Queen Elizabeth formally thanked Pope John Paul yesterday for his "help and support" for the Northern Ireland peace process. The Queen's remarks, contained in a written address to the Pope, came during a 20-minute audience in the Vatican.
Ecumenical dialogue, reconciliation, Third World debt relief and the need for a "deep and enduring European unity" were among other themes touched on by the Queen and the Pope.
For the Queen, this was her third Vatican audience following meetings with Pope John XXIII in 1961 and Pope John Paul in 1980. Arriving punctually at 11 a.m., dressed in a two-piece woollen black suit, complete with small pill box-style hat and veil, the Queen was greeted by the Pope at the Apostolic Library.
"Good morning", said the Pope, in English, shaking hands with the Queen. "It is a great pleasure to see you again", she replied.
In his address, the Pope made reference to the "sad years of division" following the establishment of the Church of England by King Henry VIII in 1533. Noting that, in recent times, "there has emerged between us a cordiality more in keeping with the harmony of earlier times", the Pope renewed his commitment to the ecumenical process. "There can be no turning back from the ecumenical goal we have set ourselves in obedience to the Lord's command," the Pope said.
The Queen's speech also took up the ecumenical theme, expressing pleasure at the "important progress" made recently in "overcoming historic differences between Anglicans and Roman Catholics". She added: "In the United Kingdom, there has been progress towards peace between the two communities in Northern Ireland. We are most grateful for your help and support for this process. Many share a sense of real hope now, although there is so much still to do."
As the Queen left the Pope, she turned to thank him, saying: "I am really glad to have been able to see you again - 20 years to the day."
After her audience with the Pope, the Queen, who was accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, and by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, visited the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.