TURIN, Italy, February 8, 2006 — As athletes from 85 countries gather in Turin for the 20th Winter Olympic Games, the Bible Society in Italy is preparing for a large-scale Scripture distribution effort through local churches.
From the moment the Games officially open on February 10, volunteers from churches in Turin and the surrounding area will begin distributing a special seven-language edition of the Gospel of Mark to spectators, athletes, volunteers (who alone number 20,000) and local Christians. 50,000 copies containing the text in Italian, English, German, French, Spanish, Polish and Japanese have been printed for this project, which follows in the footsteps of the distribution of 200,000 copies of the Gospel of Luke to mark the Millennium, and the 300,000 copies of a four-language Gospel of Matthew distributed by the Canadian Bible Society for World Youth Day in 2002.
The Bible Society's initiative has the full support of the Roman Catholic, Waldensian and Orthodox Churches. Indeed, it is being jointly coordinated by General Secretary Dr. Valdo Bertalot and Father Carlo Mazza, the Vatican's Director for Sport and Leisure. The Italian Olympic Committee attended an audience with Pope Benedict XVI in December at which Father Mazza presented him with a copy of the special Gospel of Mark.
And in a further indication of the good relationship between the United Bible Societies and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, January 25 saw Dr. Bertalot participate, in the presence of the Pope, in the closing service of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
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