December 2004″ “

We present the main events involving the Catholic Church and the other European Christian Churches in December. 1 Meeting of Cardinal Cormac-Murphy O’ Connor, archbishop of Westminster, with the youth of the archdiocese, in preparation for World Youth Day in Cologne in 2005. The aim of the meeting is to explain the spirit of WYD and provide information on the pilgrimage being organized to the archdiocese to Cologne . 2 “Shores 2004” (2-4): a meeting of dialogue between the cultures of the Mediterranean promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Observatory of the Mediterranean, in Rome. 3 International Congress of Health Ministers (3-4) of 50 countries on mental health and recovery from post-conflict situations, as part of the “One Billion” Project for long-term assistance to the victims of wars and violence, in Rome. 4 Concluding meeting of the series of conferences on “European citizenship” promoted by the Dutch Presidency of the Union, in The Hague. 5 Taking of possession of the archdiocese of Ljubljana by Msgr. Alojz Uran, hitherto auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese. 6 Presentation of the Letters of Credence to the Pope by the Ambassador of Lithuania – 10th Conference of the Signatory States of the UN Framework Convention (6-17), on climate change (COP 10), in Buenos Aires. 8 Celebrations for the centenary of the coronation of the image of “Nossa Senhora do Sameiro” and for the 150th anniversary of the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, in Braga (Portugal) . 9 Ceremony for the award of the “Prizes for the right way of living”, also called the “Alternative Nobels”, in Stockholm. 10 Ceremony for the award of the Nobel Prizes. 11 Presentaton of the Letters of Credence to the Pope by the Ambassador of Croatia – Conference of the Theological Academy of Saints Cyril and Methodius, in Minsk, with the participation of Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Metropolitan Philaret, Patriarchal Exarch of Belarus and dean of the Academy . 12 Convention of European University Youth (12-14), promoted by the University Apostolate of the diocese of Rome, at the campus of the University of Rome “La Sapienza” – Second round of the presidential elections in Romania; run-off between the Prime Minister Adrian Nastase (40.9 %) and the Mayor of Bucharest Traian Basescu (33.9%). 16 (16-17): Meeting of the European Council, in Brussels, effectively marking the end of the six months’ Dutch Presidency. 18 Audience of the Pope to the Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany. 25 Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord. 26 Parliamentary elections, in Uzbekistan. 28 European Meeting of the youth of Taizé (28 Dec.-1st Jan.), in Lisbon; on 2 January the European youth and the Community of Taizé will meet in the monastery of dos Jeronimos in Lisbon for a celebration with the Cardinal Patriarch José Policarpo, during which Frère Roger, founder of Taizé, will give a meditation. 31 End of the six months’ Presidency of the Netherlands of the Council of Ministers of the European Union.