The Minister of Justice handed over a gift from the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic to Pope Benedict XVI. - Justice 2009

"I personally really appreciate to have had the privilege, as a representative of the Government of the Czech Republic and as a Minister of Justice, to meet the Pope. The audience was conducted in an exceptionally friendly atmosphere. It was my honour to be able to hand over such a precious gift as "Horae Principii de Rohan", the jewel of French fine arts," said Jiří Pospíšil. He also expressed delight at the fact that the Pope plans to come to the Czech Republic later this year.

The unique gift from the Prime Minister is a facsimile of the Book of Short Devotions from the fifteenth century. The original of this scarce prayer book called "Horae Principii de Rohan" or "The Book of Hours of Prince Rohan" ranks among jewels of sacred literature of the National Library in Prague. In his personal letter, the Prime Minister supported the Pope's strive for human rights and democracy in the world. He also pointed out the importance of this year for the Czech Republic as the country experiencing the Presidency of the European Union as well as the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain and the five-year anniversary of the EU enlargement.

Pope Benedict XVI. appreciated the gift and said: "I lay hope on the Czech Presidency and believe it will bring progress. I am very much looking forward to visiting the Czech Republic."

As a part of his two-day-long work visit of the State of the Vatican City and the Holy See the Minister was received by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, the President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, and Mons. Dominique Mamberti, the Secretary for Relations with States and he spoke with Cardinal Renato Raffaelo Martino, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He also honoured the memory of Cardinal Josef Beran and laid a bouquet of flowers on his grave in a crypt under the St. Peter's Basilica. Tomorrow the Minister of Justice will meet with Mons. José Maria Serrano Ruiz, Head of the Vatican State Court of Appeal, with Mons. Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, and with Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family.

At his meetings with the representatives of the State of the Vatican City and the Holy See the Minister Jiří Pospíšil discusses the concepts of human dignity and human rights which form a basis of current legislative changes in the Czech Republic, particularly of the new Penal Code and the Draft Civil Code, and also debates over the latest developments in the area of the family law and the law of succession at the European level. "I believe the Catholic Church as well as non-profit organisations may significantly contribute to a re-integration of persons who had served their prison sentence, back into society," closed Jiří Pospíšil.

Petra Střítecká,
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Justice for the Czech EU Presidency