Save Christian Tradition, Pope Urges in Malta Visit

Pope John Paul II opened a three-day visit to Malta on Friday by calling on the government to prevent the influx of any ideas or behavior alien to the island nation’s Christian tradition.

John Paul, the first pontiff to ever travel to the Mediterranean island, said this century’s two world wars and the more recent convulsions in Eastern Europe have shown that nations must respect the inalienable rights and dignity of each citizen.

“The task of establishing such a social order requires great patience, clear vision and moral maturity,” he said in a speech delivered inside the ornate presidential palace.

The pontiff, in an endorsement of the Christian Democratic government of Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami, said he saw these values of charity, justice and freedom in Malta.

President Censu Tabone responded by reaffirming Malta’s position as a bulwark of Christianity.

The Pope’s visit to the rugged Mediterranean island showed that the Vatican and Malta have repaired relations that deteriorated during the tenure of a previous leftist government.

The Pope upon arrival appeared intent on demonstrating the improvement. After kissing the airport tarmac, he beamed as he embraced Adami, whose Nationalist Party ousted the leftist Labor Party in 1987.

Tens of thousands of people heralded his arrival through streets festooned with bunting and the fluttering red and yellow flags of Malta and the Vatican.

Church bells clanged and firecrackers detonated as the pontiff--standing behind bullet-proof glass in his special vehicle--was driven through the narrow winding streets of the city hewn from honey-colored stone.

Most of Malta’s 350,000 inhabitants are Catholic. Christianity arrived on the island in AD 60, when--according to the Book of Apostles--St. Peter was shipwrecked on the rugged island and converted those who helped him.

The Pope will travel to northern Gozo island today. The highlight of his visit is expected to be a Mass before his Sunday evening departure.