The Community of Sant'Egidio began in Rome in 1968, in the period following the Second Vatican Council. Today it is a movement of lay people and has more than 60,000 members, dedicated to evangelisation and charity, in Rome, Italy and in more than 73 countries throughout the world. The different communities, spread throughout the world, share the same spirituality and principles which characterise
the way of Sant'Egidio:
Prayer, is an essential part of the life of the community in Rome and communities throughout the world. Prayer is central to the overall direction of community life. Communicating the Gospel, is the heart of the life of the Community. It is offered to all those who seek and ask for a meaning for their life. Solidarity with the poor, is lived as a voluntary and gratuitous service, in the evangelical spirit of a Church that is the "Church for all and particularly the poor" (Pope John XXIII)
Ecumenism, is lived as friendship, prayer and search for unity among Christians of the whole world. Dialogue, was recommended by Vatican II as a way of peace and co-operation among religions, and also a way of life and as a means of resolving conflicts. The Community has as its centre the Roman Church of Sant'Egidio, from which the Community takes its name. From its very beginnings, the Community has maintained, in the area of Trastevere and in Rome, a continuous presence of prayer and welcome for the poor and for pilgrims.
