“Today is the great feast of the Church of Rome, generated by the testimony of the Apostles Peter and Paul and fertilized by their blood and that of many other martyrs,” said the Pope in the reflection that precedes the recitation of the Angelus of his first feast of the patrons of Rome. “TONchi to the present day, all over the world, there are Christians that the Gospel makes generous and bold even at the price of life. Thus there is an ecumenism of the blood, an invisible and deep unity among the Christian churches, which also do not yet live full and visible communion between them. I therefore want to confirm in this solemn party that my episcopal service is service to unit and that the Church of Rome is engaged by the blood of the saints Peter and Paul to serve the communion between all the churches. The stone, from which Pietro also receives his name, is Christ. A stone discarded by men and that God has made corner stone ».
«This square and the papal basilicas of St. Peter and San Paolo tell us how that reversal always continues. They are located on the edge of the ancient city, “outside the walls”, as they say to date. What appears to us great and glorious has been first discarded and expelled, because in contrast to the worldly mentality. Those who follow Jesus find themselves walking on the Via delle Beatitudi, where poverty of spirit, mildness, mercy, hunger and thirst for justice, operating for peace find opposition and also persecution. Yet, the glory of God shines in his friends and along the path it plasma, of conversion in conversion. Dear brothers and sisters, on the tombs of the apostles, a millennial meta pilgrimage, we too will also discover that we can live in conversion in conversion. The New Testament does not hide the errors, contradictions, the sins of those we venerate like the greatest apostles. Their greatness, in fact, was modeled by forgiveness. The risen, more than once, went to take them to put them back on his journey. Jesus never calls only once. This is why we can always hope, as the Jubilee also reminds us. The unity in the Church and between the churches, sisters and brothers, feeds on forgiveness and mutual trust. Starting with our families and our communities. In fact, if Jesus trusts us, we too can trust each other, in his name. The apostles Peter and Paul, together with the Virgin Mary, intercen for us, so that in this lacerated world the Church is home and school of communion ».
After Angelus, the Pope recalled in the prayer “The” Bartélémy Boganda “high school in Boganda’s high school in the Central African Republic, in mourning for the tragic accident that caused numerous deaths and injured among the students. The Lord comforts families and the entire community. », And then dedicate affectionate thoughts to what has been his diocese for a few months. I address my greeting to all of you, today in a special way to the faithful of Rome, on the feast of the patron saints! I want to send him to the parish priests who work in Roman parishes, with gratitude and encouragement for their service, a thought of affection. The day of the Obolo di San Pietro is also celebrated in this feast, which is a sign of communion with the Pope and participation in his apostolic ministry. Thank you very much with those with their gift they support my first steps as a successor Di Pietro. Bless those who participate in the event called “Quo Vadis?”, Through the Roman places of the memories of the saints Pietro and Paolo. I thank those who organized this initiative with commitment that helps to know and honor the patrons of Rome eThe Pro Loco of Roma Capitale and the artists who created the infioration in via della Conciliation and Piazza Pius XII. Thank you!. Finally, the greetings to the pilgrims who arrived in St. Peter’s Square from Italy and the world. A greeting concluded with yet another appeal: we continue to pray to because wherever they note the weapons and work for peace through dialogue ».
