“The Europeans approximately 707 million are mostly Christian (560 million, 285 of which are Catholic; 161 Orthodox; 77 Protestant; 26 Anglican; 11 other confessions)”. These are some of the figures that mgr. Aldo Giordano, secretary general of the Council of the European Bishops Conferences (Ccee), is going to submit to the conference named “Europe, land of mission", which opens this afternoon in Rome (until the 20th). Promoted by the Salesian Congregation, explain the organisers, "in order to raise awareness of the urgency of evangelisation and the challenges it involves in Europe”, the meeting will be attended by over 150 priests and lay people from several countries. The agenda will be opened by the rector superior, father Pascual Chevez Villanueva. “With the fall of the Berlin Wall explains mgr. Giordano the European ecumenical scenario has changed as well: the key point to be settled” seems to be now that of the confrontation "between the Latin tradition and the Eastern tradition", as suggested by such "painful issues" as "that of proselytism or the relation between Orthodox Churches and Greek-Catholic Churches”. One further problem for the Eastern Churches is "the laicisation of the West", that, according to the president of Ccee, “East and West have to face together”. Info: www.salesianum.it
