Vatican City, Nov 10, 2010 / 18:49 pm
In his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Nov. 10, Pope Benedict XVI described his recent pilgrimage to Spain as "unforgettable days which will remain inscribed in my heart."
"I went there to strengthen my brothers and sisters in the faith, and I did so as a witness of the Risen Christ and a sower of the hope that does not disappoint and does not fail," the Pope said of his Nov. 6-7 pastoral voyage.
The Pope met with pilgrims in the shelter of the Paul VI Hall on a blustery morning in Rome. Large groups of pilgrims attended from the Czech Republic and the Italian city of Carpineto Romano. They came to thank the Pope for visiting them during his pontificate.
In his remarks, the Pope repeated the core of his message while in Spain, which was to urge Europe to return to its Christian roots and "to open itself to God and so favor prospects for authentic and respectful encounter, united with peoples and civilizations of other continents."