Pope Benedict XVI to Rome's university students: "be constant in faith"

“In Bethlehem, the ‘eternal now’ of the ever-living God touches the fleeting time we have on Earth, and gives that time light and direction on the way of life.” This was Pope Benedict XVI’s message to Rome’s university students, who were gathered with him in St. Peter’s Basilica for a special evening prayer service that has become a tradition in recent years. The virtue of perseverance was the main theme of Pope Benedict’s homily, which drew inspiration from the passage from the Letter of James, which says, “Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.”
One of the highlights of the encounter was the passage of the icon of Mary, sedes sapientiae – the Seat of Wisdom – from a delegation of African university students to a delegation of Spanish students, who will take the icon back to their country ahead of World Youth Day, 2011, which is to take place in Madrid.
“The presence of capable university students, who truly desire to communicate the fecundity of the Christian faith to their peers,” said Pope Benedict, “is of the first importance not only in Europe, but in all the world.”
Listen to Chris Altieri's report: