Budapest: Josef Homeyer, the president of the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) is visiting Hungary and some of the new member-countries of the European Union.

The purpose of his trip is to gain a closer view on the difficulties and challenges these countries and churches have to face after the 40 years of communism.

Regarding the idea of a Christian Europe the bishop was optimistic – he believes Christianity is going to be able to influence the future of a common Europe. The most important chance for this is the message of Christ. As he explained, our continent’s history is resting on three base pillars: the Capitolium in Rome, the Areopagus in Athens and the Golgotha in Jerusalem. The conditions of our continent’s history are at the same time the conditions of its existence. The history of Europe cannot be shaped without Christianity. Josef Homeyer considers regretful that the European constitution only refers to religious heritage: it should have been more appropriate to mention a Jewish-Christian heritage.

Independently of this, it is a fact that besides Roman thinking and Greek spirit Christianity played an immense role in moulding European civilisation. Despite some breaks that happened throughout the history of Christianity, we always have the possibility to return to the core of the Christian principles, the message of Jesus Christ. Should we reach however high level of technological or scientific development, it is never going to be able to give people the hope they need.

The bishop underlined: also today, Christianity is able to have an inspiring effect on the identical development of Europe. He is convinced that despite of all the difficulties the churches have in these countries, only Christian values can guarantee the cohesion of the new Europe.

Hungarian version: Az új Európa összetartozását a keresztény értékek biztosítják

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