Peter's Journey
The Secretary of State inaugurates the exhibition at Castel Sant'Angelo
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, inaugurated the exhibition entitled “Peter's journey” at Castel Sant'Angelo on Wednesday, 6 February. It has been organized during the Year of Faith to commemorate the Second Vatican Council which opened 50 years ago, and the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church 20 years ago.
“When it is a question of communicating the loftiest truths, it is necessary that they make a mark, with the best possible repertoire of means, materials, gestures and words that we have at our disposal. The Church has always encouraged love for art”, the Cardinal stressed, pointing out several clues for interpreting the exhibition and reaffirming that “the human and spiritual adventure of Simon Peter reminds us that faith is not the result of a rational process, nor merely some heritage that has been passed down to us, even though it was won with blood. Faith is a gift of God which, if it is lived to the full, does not leave man at the mercy of mediocrity”.
If it is true that the Apostle Peter's history reminds us all how necessary the daring of faith and hope actually is, we cannot forget, the Secretary of State added, that “Christian faith is not a cold and arrogant possession of truths to be grasped. Rather, it is being won over by the revelation that God is the love on which we may depend, in spite of such reasons as effort, anxiety and concern which can sometimes overwhelm us”.
Concluding his speech at the opening of the exhibition, the Cardinal addressed the non-believers, in the certainty that “Christianity will always be a tenacious and reliable ally in the daily effort to build a healthy society”. Further, he likewise pointed out that all the democracies of the world know that “no society can be governed without a strong alliance between its members, consisting of mutual trust, of bonds, of the commitment to justice and of responsibility, which develop when people share the values that are based on the claims of reason”.
