The pope began the month of March with this visit to a home for inmate mothers and their young children.
“The smallest in the house.”
“Good afternoon.”
“What is your name?”
“Ana.”
In the past, the house was run by a criminal organization before being confiscated, and it now offers an opportunity to these mothers.
Before leaving, he gave them these huge Easter eggs, as big as the children themselves.
As it was Lent, the Holy Father also participated in a penitential ceremony to help live the sacrament of confession.
POPE FRANCIS
“The love of God is always greater than anything we can imagine; it even reaches beyond any sin with which our conscience may charge us.”
After a few minutes, Pope Francis himself confessed and then administered the sacrament of penance to several people.
In March, the Holy Father participated in the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Community of Sant'Egidio.
This Catholic movement helps and cares for homeless people, refugees and the elderly.
Some took advantage of an opportunity to talk to the pope.
POPE FRANCIS
“A Christian, through his vocation, is a sibling to every person, especially the poor. And even if he is an enemy, never say, 'Why do I have to help?'”
Midway through the month, Pope Francis made a brief visit to San Giovanni Rotondo to pray at the tomb of Padre Pio, as they commemorated 50 years of his death.
POPE FRANCIS
“St. Pio, 50 years after he went to heaven, helps us, because he wished to leave us the legacy of prayer. He recommended, 'Pray a lot, my children, pray always, never tiring.''”
The Vatican prefect of the Secretariat for Communication resigned in March, after displaying a private letter from Benedict XVI during the presentation of a book and blurring out paragraphs critical of the work.
The month also brought Holy Week celebrations to Rome. On Palm Sunday, Pope Francis headed the procession recalling Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem before His Passion.
The Holy Father celebrated the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday in the Roman prison Regina Coeli.
POPE FRANCIS
“The sign that Jesus serves us here today, in Regina Coeli, is that he wanted to choose 12 of you, like 12 Apostles, to wash your feet.”
After, he washed the feet of twelve of them – eight Catholics, an Orthodox, a Buddhist and two Muslims.
On Good Friday, the Holy Father presided over the ceremony for the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter's Basilica, an occasion in which he spoke not with words, but strong gestures.
In the evening, he headed to the Colosseum to pray the Via Crucis in a place so symbolic of the suffering of Christian martyrs.
Each station was accompanied by a meditation developed by teenagers from a Roman school who also carried the cross.
On Saturday, the pope presided over the Easter Vigil in St. Peter's Basilica. As is tradition, eight adults were baptized during the ceremony.
On Easter Sunday, the Holy Father gave the customary “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, in which he prayed especially for Syria.
POPE FRANCIS
“So that a swift end may be brought to the carnage in course.”
With this blessing, the Holy Week celebrations concluded in Rome, the fifth edition under Pope Francis.
