“A theme that reminds us of the past, the present role and the future of the Church in Europe that is being constructed with great exertion”. That’s how the APPRR (Association of parents of French priests, men and women religious, 1,300 families in 40 dioceses) explains the choice of the slogan of the biennial pilgrimage that began yesterday (until 1st October): “To the heart of a Christian Europe: Alsace”. “A time of friendship, dialogue, witness and common prayer”, but not only that: the pilgrimage is also intended as “an occasion for reflection and information on the Church and its role between the institutions” and “an opportunity to get to know better the reality of religious and ecclesial life in Alsace, in particular, its ecumenical and inter-religious experience”. Tomorrow, after a mass celebrated in Strasbourg Cathedral by the city’s Archbishop Jean-Pierre Gallet, the pilgrims will visit the European Parliament, followed by a meeting on “Christians and Europe: what heritage, what mission?”. Planned for Monday, 1st October, among other things, is a conference on “Christian Alsace at the heart of ecumenical dialogue”, chaired by M. Vogelweith, canon of the church of the Risen Christ in Strasbourg.
