SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain, DEC. 14, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the letter Benedict XVI sent to Archbishop Julián Barrio of Santiago de Compostela after the Pontiff returned from his Nov. 6-7 trip to Spain. The note was published today by the Archdiocese of Compostela.
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To the Venerable Brother
Monsignor Julian Barrio Barrio
Metropolitan Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela
Upon returning to Rome, after the joyful ecclesial and spiritual experience of my pastoral visit to Santiago de Compostela, where, in this Holy Year, I wished to include myself among the pilgrims who present themselves at the feet of the Apostle to allow themselves to be transformed by the witness of his faith and the fire of his love for Christ, I wish to express to Your Excellency my most heartfelt gratitude for the exquisite reception, pleasing hospitality and happy stay in that beautiful city. I ask you also to communicate my gratitude to all your collaborators, as well as to the civil authorities, the security forces, and the numerous volunteers, for their generous cooperation in the preparation, development and execution of this beloved initiative.
I reciprocate these noble and eloquent gestures, asking God to enrich all the children of those noble lands with the abundance of the gifts of his love and mercy, may they serve as help in carrying out their personal, family and social duties.
With these sentiments, and at the same time entrusting to the Apostle James, friend of the Lord, the priests, religious communities, seminarians and faithful of that beloved archdiocese, I impart from my heart the apostolic blessing, pledge of copious divine favors.
Vatican, Nov. 9, 2010
Benedict XVI
