During her speech at the Meeting of world religions promoted in Munich by the Community of Sant’Egidio, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel spoke of the “happiness” Germans felt at the prospect of the Pope’s upcoming visit to the Country between 22 and 25 September.
“In Germany we are happy at the prospect of Benedict XVI’s forthcoming visit,” Angela Merkel said. “Benedict XVI has always reminded people that by respecting prerogatives and the boundaries between Church and State without faith in God, as human beings, we forget what the sense of our life is.”
“The world needs a strong and united Europe” “whose throne is not reduced to a handful of stools for its little countries,” said Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio in a brief introductory greeting to the Chancellor, reminding that naturally, “a united Europe is crucial in order for us to live together in a civilized manner on an global scale.”
According to Riccardi, after the ten difficult years that followed the 9/11 attacks, “there is a need for change. For years now we have been convinced of the need to further drive home the peace question: in international policy as well as in social life.”