VATICAN CITY, JUN 21, 2004 (VIS) - This morning the Holy Father received in audience the recently-elected president of the Spanish government, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The Pope assured the president that this visit "shows his esteem for the Apostolic See."
"Your presence here," he affirmed, "reflects your desire to continue to maintain good relations with the local Church and the State for the good of the Spanish people, a desire that you expressed to me when I met you at the end of a Mass in Columbus Square in Madrid on May 4 last year."
John Paul II expressed the desire that Spain "may always continue toward integral progress, may peaceful coexistence in unity among persons and peoples of your great land become ever stronger, with its marvelous and varied diversity, and may cultural and moral values be preserved, as well as your Christian roots."
After recalling that last Friday, during his meeting with the new Spanish ambassador to the Holy See, Jorge Dezcallar, he had spoken about various aspects of Spanish society, he said: "Reaffirming what I said on that occasion, I want to renew my sincere gratitude for your visit. I truly hope that your personal commitment, as well as that of your government, may allow you to reach your objectives of fomenting the modern development of Spain, and in that task may ethical values, which are so much a part of the religious and cultural tradition of your people, be taken into consideration."
The Pope assured the president of the "Holy See's collaboration to work together for the great cause of peace and to promote the spiritual progress of peoples; to help in the eradication of terrorism and violence in all its forms; to achieve the legitimate needs of the human person, with his dignity, rights and freedom."
AC/PRESIDENT SPAIN/ZAPATERO VIS 20040621 (320)
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