COMMUNIQUE ON NEW SKYSCRAPER NEAR BUCHAREST CATHEDRAL
VATICAN CITY, DEC 4, 2006 (VIS) – At midday today, the Holy See Press
Office released the following communique:
"Concerning the matter of the construction of a skyscraper near the
historic Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Joseph in Bucharest, Romania,
the Holy See Press Office wishes to specify the following:
"At the end of April this year, the archdiocese of Bucharest informed
the Secretariat of State about the construction of a building – of
19 floors above ground level and four below – at a distance of less
than 10 meters from the northeast wall of the Cathedral of St. Joseph
which, as a consequence, risks being irreparably damaged. Concerns
are aggravated by the precedent of the Armenian church, which suffered
grave damage for similar reasons. On various occasions, the archbishop
and the auxiliary bishop of Bucharest have come to the Secretariat
of State to provide updated information concerning this case, with
which the apostolic nunciature to Romania is also concerning itself,
and about which the Holy See has received appeals from other parties.
"Following this, the Secretariat of State has not failed to take
the appropriate steps with the Romanian authorities, both directly
and through their embassy to the Holy See, to ask for the immediate
suspension of work and the withdrawal of the relative authorizations,
also in view of the provisions of the 1993 European Union Treaty
concerning Legal Conditions and Measures for Preserving Cultural
Heritage, to which Romania adhered, and the State Commission Report
for Monitoring Building.
"The Holy See is aware of the resolution with which the Romanian Senate
approved the report of the commission of inquiry, which requests the
immediate suspension of work. This should be followed by a decision
on the part of the appropriate authorities.
"The Secretariat of State continues to follow the situation closely,
in the hope that a speedy and satisfactory conclusion to this delicate
question may be found, in the above-mentioned terms, for the protection
of the cathedral of Bucharest, of the historical heritage it represents
and of the values of faith it embodies, not only for the Catholic
community but for all the Romanian people."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
