On Saturday, Pope Benedict gathered with European and Asian university students, both in reality and virtually, to pray the rosary. This event was held to mark the fifth European Day for Universities. A CNA story:
On Saturday the Holy Father gathered by way of satellite link with thousands of university students from around Europe and Asia. Pope Benedict XVI joined a prayer vigil in the Paul VI Hall for the occasion of the fifth European Day for Universities. The Pope reminded the thousands of students gathered at the Vatican, as well as those joining him by satellite link that the Cross of Christ serves to illuminate all wisdom and learning for Christian students and teachers.
The initiative for universities was promoted by the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) and the vicariate of Rome’s office for pastoral care in universities. This year’s them was: "Intellectual charity, the way to renewed cooperation between Europe and Asia."
During the gathering there were satellite linkups with university students in the cities of Turin, Bologna, Manchester, Coimbra, Krakow, Prague, Tirana, Hong Kong, Calcutta, Manila and Islamabad.
At 5 p.m. the Holy Father arrived to pray the Rosary. He then extended greetings in various languages, both to the young people present in the Paul VI Hall and to those following events from the European and Asian cities.
A translation of his words to the students (scroll down)
And now I will address those who are linked to us in the other cities and nations.
Dear ones who are assembled in Prague! May friendship with Christ illuminate always your studies and your personal growth.
Dear university students from Calcutta, Hong Kong, Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Manchester and Manila! May you bear witness to the fact that Jesus Christ takes nothing away from us but brings to fulfilment our deepest longings for life and truth!
Dear friends of Cracow! Always treasure the teachings that the venerated Pope John Paul II has left for the youth, and in a special way, to universitarians.
Dear students of the University of Coimbra! May the Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom, be your guide to turn into true disciples of Christ and witnesses for Christian wisdom.
Dear young people of Tirana! Commit yourselves as protagonists in building a new Albania that draws from the Crhistian roots of Europe.
Dear students of the Universities of Bologna and Turin! Do not fail to make ypur original and creative contributions to constructing the new humanism based on the fruitful dialog between faith and reason.
Dear friends, we are now in the season of Lent, and the liturgy exhorts us continually to be more firm in following Christ. Even this vigil, in the tradition of the World Youth Days, can be considered a stage in the spiritual pilgrimage guided by the Cross.
The mystery of the Cross cannot be detached from the theme of intellectual charity but rather illuminates it. Christian knowledge is the wisdom of the Cross. Students, and for more reason, Christian professors, interpret every reality in the light of the mystery of God’s love which has its highest and most complete revelation in the Cross.
Once more, dear young people, I entrust the Cross to you: welcome it, embrace it, follow it. It is the tree of life. At its foot you will always find Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Together with her, Seat of Wisdom, turn your eyes on Him who was pierced for our sake (cfr Jn 19,7), contemplate the inexhaustible spring of love and truth, so that even you can become disciples and witnesses full of joy.
Meanwhile, on the same day, a protest in in downtown Rome in favor of government rights for unmarried couples:
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