November is the month Catholics dedicate to praying for the deceased. The pope thus began this month by visiting a cemetery in Rome. He brought flowers to the tombs of the “Garden of Angels,” a place reserved for unborn children.
As the month progressed, Pope Francis held many meetings. He met with the president of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, who is perhaps the head of state who brought him the most gifts. One was this papal throne made of plastic and wood.
“It's so that you have something comfortable here, so you can remember us.”
He was also with the Crown Prince of Denmark, Federico and his wife Mary.
“Your Holiness, good morning.”
He met with the president of Switzerland, Alain Berset, who gave him a historical poster of the Red Cross.
“For prisoners of war, the wounded and sick, who were Germans, French, Italians, Belgians and Austrians.”
He also met with Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin, to promote peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.
“It is a pleasure to meet you once again.”
During an Angelus, the pope recalled that it has been 100 years since the end of the First World War.
POPE FRANCIS
“We don't seem to learn. As we pray for all the victims of that immense tragedy, let us say forcefully: let us invest in peace, not in war!”
He also left the Vatican to visit this temporary-constructed hospital where the poor could receive medical treatment. He gave it as a gift for the World Day of the Poor. There he encouraged the patients...
'Thanks papa, forever!'
and thanked the doctors.
'Is there a lot of work?'
That same weekend he invited 1,500 needy people to lunch at the Vatican. It was a banquet provided by the Hilton Hotel in Rome.
The most tender scene of the month occurred during a General Audience, when a child with autism passed all security checks and made it up on stage.
“We're from Argentina...”
The pope enjoyed it very much and understood perfectly what was happening.
“He's Argentinian, undisciplined.”
The little boy moved freely, and not even his sister managed to take him from there.
POPE FRANCIS
“This boy can't talk, he is mute, but he knows how to communicate. He knows how to express himself. He has something that made me think. He is free. A undisciplined freedom... but he is free. It made me think, 'am I also free like that before God?'”
In November, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Venice, turned red to remember the thousands of persecuted Christians all over the world. Red, like the blood they shed for not renouncing their faith.
