Scouts Bring Light of Betlehem to Slovakia, President Takes it Over on Saturday

Bratislava, December 15 (TASR) - The Light of Bethlehem arrived in Slovakia on Saturday (December 14) evening, with girl scouts from the scout group in Horne Srnie-Nemsova (Trencin region) taking it over during an ecumenical event in Vienna to subsequently hand it over to President Peter Pellegrini. The head of the state received the Light of Betlehem from a scout delegation led by head of Slovak Scouting Marian Lezo in the Presidential Palace on Saturday evening. "The Light of Bethlehem you are bringing should bring peace, hope and love to Slovakia," stated Pellegrini, adding that its flame should also be an encouragement to greater respect and tolerance. At the same time, he praised the tradition of the Slovak Scouting movement, which celebrated its 110th anniversary this year, being one of the oldest children's and youth organisations. Slovak scouts passed the Light of Bethlehem to their peers from Poland during the Holy Mass held in St. Martin's Cathedral in the church town of Spisska Kapitula (Presov region) on Sunday. They also brought it to the Ukrainian town of Uzzhorod where scouts from Ukraine took it over on Sunday morning. Slovak scouts will distribute the Light of Betlehem throughout the country by trains. They will deliver it to more than 300 towns and villages, including hospitals, asylum houses, care homes, as well as to Lomnicky peak. ko