AGENDA FOR FIRST EUROPEAN DAY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2003 (VIS) - The Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe, the European Committee of University Chaplains and the Office for the Pastoral Ministry for Universities of the Vicariate of Rome are the co-sponsors of the First European Day of University Students on the theme "Intellectual Charity, Soul of the New Europe." The main event will take place on Saturday, March 15 in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of Pope John Paul II.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. with reflections on the Pope's Apostolic Letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae," and on the six saints who are co-patrons of Europe: Benedict, Catherine of Siena, Cyril and Methodius, Bridget and Edith Stein. The Holy Father will arrive at 7 p.m. and preside at the recitation of the Rosary, reciting the five Mysteries of Light which he added to the existing Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries on October 16, 2002. Following this the Pope will address the students and organizers of this European Day of University Students.

Satellite linkups are scheduled with Uppsala, Sweden; Bratislava, Slovakia; Krakow, Poland; Cologne, Germany; Fatima, Portugal; and Vienna, Austria. The evening will conclude with a torchlight procession during which the icon of the "Seat of Wisdom" will be carried from the Paul VI Hall to the Church of St. Ivo alla Sapienza, the ancient seat of the university of Rome. Here the students will conclude this event with the profession of faith.

A press conference held today at Vatican Radio outlined the program for Saturday evening and also listed several other events linked to this European day of students: the publication of the volume "Towards a European Constitution"; The European Declaration of University Lecturers on "The Embryo as a Patient"; the March 15 seminar on "The Six Co-Patrons of Europe and Intellectual Charity" and the European Symposium "Universities and the Church in Europe," to be held July 17-20, 2003 in Rome.

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