ANGELUS: BE AWARE OF CHRISTIAN IDENTITY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 3, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, before praying the angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II recalled the "baptismal journey" formed by the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent; a journey that, in the early centuries of Christianity, concluded with the Baptism of catechumens during the Easter vigil.

He went on: "Unfortunately, in many areas of ancient Christian tradition, there is an ever-greater loss of any genuine religious sense. Consequently, it has become urgent for Christians to renew their awareness of their own identity; in other words, they must rediscover their Baptism, treasuring the inexhaustible spiritual vigor of sanctifying grace that they thereby received, to then take it to all fields of personal and social life."

Following the angelus, the Holy Father expressed his "sadness and concern" at the conflict taking place in Madagascar. "I trust in the traditional composure and peaceful nature of the Madagascan people. I call upon those in charge to start once again - faithfully, courageously and with a view only to the common good - down the paths of dialogue in order to find a rapid solution to this grave crisis."

The Pope also dedicated some words to the situation in Jerusalem, saying that the news from that city made him "profoundly sad. Violence, death and reprisals cannot but push the civilian population, be they Israeli or Palestinian, towards desperation and hatred. May an immediate cease fire together with a renewed sense of humanity, with respect for international law, silence arms and cause the voice of reason to be heard."

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