REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi Pope Francis presides over the Holy Mass for the Assumption of Mary from the papal summer residence in Castelgandolfo south of Rome, August 15, 2013.European stock 
The London FTSE fell 1.7%, while the French CAC 40 and Spanish IBEX 35 closed down 0.6%.
The German Dax closed down 0.7%.
The only major data release out of Europe today was July U.K. retail sales, which actually came in better than market economists had predicted.
Italy and a few other markets across Europe were closed for Assumption Day, but trading volume on exchanges remaining open was light throughout the region.