
In a pastoral letter to the local Catholics in Austria, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, said it was a time for churches to reveal Christ to the people.
"These soccer events will offer young people from various countries a chance to meet," Cardinal Schönborn told the Ecumenical News International (ENI).
"Christians intend to enjoy them as much as other sports fans. By getting involved in Euro 2008, the churches will seek to reveal Christ to people."
The chairperson of Austria's Ecumenical Council of Churches, Lutheran Bishop, Herwig Sturm, in a press conference, said this would be the first time Christian churches would cooperate on such a wide scale and hoped a joyful and peaceful climate could prevail over each match.
It is expected that an estimated 50,000 people would attend the final soccer match held in June, 2008.