Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Pope to Bulgarian ambassador: More than being an EU market, Europe needs a "soul"

Pope Hopes Bulgaria Can Aid Europe Spiritually

Receives New Ambassador From Sofia

VATICAN CITY, MAY 17, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says that Europe needs a "soul" in order to be more than just a "great market" under its plan for integration.

The Pope expressed this conviction in his address last Saturday to Bulgaria's new ambassador to the Holy See, Valentin Vassilev Bozhilov.

On Tuesday the European Commission indicated next Jan. 1 as the date for Bulgaria and Romania to join the European Union, though it made the decision depend on the fulfillment of a series of conditions that will be reassessed in October.

Bulgaria, a predominantly Orthodox country, has had the support of the Holy See in its bid to join the European Union.

Addressing Sofia's representative in French, Benedict XVI expressed the hope that, once in the European Union, Bulgaria would "play an important role, contributing to give back to our continent the spiritual push it so often needs."
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