CULTIVATE THE MEANING OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD

VATICAN CITY, SEP 11, 2003 (VIS) - This afternoon at 5 p.m. the Holy Father travelled 60 kilometers in the popemobile from the apostolic nunciature in Bratislava to the Cathedral of Trnava, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The first sacred monument of the Baroque style in the country, it has been a metropolitan cathedral since 1977 and can accommodate approximately 400 people.

Trnava is one of the oldest Slovak cities and has had an important role in the country's history. It was born as a center of commerce on the crossroads between European commercial routes that join the Czech regions with Hungary and the Balkans, and the Mediterranean countries with the Baltic Sea. It has been the regional capital since the last administrative reformation in 1996 and has more than 70,000 inhabitants.

After arriving at the cathedral, John Paul II prayed for a few minutes. He then said: "From this church, mother of all the churches in the diocese, I extend my affectionate greetings to all the people of this territory and upon all of you I invoke the Lord's grace and blessing."

Speaking about St. John the Baptist, the Pope said that he is "the man who lives in a solitude full of God's presence. ... I encourage you dear Brothers and Sisters to nourish within yourselves the sense of God's presence by listening to His Word, by prayer, by the celebration of the Sacraments, by service to your brothers and sisters. In this way you will become in your everyday life, like John the Baptist, heralds and witnesses to the loving and saving presence of God in today's world."

After the visit, the Holy Father returned to the apostolic nunciature in Bratislava to spend the night.

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