This Saturday marks an unusually busy day at the Vatican, featuring special guests from all around the world.
The day will begin with the highly anticipated consistory, where Pope Francis will create 21 new cardinals. Some of them are traveling all the way from Africa, South America or Asia and all will gather together in Rome to receive their red hat from the Pope, which he has said is not a light task.
POPE FRANCIS
The readiness of a cardinal to shed his own blood—as signified by the scarlet color of his robes—is secure if it is rooted in this awareness of having been shown compassion and in the ability to show compassion in turn.
The consistory will take place at 10:00am in St. Peter's Square. During the two days leading up to the consistory, some cardinal-elects will gather in St. Pius X Hall for a meet-and-greet open to the public.
Another event open to the public will be the ecumenical prayer vigil in St. Peter's Square on Saturday at 5pm. Pope Francis will preside over it and bring together Church leaders of many faiths, including the Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
This prayer vigil is part of the “Together” initiative gathering over 3,000 youth from different countries, religions and backgrounds in Rome from September 29th to October 1st. The goal of the initiative is for the youth to dialogue, pray and learn from one another.
But the busyness at the Vatican will not stop on Saturday with the consistory and the “Together” initiative. The month of October will also have a full schedule with the release of the second part of Laudato si' on October 4th and the opening of the Synod on Synodality the same day.
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