PRESERVE CULTURE MARKED BY CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2004 (VIS) - This afternoon in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope presided at a Marian prayer vigil with thousands of Italian students on the occasion of the Second European Day of University Students. Students from ten countries, future members of the European Union, participated in the gathering via satellite link-up.

The encounter, whose theme was, "Christ, Hope for Europe," was promoted by the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE), the Commission of Episcopal Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) and the office of the vicariate of Rome for university pastoral ministry.

Before John Paul II's arrival there were satellite connections with university students in cities of those countries that will be incorporated into the European Union: Prague, Nicosia, Gniezno, Vilnius, Tallinn, Riga, Bratislava, Budapest, Valletta and Ljubljana.

Later the Pope lead the Holy Rosary and afterwards he greeted those present. "This Marian vigil," he said, "has great symbolic value. And you have an important role in the building up of European unity, which is deeply rooted in the traditions and spiritual values that have shaped it, dear university students. The university is, in this sense, one of the typical environments where, over the centuries, that culture which has been marked by a Christian influence has been formed. This rich heritage of ideals should not be lost."

The Holy Father then noted that the young people in Rome were going to participate in a pilgrimage in which they would carry the cross to the church of St. Agnes in Agony, "where you will renew your profession of faith. The university students in other countries, whom I cordially greet, will join you spiritually on this pilgrimage."
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CHRIST OF THE ANDES MONUMENT MARKS CENTENARY

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 20004 (VIS) - Made public today was a Message from the Pope to Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, archbishop of Santiago de Chile and president of the Episcopal Conference of Chile, and Archbishop Eduardo Vicente Miras of Rosario, president of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, on the occasion of the solemn commemoration of the centenary today of the inauguration of the monument of Christ in the Andes.

"Indeed," writes the Holy Father in the message dated February 11, "if the location of this majestic monument represented a notable display of the efforts and close collaboration of numerous people and institutions, no less so were the efforts carried out earlier to give meaning to that event. In previous years, various agreements were achieved in order to resolve by peaceful means the different disputes between both peoples, resulting in four different peace treaties in 1902."

John Paul II recalls that "the threat of conflict was overcome, achieving friendly coexistence between two neighboring, sister countries. The jubilation and satisfaction at having reached the invaluable triumph of peace were well-justified. The profound spirit of the faith of Argentines and Chileans recognized in those events an inestimable gift of God, and ... sought to represent their gratitude on the peaks of the Andes so that the divine blessing would arrive from on high to all the neighboring lands and make the border a place of encounter and never one of antagonism."

"At the beginning of the third millennium," he continues, "at a time when peace is threatened, I would like to invite the beloved sons and daughters of Argentina and Chile, in commemoration of this centenary, to direct their gaze toward the Redeemer in order to ask Him for light and the necessary strength to confront the challenges of today with hope and determination."

Finally the Pope asks for "fraternal coexistence to increase, as well as the forums of mutual collaboration and the commitment to build a society founded above all on the recognition of the inalienable dignity of the human person. In this way, peace will be guaranteed and a heritage will be left to new generations which allows them to build a better future on solid and lasting foundations."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as his special envoy to the fourth centenary of the arrival in Lithuania of Pope Clement VIII's brief "Quae ad sanctorum" which authorized the celebration of the feast of St. Casimir in Poland and Lithuania. The festivities will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania on May 9, 2004.
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TELEGRAM FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL KOENIG

VATICAN CITY, MAR 13, 2004 (VIS) - Made public today was the text of the telegram sent by the Holy Father to Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria, upon the death of Cardinal Franz Koenig, emeritus of the same archdiocese, at age 98. He was the last of the cardinals created by Blessed John XXIII.

"With deep sadness, I learned of the news of the death of His Eminence, Cardinal Franz Koenig, your illustrious predecessor as archbishop of Vienna from 1956 to 1985. Faithful to his motto 'Veritatem facientes in caritate,' the late cardinal shaped the Church and the life of Austria with his long and intense pastoral work. His witness to Christ's message and his commitment to peace and reconciliation went beyond the borders of his homeland. He represented a special resource in sustaining believers in Eastern Europe during the time of unhappy division of the European continent. At the same time, as a builder of bridges, he was recognized by the Churches in the East. I join the archdiocese of Vienna in prayers in memory of the late pastor whom I entrust to the goodness of the Lord of life and death. May God Almighty welcome him in eternal peace and grant him eternal happiness, reserved for him for his faithful service. Through the intercession of Our Lady, Mother of the Church, I impart the apostolic blessing as a sign of divine consolation upon all, especially those in mourning and for the eternal salvation of the late cardinal,."
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AUDIENCES

AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, MAR 15, 2004 (VIS) - Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Giovanni Lonfernini I and Valeria Ciavatta I, captains regent of the Republic of San Marino, and an entourage.

- Cardinal Bernard Agre, archbishop of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

- Two prelates of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop Francis Patrick Carroll of Canberra.

- Archbishop Adrian Leo Doyle of Hobart.

- Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, apostolic nuncio in Burundi, accompanied by his family members.

On Saturday March 13, the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

- Archbishop Ivo Scapolo, apostolic nuncio in Bolivia.

- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

- Archbishop Jozef Miroslaw Zycinski of Lublin, Poland.
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