At the time of the Sunday Angelus, at the end of the concelebrated Mass in the Italian Unity Square in Trieste, Pope Francis addressed “all the peoples who suffer because of war.” In a city located at the crossroads between Western Europe and the Balkans, the challenge, he said, “is to combine openness and stability, welcome and identity.”
These were the words of the Pope when introducing the Marian prayer:
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Pope’s words
I wanted to thank the Archbishop, for many things, but especially for one: that he did not “talk” about the sick… He named them! He knows them by name! And this is an example, because charity is tangible, love is tangible. I thank the Archbishop very much because he has this habit. Every person, healthy or sick, big or small, every person has dignity. Dignity is seen with a name, and he knows their names. Very beautiful. Now I hope he will keep going with this knowledge, because once I came across a parish priest from the mountains — he was the parish priest of three villages — and I said to him, “But tell me, do you know the people by name?”. And he answered, “I even know the names of the families’ dogs!”. Now I hope he will continue on and learn the dogs’ names.
Before the final blessing, I would like to greet you all, gathered in this evocative square. I thank the bishop for his words and above all for the preparation of the visit, and along with him those who have collaborated, especially for the liturgy — they are good, these liturgy ones; a round of applause for the maestro and everyone — and for the many services; as well as the many people who have participated with prayer. I assure my closeness to the sick — I greeted many of them — the inmates, who wanted to be present, migrants — Trieste is an open door for migrants — and to all those who are struggling the most.
Trieste is one of those cities that have the vocation of making diverse people meet: first and foremost because it is a port. It is an important port, and then because it is situated at the crossroads between Italy, central Europe and the Balkans. In these situations, the challenge for the ecclesial and civil communities is to know how to combine openness and stability, acceptance and identity. And then it makes me want to say: you have your “papers in order”. Thank you! You have your “papers in order” to face this challenge! As Christians we have the Gospel, which gives meaning and hope to our life; and as citizens you have the Constitution, a reliable “compass” for the path of democracy.
And so, keep going! Keep going. Without fear, open and steadfast in human and Christian values, welcoming but without compromises on human dignity. This is nothing to joke about.
From this city, let us renew our commitment to pray and work for peace: for martyred Ukraine, for Palestine and Israel, for Sudan, Myanmar and every people that suffers because of war. Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary, venerated on Monte Grisa as Mother and Queen.
