Pope Benedict asks faithful
to accompany him with prayers
At the Angelus today, Pope Benedict XVI asked the faithful to pray for the spiritual success of his coming trip to the Czech Republic. Here is a translation of his words:
Starting next Saturday, Sept. 26, to Monday, Sept. 28, God willing, I will make an apostolic trip to the Czech Republic. I will stay in Prague, the capital, but I will also be going to Brno in Moravia, and Stara Boleslav, site of the martyrdom of St. Wenceslas, the principal patron saint of the nation.
The Czech Republic is geographically and historically in the heart of Europe, and after having gone through the tragedies of the past century, like the entire Continent, it needs to rediscover the reasons for faith and hope.
In the footsteps of my beloved predecessor John Paul II who visited that country three times, I, too, wish to render homage to their heroic witnesses for the Gospel, ancient and recent, and I encourage everyone to move forward in love and truth.
I thank all those who will accompany me with prayer on this trip so that the Lord may bless it and make it fruitful.