The spirit and example of Cyril and Methodius is not only to be praised as a piece of a bygone age.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the peoples of Europe,\u201d said Poe Benedict, \u201cthese two great saints remind us that their unity\u201d \u2013 the unity of Europe \u2013 \u201cwill be more solid if it is based on common Christian roots.\u201d The Pope identified Christianity as a central and defining element in Europe\u2019s complex history, and discussed how the Christian faith has shaped the culture of the Old Continent, saying that this faith, \u201cis intertwined with its history,\u201d to such a point that the history of Europe is not comprehensible without reference to the events that marked the first great period of evangelization, and the centuries in which Christianity assumed a growing role.<\/p>\n
The Pope went on to discuss how, in the present day, Europeans are called to commit themselves to creating the conditions for a deep, cohesive and effective cooperation among peoples \u2013 a cooperation that cannot be based on an appeal to purely economic interests, but must rather rely on those authentic human goods\u200b\u200b, which have their foundation in universal moral law written on the heart of every man.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important, therefore,\u201d said Pope Benedict, \u201cthat Europe also grow in the spiritual dimension, in keeping with the best angels of the history,\u201d of Europe\u2019s peoples.<\/p>\n