Georgian Parliament Speaker points to Pope’s Paris mass as example of ‘real Europe’

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Sunday that the large turnout at the Pope’s Mass in Paris, particularly the participation of young people, demonstrated what he described as the continuing strength of the Christian faith in Europe.

In a social media message, Papuashvili said the gathering represented a Europe united by Christian values, love and peace.

“The hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Paris for the Pope’s Mass, including the strikingly large number of young people, remind us that the Christian faith remains a living force in Europe that unites people. Members of the local sect often tell us: ‘Which Europe are you going to? Who wants you there? There is no Europe of dignity’. We often do not respond and continue on our path”, he said.

The Speaker then referred to the gathering in Paris as an example of what he described as the “real Europe”.

“Then days like this come - days so close in spirit to our May 17 - when we see the real Europe with complete clarity: based on Christian values, united by love and preaching peace. It is precisely this Europe that gives us hope that it will be able to avoid plunging into a civilisational abyss toward which some of its leaders are pushing it”, Papuashvili stressed.

He presented Georgia’s European aspirations as being connected with what he described as traditional Christian values and a commitment to peace.

“This is the Europe of which Georgians are co-creators and toward which we aspire - a Europe of love, not hatred; a Europe of peace, not war; a Europe of faith, not invented ideologies. Our Europe is here. It is time for their governments to listen to these very Europeans”, he concluded.