Cardinal Coppa: 'I have left half of my heart here'

The solemn Mass to commemorate the feast of Ss Cyril and Methodius, patron saints of Europe and the Czech Republic, took place in Velehrad yesterday morning, Jul 5. The liturgy was presided by Cardinal Giovanni Coppa, former apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic; members of the Czech Bishops' Conference (CBK) concelebrated.

Velehrad: Starting the divine service, Archbishop Jan Graubner, president of the CBK and bishop of the local diocese, greeted Cardinal Coppa and other guests: Bishop Andrej Imrich from Slovakia, who represented the Slovakian Bishops' Conference, the first lady of the Czech Republic Livia Klausova and other representatives of public life. He also addressed all 30,000 present people as well as those who followed the Mass through TV or radio.

In his homily, Cardinal Coppa expressed his wish that this Mass is a thanksgiving for the gift of faith and the Slavonic apostles Cyril and Methodius. 'Several times I have admitted that I left half of my heart here,' the former apostolic nuncio said and added: 'Now I can tell that for few days I have taken it back. I am immensely happy to be once more among my dear Czech nation that I have loved and still love and that loves me.' Ss Cyril and Methodius brought to the Slavs 'the dignity of free people, who were saved by the Christ,' he said. Kingdom of God doesn't oppress anyone, but offers the same dignity to all. This Kingdom 'is the only and true civilization of love that transforms man and changes the world,' concluded Cardinal Coppa his homily.

At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Jan Graubner conferred commemorative medals and awards to six people: sculptor Vojtech Adamec, who made several religious statues and a bust of John Paul II for the cathedral square in Hradec Kralove, book designer Jiri Sindler, film director Nadezda Urbaskova, who cooperates with the Christian 'TV Noah,' and Miroslav Krejcir, František Adamik and Bedrich Vymetalik for their active participation and work within the Church.

On the Friday evening, Jul 4, the 'Concert for People of Good Will' marked the high point of the pilgrimage's accompanying program. During the TV-broadcasted performance of several well-known artists from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, people could send donatory SMS to three charity projects: a club for the drug addicted people in Brno, a project of support for families with disabled children in Ostrava, and a home in Karlovy Vary to help young people who leave orphanages. Some 25,000 people present in Velehrad and large number of TV watchers collected a sum of 1.3 million crowns (54,000 Euro).

As every year, people could take part in several activities throughout the basilica's area in Velehrad. During the 4th year of the 'Bible handwriting,' organized by the Czech Catholic Biblical Institute, the Velehrad Manuscript made progress: Five Books of Moses and Psalms have been completed and Isaiah and Jeremiah are being rewritten now.

Traditional part of the 'Days for People of Good Will' is a meeting of wheelchair-bound people, who celebrated their Mass on Friday afternoon and then met in the school. People could also attend ecological activities, several exhibitions and workshops, children have been offered a rich program of the 'Good Will Radio.'