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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, DECEMBER 27, 1982
PAGE 9
Some parts of the speech, of course, will repeat what has already appeared.
However, I thought fuller excerpts from the complete text would give a
greater overview of how Pope John Paul II sees Europe's role in the future.
He delivered the "Declaration to Europe" in the presence of King Juan
Carlos I of Spain, selected representatives of European organizations and
leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. (Subheads in the text are
as they appeared in L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO.) The speech reveals the pope's
deep concern over Europe as it approaches, as he says, "the dawn of the
third millennium of Christianity."
At the end of my pilgrimage in the land of Spain I pause at this
splendid cathedral, one so closely linked with the Apostle James
and with the Spanish faith•..•
This place, so dear to the people of Galicia, and to all the
Spanish people, has throughout history attracted and brought
together people from Europe and from among all Christian peoples.
This is why I wished that this meeting with the distinguished
representatives of European bodies, of the bishops and organiza
tions of the continent, be held here in this place•..with you I
want to reflect this afternoon on Europe.
At this moment
l
have in mind the whole continent of Europe: I
can see its extensive communications network which unites Euro
pean cities and nations; and I can still see those roads which,
from the Middle Ages, have led and do lead innumerable crowds of
pilgrims, moved by their devotion to the Apostle, to Santiago of
Compostela....The whole of Europe found itself here at the tomb
of James during the same centuries as it was being built up as�
homogeneous and spiritually united continent. Therefore, even
Goethe would point out that European self-awareness arose out of
pilgrimages.
Mutual understanding of European people
The pilgrimage to Santiago was one of the more significant fac
tors which brought about the mutual understanding of such differ
ent European peoples as the Latins, the Germans, the Celts, the
Anglo-Saxons and the Slavs.
The history of the formation of the European nations runs paral
lel with their evangelization, to the point that the European
frontiers coincided with those of the inroads of the Gospel. It
can be said that the European identity is not understandable
without ciirlstianity, and that it is precisely in Christianity
that are found those common roots by which the continent has seen
its civilization mature: its culture, its dynamism, its activity,
its capacity for constructive expansion in other continents as
well; in a word, all that makes ..!:!.E its glory.••.
Lack of profound grasp of the faith
I cannot be silent about the critical state which it [Europe]
finds itse"""'f"f at the dawn o�he third millennium of Christianity
.•••This crisTs affectsboth civil and relig1ouslife. On the
civil"piane Europe 1s divided. Some unnatural divisions deprive