Pope Bendedict XVI met with the President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus on Saturday afternoon, and delivered an address to civil authorities and the diplomatic corps, telling them Europe is more than a continent, it is a house, a spiritual homeland, the hallmarks of which are freedom and Christian values.

While respecting the distinction between political and religious spheres, said Pope Benedict, Christianity has a unique role in the formation of consciences. The Holy Father said faith and the search for truth act as guarantors of the very pluralism and cohesion upon which life in civil society depends. The Pope again noted that the architectural heritage of Prague, the heart of Europe, dire ...