He began his remarks to the 49th International Eucharistic Congress with a nod to Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations and praised the efforts of many Catholics, like Jesuit martyr Jean Brebeuf, "who helped to found your country."

"Sunday is the day we honour Christ, we need to rediscover, understand and respectfully celebrate the Sunday Eucharist," said the Pope, speaking in French and English.

Celebrating the eucharist on Sunday, he added, "gives strength to live each day in God."

Some 10,000 pilgrims from the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe had registered for the rite.

The Pope also called for more young men to consider the priesthood, "to accept with joy, not fear, to answer the call of God."

The crowd was made up mostly of older people, most sat on folding chairs they'd brought - or purchased from a concession in the middle of the field.

Some 1,000 priests, many of wearing ball caps for shade and carrying backpacks, led a long procession followed by about dozen cardinals and dozens of bishops.

"This has been an inspiring and wonderful experience," said Father Nicholas Schumm, a 29-year-old priest from Pensacola, Fla., who was in the procession and was attending his first world congress.

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St. Luigi Orione, an Italian priest, is the founder of the Little Work of Divine Providence. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in October 1980 and canonized by the same Pope in May 2004. His feast day is March 12.

Pope blesses statue of St. Luigi Orione outside Vatican basilica

The pope presided over the ceremony at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls, which houses a marble sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of the 1st century apostle.

It is the second largest of Rome's basilicas, after St. Peter's in the Vatican.

"We, although being many, are one body only," the pope said, referring to the ties that unite Christians.

He was joined by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of worldwide Orthodoxy, which split from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054.

St. Paul was born in the city of Tarsus in present-day Turkey. He persecuted early Christians but converted when he had a vision on the road to Damascus years after Christ's death and became known as "apostle to the gentiles".

Pope launches year of St. Paul with call for unity


AFP Getty

CNA - During the homily at the first Vespers of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, in which the Pauline Year was inaugurated, Pope Benedict XVI stressed that Saint Paul is still a "teacher, apostle and herald" to the world today, a saint whose experience of Christ's love freed him to love God in return.

At 6 pm Roman time at the Roman Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls -- where the remains of the Apostle have been kept for centuries -- the Holy Father, in the company of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I and representatives of other Christian denominations, arrived in procession to the atrium. In front of the famous marble statue of St. Paul, they lit the candles that will remain burning during the entire Pauline year.

The procession continued to the presbytery of the Basilica, where Pope Benedict descended to the Apostle's tomb under the altar.

"Who was this Saint Paul?" asked the Pope. He described him using the saint's own words: "Teacher of the people, apostle and herald of Jesus Christ, this is how he portrays himself in a retrospective look on the course of his life. But his gaze looks not only to the past. His phrase "teacher of the people" is open to the future, to all the peoples and all generations.

"Paul is not simply a figure of the past, who we remember with veneration. He is also a teacher, apostle and herald of Jesus Christ for us as well."

Opening Pauline Year, Pope calls faithful to listen to and follow St. Paul in today's world

Pope Benedict XVI will read the first chapter of the Book of Genesis on Italian national television October 5, the RAI television network announced today, in a broadcast expected to last roughly one hour.

The pope's appearance will kick off a six-day RAI telethon in which the entire Bible will be read by various personalities. The series is projected to conclude Oct. 11 with the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation, to be read by the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

Oct. 5 is the opening day of the Synod of Bishops dedicated to the theme of "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church."

According to Giuseppe de Carli, who heads the division of RAI devoted to Vatican coverage, Benedict XVI will appear in the late afternoon of Oct. 5, following the opening ceremonies of the synod. It is yet to be determined whether the broadcast will be live or taped, De Carli said. Corriere della Sera, Italy's main daily newspaper, reported this morning that Benedict XVI has proposed that the broadcast be carried live, from his residence in the Apostolic Palace.

Pope to read the Bible on Italian TV