Paus wil dat Europese Unie meer aandacht besteedt aan christelijke traditie (en)

Pope John Paul II has again reaffirmed his desire to see Europe's Christian heritage recognised in the context of enlargement (AP reports).

Speaking yesterday (Monday 22 December) in the Vatican on the occasion of his Christmas address to his Cardinals, the Pope said, "I cannot help note that Europe is going through a crucial phase in his history in enlarging its borders to new people and other nations".

"It is important that Europe, enriched throughout the centuries by its Christian faith, confirms its origins and re-establishes its roots".

The debate over whether to include a reference to Europe's Christian roots in the Constitution was one of several stumbling blocks that caused recent negotiations over the draft text to fail.

Certain countries, notably Spain and Poland were adamant that a reference to Europe's Christian heritage be included in the wording.

But others, especially France with its secular tradition, were equally strong in their opposition to such a reference.