primarily toward migrants but including the poor and elderly in some of its programs. Pope Francis' closeness to the community was demonstrated when in July 2019 he appointed Mateo Bruni, a prominent member of the Sant' Egidio community, as Director of the Press Office of the Holy See. In October of the same year he raised to the Cardinalate Archbishop Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, a key member of the community in peace negotiations during the Mozambican Civil War. Governance The Community has no initiation ceremony or clear definition of membership. There are no salaried positions for San'Egidio officers and all have outside jobs. Groups are held together by shared evening prayer and commitment to serve the poor. The number of those belonging to Sant'Egidio can only be estimated. The Pontifical Council for the Laity in its Compendium of International Movements estimated a membership of 50,000 in 2006. Every four years, an election council consisting of about 40 representatives elects the president and a council as a guiding organ. In 2003 Marco Impagliazzo was named president of the Community, and remained in office through 2019. There is also a spiritual general assistant. World President: in charge of all the communities of Sant'Egidio worldwide (Rome, Italy). National President: responsible for all the communities in a country; President of the community (centers): head of the community building, responsible for organizing charity events, activities, solidarity programs; Volunteers: people who join in tor evening prayer leading to befriending and helping the poor.and needy. The National President and the Council of Presidency are elected every five years by the General Assembly of representatives of all nuclei of communities (if there are several communities in a country). Activities Prayer The basis of its communal life is common evening prayer, which is open and may take place in a central church. At every service a Bible passage is interpreted as a stimulus for closer following of Jesus through forming friendships with the poor and working for peace among all peoples. The Community's effectiveness in working with people has been attributed to its "spirit of compromise and encounter", which has been compared to that of Pope Francis who has raised its profile during his pontificate. Francis, during a visit to the community in Rome on 14 June 2014, characterized the Community of Sant'Egidio with three Ps: preghiera, poveri, pace (prayer, poor, peace). On the occasion of its 50th anniversary