Cardinal Kurt Koch to participate in Ecumenical Meeting at Basilica St Paul outside Walls

(January 20, 2011) Cardinal Kurt Koch, the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, will participate in the Ecumenical Church Unity Octave Prayers on Sunday evening 23^rd of January, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. A delegation of leaders of the United Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Germany, led by Bishop Dr Johannes Friedrich (Monaco) will also be participating in the event and at a key moment they will plant a tree in partnership with the ecumenical project of the "Luther Garden" in Wittenberg, Germany. The United Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Germany, came from Luther's Reformation in the sixteenth century, includes all the faithful Lutherans in Germany, about 18 million people and plays a key role in the Lutheran World Federation, of which it is a member. Also present will be nineteen Protestant delegates who are responsible for relations with Catholics, prominent among them are Bishop Prof. Dr. Friedrich Weber and former prime minister of Bavaria, Dr. Günther Beckstein. This event also coincides with the fifth centenary of Luther's visit to Rome. The Lutheran leaders will discuss with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Church, the current state of ecumenical relations and the possibilities for a deepening of communion that already exists. Cardinal Koch will also plant and bless an olive tree as a sign of ecumenical fellowship between Catholics and Lutherans. There has been a considerable progress in the Ecumenical union between Lutherans and Catholics in the last decade. The Delegation will meet the Holy Father on Monday, 24^th of January.