VATICAN CITY, APR 5, 2006 (VIS) - At the end of the general audience, the Pope addressed some words to Spanish pilgrims, recalling that April 7 marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Francis Xavier, "the great Jesuit missionary who preached the Gospel in the lands of Asia, opening many doors to Christ."
The Holy Father added: "I unite myself with that celebration, thanking the Lord for this great gift to His Church. ... In contemplating the figure of St. Francis Xavier we feel called to pray for those who dedicate their lives to the evangelizing mission, proclaiming the beauty of the salvific message of Jesus.
"At the same time," he continued, "I invite you to pray that, through the intercession of this saint, everyone may intensify efforts to consolidate the horizons of peace that seem to be opening in the Basque Country and in all Spain, and to overcome the obstacles that may arise on this long journey."
The Holy Father also greeted Polish pilgrims present at the audience. "With you," he said, "I give thanks to God for the pontificate of my great predecessor, John Paul II. May his spiritual presence and the heritage of his teaching strengthen us in the faith and help us on the journey towards the meeting with Christ!"
AG/XAVIER:BASQUE COUNTRY:JOHN PAUL II/... VIS 20060405 (230)
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