Vatican City, Mar 12, 2006 / 22:00 pm
On Saturday evening, Pope Benedict XVI met with some 7,000 European and African University students, whom he urged toward greater fraternity, as well as the building of a “culture of love,” to counter what John Paul II had coined “the culture of death.”
The students had gathered in Rome for the forth European Day for Universities, during which, they explored the theme; "Christian humanism, the path of a new cooperation between Europe and Africa."
The Holy Father presided at an evening prayer vigil for the gathering where he was connected by satellite linkup to students in Bonn, Dublin, Freiburg, Madrid, Munich, Salamanca, St. Petersburg and Sofia, as well as the African cities of Abidjan, Antananarivo, Owerri and Nairobi.
The historic meeting was sponsored by the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) and the vicariate of Rome's office for pastoral care in universities.