This is the moment when the Irish theologian Cyril O'Regan and the Japanese sculptor Etsurō Sotoo receive the Ratzinger Prize.
The Irish theologian O'Regan, from the University of Notre Dame in the United States, has studied Pope Benedict XVI in depth. He expressed his gratitude for the recognition.
CYRIL O'REGAN
Professor of Systematic Theology
The visibility that you have conferred on me with this award requires fullsome public acknowledgement. As it so happens there are words and languages great and small, those in use and those fallen into disuse, that cover the occasion. There are words such as Danke, Gracias, Merci, as well as the English, Thank you.
Etsurō Sotoo was the first sculptor to receive the award.
ETSURO SOTOO
Sculptor
I am not simply a sculptor in search of beauty, but… my way, my life, my objective in life is the search for something invisible through sculpture.
His story began with a trip to Barcelona. There, he was impressed by the construction of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia and asked to work there. Later, he converted to Christianity and was baptized.
During the celebration, there were several musical interludes. A song inspired by the Nativity scene at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, a scene which Sotoo worked on, closed the ceremony.
BAM
TR: GS
