The Italian participation in the prayer meeting in Assisi was preceded by the words of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), who in his address to the permanent episcopal Council on 21 January had said: “We will go to Assisi and pray for peace, for justice, for God’s forgiveness, so that we in turn may become more capable of forgiving. We will also pray for freedom, especially for religious freedom… It is the opposite of syncretism. Rather, it is the road along which each religion is called to advance, if it wants to contribute to peace and to the friendship of peoples”. “ Our humble prayer Ruini continued will be strengthened by the powerful intercession of those who were killed for their fidelity to Christ and to man in the course of the year that has just ended: no less than 33 martyrs have been ascertained, including six Italians”. In Assisi the CEI promoted a youth meeting which began in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli on 23 January. On the evening of the same day a prayer vigil prepared by the diocese of Assisi, by the national liturgical Office and by the Friars Minor of the Porziuncola, and officiated by Msgr. Sergio Goretti, bishop of Assisi and president of the Umbrian Episcopal Conference, was celebrated in the same basilica from 9.00 to 11.00 pm. The vigil also continued through the night with various audio link-ups with other churches in Italy, Europe and the world. Animated by Father Alberto Ferretti of the John Paul II Centre of Loreto and prepared by many ecclesial associations and movements, the noctural vigil was attended by large numbers of young people belonging to non-Catholic churches and confessions. On the following day, 24 January, the youngsters were able to follow live TV coverage, on giant screens, of all the phases of the prayer meeting of the Pope and of the representatives of the religions.
