2006年VOA标准英语-Pope Hopes Turkey Visit Will Lead to Useful Dia

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
03 December 2006

Pope Benedict XVI gestures from his study window overlooking St. Peter's Square, 3 Dec 2006

Pope Benedict expressed hope Sunday that his trip to Turkey would lead to useful dialogue with Muslims. But on another issue, the Vatican has had strong words for China after the government-run Catholic Church ordained¹ another bishop², without papal approval. Sabina Castelfranco has this VOA report from Rome.

Addressing pilgrims from his studio window overlooking Saint Peter's Square, the pope called his visit to Turkey "an unforgettable experience."

The pope returned to the Vatican on Friday, after spending four days in Ankara, Ephesus and Istanbul. His visit appeared to have gone some way toward improving relations with Muslims, whom the pope had angered when he made comments in September linking Islam to violence.

Benedict became the second pope ever to walk into a Muslim place of worship, when he visited the Blue Mosque³ in Istanbul. His visit was also focused on continuing efforts to reach out to Orthodox Christians⁴.

The pope told pilgrims his visit to Turkey was "an unforgettable spiritual and pastoral experience, which I hope will produce the fruits for an increasingly sincere cooperation between all of Christ's disciples⁵, and a useful dialogue with Muslims."

The pope also made a special mention of Turkey's small Catholic community. He said it often finds itself in situations that are not easy. During his visit to Turkey the pope called for improved rights for religious minorities.

Meanwhile, the Vatican criticized China, where the state-backed Patriotic⁶ Catholic Association ordained a bishop. It was the third ordination⁷ of a bishop this year in China without papal approval.

The Vatican said it was the latest in a "series of extremely grave acts" that caused Pope Benedict XVI "great sorrow."

China defended the ordination of the bishop, saying the Vatican's criticism was "unreasonable⁸." The Chinese government views papal appointments as interference in its internal affairs.

Beijing has had no diplomatic ties with the Vatican since 1951, when the communists took power, and set up a separate Catholic church outside the authority of the Vatican.

Catholics in China are allowed to pray only with the state-sanctioned church. Millions, however, worship in underground churches.

1 ordained   

v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定

参考例句：

• He was ordained in 1984. 他在一九八四年被任命为牧师。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was ordained priest. 他被任命为牧师。 来自辞典例句

2 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

3 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

4 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

5 disciples   

n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一

参考例句：

• Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. 犹大是耶稣十二门徒之一。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "The names of the first two disciples were --" “最初的两个门徒的名字是——” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

6 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

7 ordination   

n.授任圣职

参考例句：

• His ordination gives him the right to conduct a marriage or a funeral.他的晋升圣职使他有权主持婚礼或葬礼。
• The vatican said the ordination places the city's catholics in a "very delicate and difficult decision."教廷说，这个任命使得这个城市的天主教徒不得不做出“非常棘手和困难的决定”。

8 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。