The Church discovers its unity in the name of Francis. - Claudio Gugerotti

Journalist: So, not enough is known about the artistic and cultural heritage of the Eastern Churches? Cardinal Gugerotti: No, it is not known. Decades ago, there was a document from the then Congregation for Catholic Education, which prescribed that every Latin seminary should include teaching on the Eastern Churches. It is probably one of the most disregarded documents among the many disregarded documents produced by the Holy See. Journalist: Why do you think that is? Cardinal Gugerotti: Because there was a period when the humanities were considered more important for the integration of the seminary curriculum than the historical or philological-artistic aspects. So it became a mammoth programme, covering everything, but these fundamental aspects for understanding Christianity were left out. This is very serious to me because it means a partial knowledge of one's own identity. It also potentially means a source of controversy between one person and another or, conversely, the premise of ecstatic adoration of the other: both attitudes that have no foundation and are not at all useful.

The Eastern world observes Lent very strictly. One of the things that Easterners are most passionate about is knowing how much you fast. It may be a naive question, but generally it stems from the perception that fasting is a sign of how seriously you take God and how much you understand that God is the only essential thing. Therefore, you must distance yourself from all the little idols that systematically tend to replace Him. This is what fasting is really about: abstaining from what risks becoming the centre of the day, taking the place of God. Prayer and fasting, which increase during Lent, are a reaffirmation for Easterners that life belongs to God, that space belongs to God.

Siamo tornati alla legge della giungla, ben rappresentata con armi molto moderne ma è la legge della clava. Speravamo che soprattutto con l’Umanesimo, il Rinascimento e le grandi culture dell'antichità fosse stata superata, ma ci accorgiamo che per il momento non è così. [...] La sensazione è che l'odio sia cresciuto in maniera esponenziale in questi ultimi tempi. Il problema delicato è che non esiste un'istanza internazionale capace di mediare. Esistono singole istanze che decidono di essere i padroni del mondo. Questa è un'altra questione. Questo non è lo spirito con cui sono state create le Nazioni Unite o altre organizzazioni e neanche l'Unione Europea, per dire la verità. C’è una forte debolezza istituzionale nelle organizzazioni internazionali.