Pope and Cox honoured with European award

POPE JOHN PAUL II and Pat Cox, the president of the European Parliament, are being given one of the most prestigious awards in Europe, the Charlemagne prize.

Normally the annual award is given to one person in recognition of their work for European peace and unity, but this year it is being given twice.

Usually it is presented in Aachen in Germany but the organisers travelled to Rome to present it to Pope John Paul II yesterday evening to pay tribute to work promoting European understanding in the service of humanity and world peace.