Vatican City, Jan 21, 2008 / 19:09 pm
As was announced last week, the Press Office of the Holy See released the schedule for the year dedicated to St. Paul today. Running from 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009, the celebration will focus on rediscovering the person of St. Paul and his teachings, improving unity amongst Christians and pilgrimages to places associated with his life.
At a press conference at the Vatican today, Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, the archpriest of the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, gave a presentation of the coming year’s events.
He remarked how when Pope Benedict proclaimed the Pauline year to commemorate the second millennium of the birth of the Apostle of the Gentiles he highlighted the ecumenical dimension of the event. St. Paul "was particularly committed to bringing the Good News to all people, and made prodigious efforts for the unity and harmony of all Christians,” the Holy Father noted.
Cardinal Montezemolo explained how the Pauline year "will provide an occasion" to undertake various activities: "rediscover the figure of the Apostle; reread the numerous Letters he sent to the first Christian communities; relive the early years of our Church; delve deeply into his rich teaching to the 'gentiles'; meditate on his vigorous spirituality of faith, hope and charity; make a pilgrimage to his tomb and to the numerous places he visited while founding the first ecclesial communities; revitalize our faith and our role in today's Church in the light of his teachings; pray and work for the unity of all Christians in a united Church".