PERTH, WA: December 7, 1989
Number 2665
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Historic Vatican meeting
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Raisa raises red look VATICAN CITY: Raisa Gorbachev left the Vatican with the only pair of rosary beads handed out on the occasion but she missed out on seeing the Sistine Chapel because her husband and the pope spoke too long. Mrs Gorbachev, who toured rooms decorated by the 16th century artist Raphael while her husband spoke with the pope, impressed reporters with her knowledge of the Vatican's artworks. There might have been a reason for that — thanks to Catherine the Great, Leningrad has a replica of Raphael's "loggia" frescoes in the Hermitage Museum, the former palace of the czars. The bare headed Mrs Gorbachev wore a bright red two-piece suit with doublebreasted jacket closed at the neck. Traditionally women received by the pope wear black and cover their heads with a veil or a hat. The only black worn by Mrs Gorbachev was the colour of her jacket buttons, her pointed jacket collar and shoes with matching clutch purse.
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TI Key to freedom... • Picture shows Pope John Paul II giving Vatican medallions to Raisa Gorbachev during the historic visit of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev (centre) to the Vatican. — AP photo
POPE: MEETING A PROMISE-FILLED SIGN FOR FUTURE
VATICAN CITY: The Soviet Union," the pope meeting with president said. Gorbachev was "a Catholic compromise-filled sign for "Many are today eagmunities the future" of religious the opporliberty after "past erly awaiting tunity of re-establishing decades of painful and of being trials", Pope John Paul themselves to rejoice in the able said in an official their pasexchange of speeches leadership of said. he tors," following 70 minutes of private talks. The pope expressed "Your visit, in fact, enables us to look with greater confidence to the future of the communifies of believers in the
hope that "the new law on religious freedom of conscience soon to be discussed by the Supreme Soviet will help to guarantee to all believ-
President Gorbachev, in off-the-cuff remarks at the end of his prepared speech, said both men talked about the possibility of a papal visit to the Soviet Union, but gave no details.
A Vatican communique afterward noted the invitation and said the pope "cordially thanked" the Soviet president for the invitation "and expressed hope that development
ers the full exercise of the express the fervent hope religious that they be able to of right freedom". practice freely their "On their behalf — religious life," he said. whether they be of the "The Holy See follows Latin, Byzantine or with great interest the Armenian rite — I process of renewal which
pledged support of Gorbachev's reform program, called "perestroika", if it helps to "protect and integrate Gorbachev's talk the rights and duties of listed establishing of individuals and peoples, diplomatic relations as so that peace may be a main agenda item of ensured in Europe and Vatican-Soviet talks. the world". The pope said their you have set in motion in meeting "will hardly fail the Soviet Union," he to have a powerful world on impact added. At a time of political opinion". ferment in communist- It will "be interpreted as ruled Eastern European singularly meaningful: a countries, the pontiff sign of the times that of events would make it possible for him to accept it".
have slowly matured, a sign that is rich in promise", he said. "The Church appeals to all those who have the future of mankind at heart, to unite in the service of its material and spiritual betterment," the pope said. "Such concern for man can only pave the way for overcoming international tensions and ending the confrontation between blocs," he added.
Historic watershed that needs to be crossed VATICAN CITY: President that needs to be crossed Gorbachev emphasised to achieve world peace. the establishing of diplo- Addressing the pope matic links with the several times as "your Vatican and co-operation holiness", he desribed the on international relations meeting as a truly "hisand East-West relations. toric event." In his prepared speech, Gorbachev pledged that following private talks, Soviet believers "have a the Soviet president right to satisfy their described current events spiritual needs. as a "historic watershed" "Shortly, a law on
freedom of conscience Perestroika is the Rus- "positive continuation" ble art" of consolidating "Respert for the peowill be adopted in our sian word for restructur- of perestroika and attrib- their renewal program. ples' national, state, country," the Soviet ing and refers to Gorba- uted "the profound The Vatican and the spiritual and cultural leader said. chev's program for changes" it has caused in Soviet Union should identity is an indispensaSoviet Eastern Europe with 'promote solutions to ble condition for a steady "Problems between the renewing the and making his papal meet- common European prob- international environeconomy Union's state and various ing possible. institutions. social lems and create a favou- ment which Europe and churches" are being dealt But he also asked papal rable external environ- the world now need, to with "in a spirit of Vatican-Soviet dialogue democracy and huma- "has now been conse- support and understand- ment enabling nations to cross the historic nism and within the crated by this summit ing for perestroika as make their own inde- watershed and attain a Soviet leaders learn "the pendent choice," Gorba- new period of peace," he framework of peres- meeting," he added. troika," he said. Gorbachev pledged a difficult and indispensa- chev said. said.