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62 罗马教皇对乌克兰作历史性访问
Pope to Make Historic Visit to Ukraine
Larry James
Kiev, Ukraine
22 Jun 2001 16:57 UTC
Pope John Paul II begins a 1)controversial five day visit to Ukraine (tomorrow) Saturday amid high tension between Roman Catholics and 2)Orthodox Christians.
This visit is historic. It marks the first time any leader of the Roman Catholic faith has ever come to Ukraine since its ruler, Prince Volodymyr accepted Christianity more than 1,000 years ago.
More than half of Ukraine's population is of the Orthodox faith. Less than 10 percent, living mostly in the western part of the country near the border with Poland, are Roman Catholic.
Controversy surrounds the visit in part because of the centuries old difference between eastern and western branches of the Christian faith and in part because of the legacy of Soviet times.
There have been several demonstrations here in Kiev where thousands have marched to protest what they see as an attempt by the Catholics to 3)convert Orthodox Ukrainians and take control of 4)parishes and seize church assets. During Soviet times the Russian Orthodox Church was 5)tolerated while other faiths were 6)persecuted and 7)repressed.
Ukraine's main Catholic Church was banned 8)outright in 1948. Its churches and other properties were turned over to Orthodox parishes. Its believers were either driven underground, forced into exile or banished to Siberia. But in the 10 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Catholics have 9)rebounded and 10)reclaimed some of what they say was once theirs.
Despite the demonstrations a random survey of 11)sentiment about the Papal visit here in the predominantly Orthodox capital shows no evidence of any 12)resentment.
"I'm happy about it," one woman said. "It's about time." "Those who think the Pope should not be coming are the enemies of Ukraine," a Ukrainian senior citizen said. Another woman told VOA, "I come from Lviv and it will be very interesting to have the Pope in my hometown." and finally this thought from a man who said, "Since there are many Roman Catholics in Ukraine they have every right to see the man who is so important to them."
Most analysts here believe the majority of Ukrainians are either in favor of the visit or have no real opinion one way or the other.
Church leaders, on the other hand, very definitely have a view. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate, which is 13)subordinate to Russia's Orthodox Church, sent the Pope a letter last January demanding he cancel his visit. But the Moscow Patriarchate view does not represent all the Orthodox faithful in Ukraine where the Orthodox Church itself is divided.
Metropolitan Filaret heads the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kiev Patriarchate, which has ties to the patriarch of Constantinople. He told VOA he welcomes the Pontiff's visit. He argues that the Pope has a right to come visit his faithful and that those opposed to the visit are really the Orthodox Church leadership in Russia who resent anything they see as a threat to their control of the faithful in Ukraine. Metropolitan Filaret says there are political forces in Ukraine who want Ukraine to go back under Moscow's influence into a union of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. "Those are the forces," he says, "who oppose the Papal visit. Those who favor the visit want closer ties to the West."
Metropolitan Filaret's counterparts in the rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate, did not respond to 14)numerous requests for an interview.
A representative from the independent Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Father Yuri Boyko welcomes the Papal visit as a great symbol of how far Ukraine has come in the 10 years since the 15)collapse of the Soviet Union.
"We are trying to create a civil society in Ukraine," he says. "So this visit of a world figure like John Paul II is an even of great importance," and, Father Boyko says, "Ukraine should show every sign of openness. The demonstrations against the visit illustrate that Russian Orthodoxy fears Roman Catholicism because the Roman church has never been under the influence of any state."
Whether the Pope will meet with the leaders of the three Orthodox Churches remains unclear. It he does it will have 16)repercussions beyond Ukraine. Alexis II, the 17)patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church has said any such meeting would be an unfriendly act.
Pope John Paul is expected to make some 18)gesture toward Orthodox believers similar to the plea for forgiveness he made during a visit to Athens last month for what he termed Catholic "sins" against Orthodox faithful .
The highlight for many, however, will be the 19)beatification of 27 Soviet-era 20)martyrs from Ukraine. Beatification is one of the final steps toward being 21)proclaimed a 22)saint.
In the meantime, preparations continue for mass rallies at the Kiev airport and in the 23)predominately Catholic city of Lviv in western Ukraine. Two million people are expected to attend.
(1) controversial[kRntrE5v:F(E)l]adj.争论的, 争议的
(2) orthodox[5C:WEdRks]adj.东正教的
(3) convert[5kRnv:t]n.皈依者vt.使转变, 转换...,使...改变信仰
(4) parish[5pArIF]n.教区
(5) tolerate[5tRlEreIt]vt.忍受, 容忍
(6) persecute[5p:sIkju:t]v.迫害
(7) repress[rI5prZs]vt.<美>再压, 补充加压vi.压制
(8) outright[5aJtraIt]adj.直率的, 彻底的, 完全的adv.直率地,全部地
(9) rebound[5ri:baJnd]n.回弹v.回弹
(10) reclaim[rI5kleIm]vt.要求归还, 收回, 开垦
(11) sentiment[5sentImEnt]n.情操, 情感, 情绪, 观点, 多愁善感, 感情
(12) resentment[rI5zentmEnt]n.怨恨, 愤恨
(13) subordinate[sE5bC:dInEt; (?@) -dEnEt]adj.次要的, 从属的n.下属v.服从
(14) numerous[5nju:mErEs; (?@) 5nu:-]adj.众多的, 许多的, 无数的
(15) collapse[kE5lAps]n.倒塌, 崩溃vi.倒塌, 崩溃, 瓦解
(16) repercussively adv.反响地, 反射地
(17) patriarch[5peItrIB:k; (?@) 5pAt-]n.家长, 族长, 创办人, 最年长者
(18) gesture[5dVestFE(r)]n.姿态, 手势, 表示v.作手势, 以手势表示
(19) beatification[bi:9AtIfI`keIFLn]n.受福, 授福, 列福式
(20) martyr[5mB:tE(r)]n.烈士, 殉教者v.杀害, 折磨
(21) proclaim[prE5kleIm]vt.宣布, 声明, 显示, 显露
(22) saint[seInt]n.圣人, 道德崇高的人, 圣徒adj.神圣v.成为圣徒
(23) predominately[prI5dRmIneItli]adv.主流,处于支配地位地, 占优势地
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