During the Angelus, Pope Francis regretted that a delegation of the Patriarch of Constantinople was absent on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul in Rome. It is a tradition for them to be in Rome on this day, but the pandemic prevented them from making the trip.
POPE FRANCIS
I send a spiritual hug to our dear brother, Patriarch Bartholomew, in the hope that we can resume reciprocal visits as soon as possible.
Reflecting on the life of St. Peter, the pope advised believers to take a step forward in their faith. He suggested praying not only to obtain favors, but to try to get to know Christ more deeply.
POPE FRANCIS
We often go to Him in times of need, to ask for help. However, God sees farther and invites us to go further, to look for not only His gifts, but to look for Him.
Pope Francis explained that searching for God helps us become aware of the needs of those close to us. He said it helps give our life and time to others.
POPE FRANCIS
This applies to everyone: to parents toward their children, and to children toward their elderly parents. I think about the many elderly who are abandoned by their families, I dare say, as if they were pieces of trash. This is a drama of our time: the solitude of the elderly. It's when the life of children and grandchildren doesn't become a gift for the elderly.
The pope also recalled that the day after the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Catholic Church remembers the martyrs and victims of Nero's persecution. They were killed in that same place as where the Vatican now stands.
Javier Romero
Translation: CT
