Pope approves gathering:

Benedict XVI has approved an international Inter-Religious Encounter of Prayer for Peace organized by the Sant’Egidio Community (founded by Andrea Riccardi, a frequent contributor to the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano.) This will take place September 4-5 in Assissi, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of an event that was dar to Pope John Paul II, and which was not fully looked on with approval at the time by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The slogan of the encounter is "For a world of peace and of reigions and cultures in dialog". Religious leadres from all over the world have been invited, along with the heads of the various Christian confessions.

"We will pray for peace together but in different places," said Mario Marazziti, spokesman for the Sant’Egidio Community.

This second Assisi encounter comes in the context of rigid norms imposed by the Vatican last November on activities that may be undertaken within the Franciscan churches in Assisi.