VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 2000 (VIS) - In reflections preceding the angelus prayer today, Pope John Paul told the 70,000 gathered in Rome's Olympic stadium to celebrate the Jubilee of Athletes and of all those involved in sports that, "in this moment of joy, we cannot and must not forget that in several regions of the world people continue to suffer and, often, die. I am especially thinking of the Middle East region.
"Once again," he continued, "I wish to invite all the parties involved in the peace process to spare no efforts to reestablish the climate of dialogue which existed up to a few weeks ago. Mutual trust, repudiating arms and respect for international law are the only means for giving life again to the peace process. Therefore, let us pray that people return to the negotiating table and, through dialogue, reach the hoped-for outcome of a just and lasting peace, which guarantees everyone the inalienable right to freedom and security."
The Holy Father then referred to the just-concluded Mass for the Jubilee celebration of sports people, calling it "the heart of this Jubilee event" and adding: "We have just offered sports to God as an activity of man aiming at his full development and fraternal social relations. This altar, placed in the great Olympic stadium of Rome, reminds us that even sports are above all a gift of God.
He concluded with brief greetings to those present in French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Polish.
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