VATICAN CITY, MARCH 12, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI was presented with a volume that compiles, for the first time in Italian, the correspondence of Blessed Aloysius Stepinac, a Croatian cardinal martyred in 1960.
The Pope received this Italian-language volume, «Lettere dal martirio quotidiano» (Letters of Daily Martyrdom), Wednesday during the general audience.
The Pontiff called the initiative «extraordinary» as he received the book containing 180 letters written during the period of the cardinal’s imprisonment by the Communist authorities in former Yugoslavia.
The volume was presented to the Holy Father in Paul VI Hall by Monsignor Alberti Di Chio of the Archdiocese of Bologna and Luciana Mirri, an expert in Eastern theology and spirituality, who were in charge of the edition, together with Luciano Lincetto, director of the Catholic Promotion Publishing Association.
«The Holy Father was very happy because of the extraordinary contribution that these letters make to the Year for Priests,» Lincetto explained to ZENIT.
He also said that «the volume has been sent to all the bishops of Italy» and that they hope to «send it, with the help of Providence, to a great number of priests.»
During the meeting, Lincetto informed Benedict XVI of the launching of a new Italian Catholic newspaper, «La Via» (The Way).
Giving a blessing to the project, the Pontiff said with a big smile: «We need it.»
