«Spirit of light and love, be for the sons and daughters of Lebanon the source of strength, of spiritual strength, especially at this historic hour, on the threshold of the third millennium of Christianity!»

(From the homily of the Eucharistic Concelebration to mark the conclusion of the Lebanese Synod. 11 May 1997)

«On the threshold of the third Christian millennium, may we see the prophetic message of Isaiah fulfilled: "Is it not a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest?" (29,17)».

(At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Concelebration for the Lebanese Synod. 11 May 1997)

«On the threshold of the third millennium, I strongly appeal to all the faithful of the Catholic Church and the other Churches and Christian communities to prepare for the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, to be renewed by Christ and to renew the face of the Earth, so that "all men may be freed and attain the knowledge of truth" (1 Tm 1,4).

Thus, the Good News of salvation will be for all men a source of strength, joy and hope; and then the people "will flourish like palm trees and grow as tall as the cedars of Lebanon" (Psalm 92,13)».

(From the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation to the Lebanese Church in preparation for the year 2000)

«And it is precisely because of these religious roots of the Lebanese national and political identity that, after the sad period of war, it was desired and was possible to initiate a Synod Assembly in order to seek together the way to renewal of faith, to greater collaboration and to a more effective common witness, without forgetting the reconstruction of society. This conviction of ours, I am sure, is also shared by our brother Christians who do not belong to the Catholic Church, as well as by the Muslims».

(From the homily celebrated by the Pope at the closing mass of the Synod of Bishops for Lebanon, Saint Peter's, 14 December 1995)

«Papal Journeys have become an important element in the work of implementing the Second Vatican Council. Begun by John XXIII on the eve of the Council with a memorable pilgrimage to Loreto and Assisi (1962), they notably increased under Paul VI who, after first visiting the Holy Land (1964), undertook nine other great apostolic journeys which brought him into direct contact with the peoples of the different continents.

Papal journeys have become a regular occurrence, taking in the particular Churches in every continent and showing concern for the development of ecumenical relationships with Christians of various denominations.

It would be very significant if in the Year 2000 it were possible to visit the places on the road taken by the People of God of the Old Covenant, starting from the places associated with Abraham and Moses, through Egypt and Mount Sinai, as far as Damascus, the city which witnessed the conversion of Saint Paul». (TMA, 24)