Vatican City, Aug 24, 2004 / 22:00 pm
At a special Liturgy of the Word this morning, Pope John Paul he is pleased and grateful to see the revered Russian icon of the Mother of God of Kazan return to Russian soil. A 10-member Vatican delegation will return the venerated image of Mary to its native Russia this week on the pontiff’s behalf.
According to historical accounts, the Marian icon had been taken from Moscow after World War II. It made its way through several European countries before settling for some time by the Sanctuary of Fatima in Portugal. The Pope was given the icon more than 10 years ago. However, in a gesture of reconciliation and unity, the Pope has decided to return the icon, which had been kept in the pontifical apartments, to the Russian Church and the entire Russian people.
The Pope had wanted to deliver the icon personally but the Russian Patriarch Alexei II said such a visit was unnecessary, claiming that the icon in the Pope’s possession is merely a copy. The Vatican has instead decided to send the icon with a delegation. Walter Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, will lead the delegation and is expected to give the icon to the Russian patriarch Aug. 28.
The liturgical celebration in the Paul VI Room included prayer and veneration of the icon. Following a song performed by a Russian choir, a Russian prayer to the Mother of God of Kazan, which the Pope composed, was read.