JOHN PAUL II HAS LUNCH WITH 14 YOUTHS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

VATICAN CITY, JUL 26, 2002 (VIS) - This afternoon, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls recounted details about John Paul II's day of rest on Strawberry Island to journalists who are accompanying him on his apostolic trip.

Navarro-Valls said that the Holy Father had taken a boat ride in the morning and later had done the Way of the Cross which is his custom on Fridays.

In response to the Pope's invitation, 14 youths from Canada, Germany, India, the United States, Sudan, China (Hong Kong), Kenya, Tahiti, Peru, Australia, Jordan and Bosnia-Herzegovina, who participated in World Youth Day, arrived on the island at midday to eat lunch with him.

The Director of the Holy See Press Office affirmed that the encounter with the Pope lasted two hours. The Holy Father asked each one for news about their life and country. Of special interest were comments made by a representative of Sudan who told the Pope about the difficult situation in his country, affected by a bloody war and famine, and by another representative from China who said, "There are many people in my country who love him."

After lunch, several of the youths sang. One of the Canadians played country-rock music and a representative from Kenya performed a dance of the Masai tribes.

Among the most significant gifts that the Pope received was a Chinese flag, signed with greetings from young people of the nation, on which it was written: "We hope that one day World Youth Day will be celebrated in our country."

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