, which give them a ‘long-term mission to connect the two continents’.” Kazakhstan is home to 550 ethnic groups and more than 80 languages, people of all ethnic groups have different historical, cultural and religious traditions. This makes the country “a single multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious laboratory” destined to be a “land of encounters”.
With this vision in mind, the Pope stressed that he had come to Kazakhstan “to underline the importance and urgency of this aspect of the meeting, to which all religions are called to contribute in a particular way”. Religious freedom represents “the best way to live civil society in harmony”. Furthermore, the Kazakh word evokes a path of freedom and independence. By the way, the Pope said that Kazakhstan “affirmed the value of human life by abolishing the death penalty, recognizing the right of every human being to hope”, for which he “applauds”.
With regard to the democratic process that has taken place in Kazakhstan in recent months, the Pope observed that “the goal is to strengthen the functioning of parliament and local authorities and, more generally, promote a better distribution of power”. This is commendable, but it is an arduous process that requires perseverance towards the goal and never going back.
At the end of his speech, Pope Francis thanked those present for their hospitality and for having given many religious leaders the opportunity to engage in fraternal dialogue in these days. “I express to you who have primary responsibility for the public good, to all the people of your country, my pleasure to be here and to accompany everyone in prayer and care to ensure prosperity and harmony in this great country”, said the Papa said. future efforts. “
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