Thousands of European Alter Servers to Meet the Pope

VATICAN CITY - Thousands of the young altar servers are due to travel to Rome on 3rd and 4th August for the tenth European pilgrimage promoted by the "Coetus internationalis ministrantium" movement. The theme of this year's pilgrimage is "Drinking Waters from the True Well".

On the afternoon of Tuesday 3 August, altar servers from the twelve European nations (including 44,000 from Germany and 8,000 from Hungary, France, Romania and Switzerland) will attend a concert in the St. Peter's Square. The event, involving interviews and the guest appearances, will culminate in the praying of the Vespers and some words from the Pope. At the end of the event, participants will be invited to exchange their national pilgrim shawls with the participants from the other countries.

On Wednesday 4 August, the young altar servers will attend with the Holy Father's general audience. Bishop Martin Gachter, auxiliary of the Basel, Switzerland, and the president of the CIM, will greet the national groups then present the Pope with a white pilgrim shawl. Following the Holy Father's address and the blessings, a band and choir from the Hamburg will play in honour of the German Pope.