GREETINGS ON THE OCCASION OF THE SYMPOSIUM IN HONOR OF SAINT BASIL IN TORONTO, CANADA

Vatican City, 21 February 1979

Ref. No. 6512/79

Mr. PAUL J. FEDWICK, Ph.D.

Executive Secretary

St. Basil Symposium Committee

59 Queen's Park Crescent

Toronto, Ontario - M5S 2C4

Canada

Dear Sir,

Thank you very much for the invitation to attend the St. Basil Symposium. Due to ther commitments I cannot attend personally, but do not wish to pass this occasion to greet the members of the Symposium Committee and all who will participate or attend this noteworthy event.

The fact of this Symposium and the list of distinguished guests and lecturess testifies to the actuality of that great man. In his person we have another striking proof how important sanctity and learning, wisdom and courage are for the development of personality and for service to fellowmen.St. Basil the Great lives on not only in monastic families, be they Eastern or Western, not only for scholars and historians, but truly he is a light for the Church, a father among fathers for all Christians, even sixteen hundred years after his death.

It is my strong hope that your Symposium will stimulate still greater interest in the person of this great Saint and will encourage many to study him, better yet-to follow him.

May Almighty God bless you all.

† Joseph, Cardinal Slipyj

Patriarch