Pope reaches out to Czech Republic, decries 'wounds' left by communism
PRAGUE – Pope Benedict XVI sought to reach out to the heavily secular people of the Czech Republic on Saturday, decrying the "wounds" left by atheistic communism and urging them to rediscover their Christian roots.
As he began a three-day pilgrimage coinciding with the fall of communism in this central European country 20 years ago, Benedict said Christianity has an "irreplaceable role" to play in their lives.
The Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in Europe, with nearly half the country professing to be non-believers.
The atmosphere surrounding the visit appeared to reflect that.
Few people turned out for the formal welcoming ceremony at Prague's Ruzyne International Airport, there were no crowds or welcoming billboards on the streets and the city's newspapers barely mentioned the visit. Local TV stations, however, broadcast the ceremony live.
Vatican organizers are hoping for a crowd of up to 200,000 people for the pope's Sunday Mass in Brno, in the Catholic heartland of the Czech Republic.
Upon arriving, the 82-year-old pope spoke of how the communist regime, which was overthrown in 1989, ruthlessly persecuted the Roman Catholic Church.
"I join you and your neighbors in giving thanks for your liberation from these oppressive regimes," Benedict said, hailing the collapse of the Berlin Wall two decades ago this autumn as "a watershed in world history."
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As he began a three-day pilgrimage coinciding with the fall of communism in this central European country 20 years ago, Benedict said Christianity has an "irreplaceable role" to play in their lives.
The Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in Europe, with nearly half the country professing to be non-believers.
The atmosphere surrounding the visit appeared to reflect that.
Few people turned out for the formal welcoming ceremony at Prague's Ruzyne International Airport, there were no crowds or welcoming billboards on the streets and the city's newspapers barely mentioned the visit. Local TV stations, however, broadcast the ceremony live.
Vatican organizers are hoping for a crowd of up to 200,000 people for the pope's Sunday Mass in Brno, in the Catholic heartland of the Czech Republic.
Upon arriving, the 82-year-old pope spoke of how the communist regime, which was overthrown in 1989, ruthlessly persecuted the Roman Catholic Church.
"I join you and your neighbors in giving thanks for your liberation from these oppressive regimes," Benedict said, hailing the collapse of the Berlin Wall two decades ago this autumn as "a watershed in world history."