Vatican City, Jan 23, 2005 / 22:00 pm
This morning, the Pope received the first group of Spanish prelates who have just completed their "ad limina" visit.
In his address, the Pope highlighted that Spain "is a country of profound Christian roots.
He told them that, “The Church in your nation has a glorious history of generosity and sacrifice, of robust spirituality and altruism, and has offered the universal Church numerous sons and daughters outstanding for their practice of heroic virtues or for their witness as martyrs.”
I myself have had the joy of canonizing and beatifying numerous sons and daughters of Spain. ... The living Christian roots of Spain, as I highlighted in my last pastoral visit in May 2003, cannot be pulled up, rather they must continue to nourish the harmonious development of society."