Pope Benedict XVI recently embarked on a three-day pilgrimage to the Czech Republic, where citizens have become progressively dispassionate towards religion since the overthrowal of the communist regime, which brutally persecuted the Roman Catholic Church.

Benedict felt that Prague was a significant landmark to urge the world to follow the ethical principles of Christianity because, “Over all the centuries, the Czech Republic has been the meeting place for cultures.”

Benedict’s visit took place two months before the Czech’s Twentieth Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution of 1989, which peacefully disassembled a communist administration that persecuted Roman Catholics.

While at least 40,000 pilgrims crowded into Prague to come and see the Pope, some of the citizens of the Czech Republic felt apathetic about the Visit.

“When I think about his old-fashioned, even nonsensical views of the world, you can’t expect me to be among those who will line the streets to greet him,” said one disgruntled Czech citizen. Another felt his visit was a detriment to her nation’s economy. “It’s just a waste of money. At a time of economic crisis, when our salaries are going down, the visit is a useless investment.”

Reverend Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s spokesman said, “Secularism is so engrained in the modern Czech Republic the practice of religion is reduced to a minority.”

Pope Benedict XVI addressed this minority at the Visit to the “Holy Infant of Prague” by commencing with a speech that stressed how children should covet a relationship with Jesus or the “all-powerful God who became man.” He also encouraged young people not be attracted and captivated by consumerism.

“You are greatly loved by the Child Jesus, and you should return His love by following his example: be obedient, good, and kind. Learn to be, like Him, a source of joy to your parents. Be true friends of Jesus, and always turn to Him in trust.”

Throughout the mass, Benedict stated, “Those who deny God and appear to lead a comfortable life are in reality, sad and unfulfilled people.”

In his speech, Benedict asked the audience a confounding question many individuals consider when inquiring the meaning of religion, today. “We ask ourselves: In our day, is holiness still relevant? Or is it now considered unattractive and unimportant?”

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, who served as secretary to Benedict’s predecessor, the late John Paul II, advised Europeans to observe Benedict’s message.

“It is a crucial moment for the future of Europe, and Benedict speaks like a prophet,” he told Sky TG24 television. “Don’t abandon the roots from which you grew, because a tree without roots dies. If Europe abandons these roots, the future is uncertain.”

Pope Benedict encouraged individuals to continue to see the beauty in God’s truth by concluding his speech with a quote by Franz Kafka, which states, “Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”

In a population where polls suggest that 10 million do not believe in God, the nation’s top churchman, Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, was surprised to see so much response and confessed, “I have achieved almost nothing during my 20 years” as an archbishop.

“I shall treasure the memory of the moments of prayer that I was able to spend together with the Bishops, priests and faithful of this country,” Benedict said to the people in his farewell speech.

Many individuals came from all over the world just to hear the Pope’s message or even to see his face.

Twenty-one year old Lukas Jaska walked almost two hundred miles just to catch a glimpse of the pope and suggested it was essential for citizens to steer the negative secular view of the Church into a more positive and faithful direction.

“It is important for us to show that we’re just not an atheist nation—that there are believers here,” he said.

Overall, the pope’s journey was successful, considering there were no posters or billboards to promote his visit and the local media coverage was minimal.

Lombardi said the 82 yearold Pope was “very happy” with the response he received from one of Europe’s most secular nations.