Pope presides over vespers to mark beginning of Advent

(Vatican Radio) Pope Benedict XVI presided over Vespers in Saint Peter’s Basilica this evening, marking the vigil to the first day of Advent. During this evening’s celebrations the Pope met with students from Roman and Pontifical universities. Speaking to the students, the Holy Father encouraged them to witness the closeness of God in their university halls. A god who manifests himself in the search for truth, he said, is key to all intellectual endeavour. Fr Bernard Bitekerezo of Uganda and student of the Pontifical University of Santa Croce here in Rome spoke with Vatican Radio’s Alberto Goroni about meeting with the Holy Father.

“It is very important to meet the Pope,” he said. “We are all very happy to be with him, to pray with him, to get those blessings.”

“Especially in Africa, we have got a lot of problems – wars, diseases – and the Pope has really been giving us advice, information, and support, especially as regards our Catholic faith,” Fr Bitekerezo said.

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