Your Excellency, Mr President of the Republic of Austria,

Your Excellency, the Apostolic Nuncio,

Your Eminences, Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is not the Ancient Greek proverb “τράπεζα ἂνευ λόγων ὁμοία φάτνης ἐστι” – that is, – “a festive meal without words is like a feeding trough”, but an inner need to express Our feelings, which prompts Us to address a few words to you on this occasion.

The reason for this Our visit to Vienna is the presentation of the Cardinal Konig Award, which We received yesterday evening in the famous Cathedral of the city. Through the Pro Oriente Foundation which he founded, the personality of this unforgettable churchman and renowned Austrian, had a formative and decisive influence on the ecumenical relations between our Sister Churches and laid the foundations for dialogue between denominations, religions and cultures.

We personally feel particularly honoured by the presence of the President of the Federal Republic of Austria at this festive meal, and wish to express Our personal thanks for his presence. As Ecumenical Patriarch We would like to take the opportunity on this occasion of thanking for the Austrian state’s benevolent stance towards the Orthodox Church in all its diversity. It now has 400 000 members in Austria. We would also like to express our gratitude for Austria’s commitment and contribution to human rights, the rights of minorities, religious freedom and freedom of conscience, the solving of conflicts and the attainment of peace, as also inter-religious dialogue within and outside the European Union. And finally, We would like to thank the Austrian government for the valuable interest it has discreetly but attentively always taken in the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We wish the friendly Austrian people who are dear to Our heart, and its leaders God’s blessing and help so that the illustrious history of this country may continue or the well-being of all who live here. We would like to express our special gratitude for the “Orthodox Law” which was introduced exactly forty years ago and has regulated the life and work of the Orthodox Churches that are represented in Austria ever since.

We owe this encounter to the legendary hospitality of Our host, the Apostolic nuncio in Austria, His Excellency Archbishop Edmond Farhat. A long and sincere friendship which goes back to when he was nuncio in Ankara binds us together.

Your Excellency, Dear and Honoured Brother in Christ!

We set great store by this further gesture of your affection for the Ecumenical Patriarchate and for Our person, which also bears witness to the church in today’s society, and We are extremely grateful to you for this opportunity to meet prominent state, church and diplomatic personalities with President Dr Heinz Fischer at their head.

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, whom Your Excellency worthily and prudently represents here in Austria as Apostolic nuncio, and We Ourselves, realise how necessary it is for the Christian Churches to bear joint witness to the world, in the deep conviction that Christianity is a factor which has had a formative influence on European civilisation. For this reason the Christian Churches should not be mere onlookers but co-designers of the new Europe, a process in which the Orthodox Church has an important and indispensable role to play.

The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the see of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in November 2006, which attracted worldwide attention, took place in this spirit of joint witness in the name of love and reconciliation. This visit is a new milestone in the relationship between our Sister Churches, but also bears witness to the Churches’ willingness to recognise the signs of the times and to act accordingly, albeit always in the light of the Gospels, so that not our, but “His will be done”.

To you all, Your Excellency, Eminencies, Excellencies, honoured Ladies and Gentlemen, We bring the greetings and blessing of the Church of Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is the first Church in the communion of Orthodox Patriarchates and autocephalous Churches, and with God’s help and according to our understanding of Orthodox ecclesiology, has born the responsibility for the Diakonia of Panorthodox unity and coordination for 1700 years.

Today the Ecumenical Patriarchate also promotes dialogue with the other Christian Churches, particularly with the Roman Catholic Church, fosters inter¬religious dialogue with Judaism and Islam, and undertakes extensive and pathbreaking work for the protection of the environment and the preservation of creation.

As far as this issue is concerned, however, We feel bound to say that due to the circumstances, under ehich our Church has to operate in its see in Istanbul, which are common knowledge, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s work has not been facilitated,J but has rather been made more difficult. At the same time, however, We must also mention that the Turkish government and most political parties in Turkey bear us and show us good will, but it has still not been possible to create the necessary conditions to safeguard that the Christian Churches can live and work in full freedom. We are confident and will not give up hope that in the near future ways will be found to solve those problems which threaten our existence and to create the criteria which are necessary for Turkey to join the ED, an entry which we firmly support and also expect.

With this in mind, We thank all governments, organizations and people of good will who assist and support the Ecumenical Patriarchatej so that we can continue to live and work in freedom in that city where we have always lived and worked and where “the Lord and not a human being placed us.”

We thank you once again for the great pleasure you have given Us and wish each of you God’s Blessing, as also good health and much success in your lives and undertakings.