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Pope Benedict XVI described the Beijing Olympic Games as "an event of great importance for the entire human family" as he received the China Philharmonic at the Vatican on Wednesday.It was the pontiff's first remarks on the upcoming Olympiad, which have been the target of global controversy since unrest broke out in Tibet in March, prompting a crackdown by the Communist Party regime in Beijing.Speaking at a performance in his honour, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church expressed "a special thought for those of your fellow (Chinese) citizens who share faith in Jesus and are united through a particular spiritual bond with the Successor of Peter".He added: "As I thank you once again for this most welcome tribute, I send my greetings, through you, to all the people of China as they prepare for the Olympic Games, an event of great importance for the entire human family."The China Philharmonic-joined by the Shanghai Opera House Chorus-performed Mozart's "Requiem" at a moment when the Roman Catholic Church is striving to build bridges with China, where it has an estimated eight million to 12 million underground followers."In a group of such accomplished artists, we see represented the great cultural and musical tradition of China, and this performance helps us to understand better the history of the Chinese people, their values and their noble aspirations," the pope said.He added: "It is worth emphasizing that this performance by Chinese artists of one of Mozart's greatest works brings together their own musical talent and Western music.""Music, and art in general, can serve as a privileged instrument for encounter and reciprocal knowledge and esteem between different populations and cultures, a means attainable by all for valuing the universal language of art."Concluding his remarks, Pope Benedict said in Chinese: "I thank you all and I offer you my best wishes."http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080507191857.5scke97i&show_article=1
As in the days of Noah...
