The echo of the words of Paul VI

L’eco delle parole di Paolo VI

EN | IT | FR | DE – “Pius XII greeted St. Benedict as the ‘Father of Europe’ because he inspired the peoples of this continent with the loving care of order and justice as the basis of true sociality”. This passage is taken from the Apostolic Letter Pacis nuntius by means of which Paul VI, on October 24, 1964, proclaimed St. Benedict of Norcia the “main patron saint of Europe”. Today we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of this Apostolic Letter. There are six patron saints of Europe by now: St. Benedict was joined by Cyril and Methodius, Catherine of Siena, Bridget of Sweden, and Therese Benedicta of the Cross, whose original name was Edith Stein.