Eminent representatives of Christian Communities and of World Religions, Eminent authorities, dear friends of the Comunit� di Sant'Egidio, For two thousads years the song sung by the Angels at Jesus's birth has resounded: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men withwhom he is pleased." Every day this announcement of peace echoes in the Christian Churches spread throughout the five continents. And this is also the hymn which accompanies us tonight, in this fraternal meeting. The Gospel of peace has been brought here on the banks of the Tiber by a humble fisherman from Galilee, called by Christ to lead his Church. Since then, the Church of Rome, has hoisted the flag of love and of universal brotherhood in the world. And this is what today the 264 th successor of Peter, Pope John Paul II keeps on doing, with a daily committment that arouses the world's admiration. This evening I am here with you to bring you his warm greetings Our thoughts and wishes for a quick recovery go out to him, so that he can continue his function as Shepard of the Universal Church. He would have liked to be present in person among us. From his bed in the hospital he equally joins us in our prayers and in our common commitment to educate peoples to believe in peace. You all know very well how much He desired to celebrate, in Assisi, the first day of prayer for peace. In the message he addressed in a special way to you, some years ago, He himself remembered that day: "I had longed for that meeting very much,; I had wanted it because in front of the tragedy of a divided world, and threatened very strongly by an impending war, from the heart of every believer came a common invocation toward that God that leads man's progress on the paths of peace. Today, ten years after Assisi, your pilgrimage has brought you, in a very meaningful way, to Rome. I think it is not meaningless, the fact that Saint Francis chose precisely Trastevere as his dwelling place when he came to Rome. Without any doubt he crossed this square, he walked the same streets you have walked on today. I believe we can think of an ideal continuity between your pilgrimage and that of the Saint of Assisi, universal witness of the work for the reconciliation and the universal brotherhood. As we approach the threshold of the Third Millennium, as all of us hope, a new era of peace in the history of humankind, may the words on which we have meditated during these days lead us: "The peace is the name of God". Wars begin from the selfishness of men and from their thirst of dominion, even if they are hidden under false pretences. By educating mankind to love, the religions will educate men to peace. The historians tell us that we, as men of the twentieth century, have already scandalized future generations: more than 8 million dead, soldiers and civilians, in the First World War; about 60 million dead in the Second World War; more than 20 million dead in more than one hundred conflicts which have broken in the world since 1945 till now. They are all the tragic result of those who forgot that we are all children of the same Father who is in heaven. We, all believers in God, will keep on striving for peace in the world; this is the commitment we solemnly take on tonight in this corner of old Rome, that is willing to continue to be the teacher of culture in the world. Dear friends, to conclude this meeting, I am happy to read the message that the Holy Father has sent you.

Rome, St. Maria in Trastevere, 10 october 1996