The Supreme Word

October 23, 1999

Welcome to this ship of peace. It is a great pleasure for me to address to you my own heartfelt greetings as well as those of all our fellow participants, and to welcome you to the third international scientific symposium on the subject “Religion – Science – Environment.” The sub-theme of the symposium this year is “Danube – A River of Life,” which is why it is taking place on a ship sailing along the Danube. Our subject is clearly of interest to all countries situated along the Danube, one of which is yours.

Without a doubt, science has important things to say on this subject, because it studies and records the actual situation, determines its causes, predicts their effects, and recommends measures to address it. Both the state administration and political leadership have an equally important voice in these matters, since it is up to them to decide on the necessary measures, and to ensure that they are implemented. Within this whole process of scientific, technical and administrative activities, it may appear at first glance that the Church and religion have nothing to contribute. In fact, they contribute the most essential element: namely, belief in the moral necessity of these measures, and the moral justification of the entire effort. Moreover, they contribute their blessing and the blessing of God, without which nothing good can be achieved.

I say “the most essential element” because, as we all know, without belief in the effort we are making, without a good “morale” among those who fight, the initial zeal will soon wear off, intensity will slacken and the aim will not be achieved. And we are all well aware that the goal we are pursuing – namely, to clean up the Danube so that it remains a river of life and does not become a river of death – requires that all people be mobilized. Otherwise, anything that one person tries to build, another tears down. However, mobilization in a struggle whose utility is not obvious to the ordinary citizen may be achieved only if that citizen believes that this is a commandment of God, which it certainly is. And it is the commandment of God because He commanded Adam and Eve – and through them, the whole human race – to work and to protect the Garden of Eden as the earthly environment in which He placed them. So this concept of protection includes safeguarding the environment from all man-made forms of destruction. Unfortunately, we are today witnesses of the daily indifference or even deliberate damage to the environment by our fellow human beings, either individually or collectively.

Commitment and Solidarity

These are the reasons why we have adopted and launched an effort to sensitize individuals and entire peoples, governments and nongovernmental organizations to the present cause. I would like to convey to you our commitment to this effort to improve the living standard of your people and of all peoples. I also convey to you the affection and blessing of our Holy Mother, the Great Church of Christ, and mine personally. And I convey to you the message that God is pleased when we, acting out of love, do everything in our power not to burden our neighbor and fellow human beings with our own waste and dirt, which make human life difficult. Such an attitude, if it is generally accepted, implies that we too will not be burdened with the wastes of all kinds.

The Danube, like all rivers, is God’s gift to humanity. Within His all-wise organization of and dispensation for the world, God offers humankind a wide variety of services. We must not transform this world into a conduit for garbage; and where this has already happened, we must take all the necessary measures to restore the ecological balance.

I should like also to express my satisfaction that this message, a message of genuine solidarity and universal cooperation in the field of peace, has met with good response and acceptance. Rejoicing in this, we shall continue to propagate the same message until it has become generally received and understood, and contributes to improving the entire situation. Once more, please allow me to express to you my pleasure and gratitude for your visit to us on this ship and for your good intentions toward our common effort. I ask that you kindly convey my warmest greetings and our due message to his Beatitude Patriarch Maxim of Sofia and all Bulgaria, as well as to the President and Prime Minister of our dear Republic of Bulgaria as well as to all the Bulgarian people.