ANGELUS: CHRISTIAN UNITY AND JUBILEE INITIATIVES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 23, 2000 (VIS) - Prior to praying the angelus today, Pope John Paul addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square from his study window and reflected on the opening of the last Jubilee Holy Door at St. Paul's-Outside-the Walls, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and a Jubilee initiative for those who are ill.

He said that he had desired the January 18 opening of the Holy Door at St. Paul's, accomplished with the representatives of numerous Christian Churches and ecclesial communities, "to coincide with the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with the intention of visibly demonstrating how the commitment to the re-formation of Christian unity is common to all and must animate the great prayer which in this period of the Jubilee year is raised to the Lord from every part of the earth."

"The gesture of opening together that door, the symbol of Christ, was an eloquent sign which encourages us to go forth on the path which remains to be fulfilled and for which we must, above all, pray."

"Almost a month has passed since the beginning of the Great Jubilee," said the Holy Father in concluding remarks, "and throughout the Church there has been great activity for spiritual and charitable initiatives. Among these I wish to point out that of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, which has promoted in Rome a series of prayer meetings of the sick, in the basilica of St. Mary Major. These will take place the last Tuesday of every month of the Jubilee Year."

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