Unifying the various branches of Christianity should be the goal of every Catholic, Pope John Paul II told pilgrims at his weekly general audience as he promoted a week of prayer for Christian unity.
He said the week of prayer was "dedicated to reflection and prayer on the need for all the baptized to work for the restoration of full Christian unity".
"The pain of separation is felt with ever more intensity," the pontiff said, adding that the world awaited a "clear and unanimous" worship by all believers in Christ -- a veiled reference to the strained relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Prior to the audience attended by 7,000 pilgrims, the pope inaugurated a new statue of Armenia's patron saint, Gregory the Illuminator. The 5.6 metre (18 feet)-high, 20 tonne statue of the third century saint was created by Armenian sculptor Kazan Kahtechik.
It stands on the right side of the exterior of St Peter's basilica