February 2006″ “

The European Churches and European and international institutions 2 Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord: 10th Day of Consecrated Life. Special meeting on Iran (2-3) of the Governing Council of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in Vienna. 4 Eucharistic Liturgy for the 50th anniversary of the erection of the Diocese of Rotterdam, in the Cathedral of Saints Laurence and Elizabeth. Centenary of the birth of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Protestant theologian, lecturer in theology at the University of Berlin. 5 Pilgrimage to Rome of youth representatives (5-8) of the eight countries that participated in the great “Pilgrimage of Peoples” to the Austrian Marian Sanctuary at Mariazell in May 2004; during the pilgrimage, youth from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary will present Benedict XVI with the book of their testimonies born from the experience of the meeting in Mariazell. 6 Italian national meeting on the catechumenate (6-7) “Catechumenate in Europe” will be the theme of the intervention of Jean-Pierre de Meulder, national delegate for the catechumenate in Belgium. General Assembly of the Union of European Conferences of Superiors General (UECSG), on “Religious life today: our spiritual life faced by the European challenges”, at Fátima, with the participation of 42 Conferences or Unions representing some 400,000 male and female religious in 26 countries of Europe. Meeting of the General Synod of the Anglican Church (6-9), in London. The assembly will discuss, among other things, the ordination of women as bishops. 9 Celebration of 14th World Invalid’s Day (9-11), in liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes (11 February), on the theme “Mental health and human dignity”. 56th year of the international Film Festival in Berlin. 10 20th Winter Olympic Games (10-26), in Turin and in other Piedmontese localities. Summit of finance ministers of the G8 (10-11), in Moscow . Meeting between Armenian President Robert Kotcharian and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev, on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, enclave forming autonomous region of Azerbaijan with an Armenian majority, in Paris . In Italy, “Day of Memory”, in commemoration of all the victims of massacres and the exodus citizens of Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia from their homelands in the aftermath of the Second World War. Meeting of the COMECE migration group. 11 Dissolution of both Chambers of the Italian Parliament in preparation for general elections on 9-10 April. 13 1st anniversary of the death of Sister Lucia de Jesus dos Santos, witness of the apparitions of Fatima, who died in the Carmelite convent at Coimbra, in Portugal, at the age of 97. 14 Feast of Saints Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop, Patrons of Europe. 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (14-23), on the theme “God, in your grace, transform the world”, at Porto Alegre (Brazil). Some 3,000 participants, including 1,200 delegates of the 347 WCC member Churches from 120 countries. 16 Lecture by Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, on “A look at Vatican diplomacy today”, in Rome. 17 Meeting of the CCEE Commission for the pastoral care of migrants (until 19), at Cologne 23 Visit “ad Limina Apostolorum” of the Bishops of Bosnia and Herzegovina (23-28). 24 Annual meeting of the Mixed Committee for Dialogue formed by the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue and the Permanent Council of al-Azhar for Dialogue with Monotheist Religions, on the theme “The manipulation of religions: a common concern for Christians and Muslims”, in Rome. Meeting of the COMECE Legal Commission. 27 International Congress of the Pontifical Academy for Life (27-28), on “The human embryo in the pre-implant phase: scientific aspects and bioethical considerations”, and 12th General Assembly of the Academy (1st March), in the Vatican. 271st Ordinary Assembly of the Conference of Swiss Bishops (27 Feb.- 1st March), at Villars-sur-Glâne, at the Seminary of the diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg. Meeting of CCEE staff with representatives of European organizations of priests, laity and religious (until 28), at St Gallen . 28 International Conference (28 Feb.-1st March) “Solidarity and globalization: innovative funding for development and against pandemics “, under the auspices of the French President Jacques Chirac, in Paris.