Pope leads environment festival
The Pope called for "courageous decisions" to be made to protect the environment
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Sunday, 02, Sep 2007 11:59
The Pope has called on people to make "courageous decisions" on the future of the planet during an address to 300,000 Roman Catholics at an environment festival in Loreto, Italy.
Pope Benedict XVI participated in the eco-friendly festival on the day designated by the Vatican as "Save Creation Day".
The leader of the Catholic community called for decisive action to halt damage to the environment and urged the preservation of natural resources such as water.
In his homily, he said: "Before it is too late, we need to make courageous choices that will recreate a strong alliance between man and Earth."
"We need a decisive 'yes' to care for creation and a strong commitment to reverse those trends that risk making the situation of decay irreversible," he added.
During the festival, participants were given bags made of recycled materials which contained a hand-powered battery charger, biodegradable plates and bags for recycling garbage.
The event is being seen as a precursor to World Youth Day which will be held in July in Australia – an event the 80-year-old pontiff is also expected to attend.
Recently the Vatican has adopted a number of environmentally friendly measures, including the installation of solar panels on the roof of its main auditorium. It has also been involved in reforestation projects.