Rome, Italy, Nov 8, 2007 / 13:00 pm
The Holy Father marked the 16th centenary of the death of St. John Chrysostom today with a letter in which he pointed to the saint's "shining figure," and proposed his example "for the joint edification" of the universal Church.
The letter was read this morning at the opening of an international congress entitled, "St. John Chrysostom 1600 years after his Death," being held at Rome's "Augustinianum" patristic institute from November 8 to 10.
"The life and doctrinal teaching of this saintly bishop and Doctor ring out in every century," the Pope writes, "and even today they still induce universal admiration. The Roman Pontiffs have always recognized in him a living source of wisdom for the Church and their interest in his teaching became more intense over the course of last century."
Among the notable characteristics of St. Chrysostom, Pope Benedict cited, “his capacity to interpret Scripture in a manner the faithful could understand." He also sought "to strengthen the unity of the Church, ... at a historical moment in which it was threatened both internally and externally. He rightly felt that unity among Christians depends above all on a correct understanding of the central mystery of the Church's faith: that of the Blessed Trinity and the Incarnation of the Divine Word."