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9/11, Munich - The Eucharistic Celebration opens the international meeting "Bound to Live Together"

- BAVARIA, GERMANY

EcumenismDialoguePrayer for PeaceMonaco of BavariaSpirit of Assisi

Peace – The beginning of the meeting of the Community of Sant’Egidio. Card. Marx : “The testimony of peace is crucial in a faith experience”. Filaret (Moscow Patriarchate): “To observe the commandment of unity”

The crowded Cathedral of Munich is the opening image of the international meeting of prayer for peace "Bound to live together. Religions and Cultures in Dialogue", organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio. During the Liturgy, in an almost spring day, at least 2000 people from various european countries and ecumenical representatives of different confessions were welcomed by Cardinal Reinhard Marx. "We know that conflicts go along with human history, but they should not discourage us and should not lead us to stop building the peace. It's a work that proceeds step by step and in which we must continue to believe. The construction and the work for peace should not be considered a plus for the Christians, the testimony of peace is crucial in a faith experience." The mission of Christians, continued the cardinal, is to live together as the family of God in human history. Also the prayers of the faithful have stressed the need for this witness, in memory of the war-torn countries and inviting to receive the immigrants.

To greet this international people, which makes his 25th step of the journey begun in 1986 in Assisi, the words of the Orthodox Metropolitan Filaret, representative of the Patriarchate of Moscow, concluded the liturgy: "We recognize the oneness of humankind and we are committed to observe the commandment of God on unity and mutual love. With grateful heart I give the assurance that our meeting today is a step towards the unity commanded by the Creator."