This lively group of Catholic youth from Slovakia traveled to Rome to return a visit to Pope Francis, who spent three days in their country last September.
PALO AND ANEŽKA
“We are from Slovakia.”
“And we came here to see Roma again and also we wanted to see the Pope, you know, and to see this culture because I think it's gorgeous.”
The teenagers attended the Pope's general audience and had the opportunity to give him homemade bread and express their gratitude for his visit to their country.
-“Hello, hello!”
-“This is a gift.”
-“This is from our small village.”
-“Pane?”
-“Yes, bread. It's homemade bread.”
-“Thank you, Santo Padre.”
-“For me?”
-“Yes!”
PALO AND ANEŽKA
“We gave him bread, which your grandma made?”
“Yeah.”
“It's homemade and it's a symbol of Slovakia.”
“He really appreciated it, I think. We also appreciated that he made time for us and talked with us for a bit.”
They also gave him a white embroidered shirt like the ones traditionally worn by men in their village of Liptovská Teplička, for work or special events.
The girls' outfits are traditional wedding dresses. These were made by some of the kids' grandparents, who are among the few remaining people who know how to make them.
Slovakia has a rich folkloric culture, each town with its own collection of unique traditions. These young people are proud of their roots and eager to share them with the world, starting with Pope Francis.
CT
AA / VM
