POPE RECEIVES PERFORMERS FROM VATICAN CHRISTMAS CONCERT

VATICAN CITY, DEC 12, 2003 (VIS) - The Pope today received the artists who will perform at the traditional Christmas concert in the Vatican which will take place late tomorrow afternoon in the Paul VI Hall. He noted that 'this is a show organized to gather funds to build new churches in Rome, especially on the periphery.'

He expressed his best wishes for Christmas to the promoters, organizers and performers. 'Christmas,' he said, 'reminds us that the Son of God, taking on human nature, became the travelling companion of every person throughout time. May this feast, so deeply felt by families, be a propitious occasion to feel the closeness and love of God.'

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