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Sant'Egidio Meeting for Peace in Barcelona: numbers and personalities
Prayer for PeaceDialogueEcumenismBarcelonaSpirit of AssisiCountdown to the Meeting for Peace "Living together in a time of crisis. Family of peoples, family of God", held in Barcelona October 3 to 5, organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio and the Archdiocese of Barcelona.
The meeting, which relies on the work of 2,000 volunteers of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Europe, provides for the participation of 300 religious representatives of the world's great spiritual traditions.
On the eve of the conference over 3000 people have already registered, and even more are expected in the coming days.
In Barcelona, there will be nine cardinals and a patriarch, 30 archbishops and bishops (11 of whom from Spain).
Great anticipation for the arrival of the chinese Bishop Paul Pei Junmin, from the diocese of Shenyang (Manchuria), which had 11,767 baptized in 1950 and today has about 110,000 baptized, 80 priests and 180 religious.
Highly qualified are the delegations from 11 different Orthodox Churches. Stands out the delegation of the Orthodox Church in Moscow, consisting of 6 representatives, including three Metropolitans. Metropolitan Filaret, Exarch of Belarus, will participate tomorrow in celebration of the Eucharist in the Church of Santa Maria del Mar and will take the floor during the homily together with Cardinal of Barcelona, Lluis Martinez Sistach. Metropolitan Hilarion, Chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate will later intervene in a panel discussion.
Great representation also from the Anglican world and from Protestant Churches and the various Christian communions (more than 60 representatives).
Judaism is represented by more than 20 personalities among which the Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger.
Islam will be represented in Barcelona by more than 30 high-level personalities. Very important are also the political representatives of Islamic countries, such as Zakzouk Mahmoud, Minister of Religious Affairs of Egypt, and Dató Serti Anwar Ibrahim, former Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The great Asian religions (Buddhism, Tenrikyo, Rissho Kosei Kai, Jainism, Hinduism) which are present with many high level delegations (over 80 personalities), will give voice to the expectations of peace in a continent that has been in recent years in the middle of war and frictions.
There will also be political representatives from around the world (2 presidents, over 40 ministers) and diplomatic ones (60 ambassadors) from many countries in Europe and outside Europe.