At the Vatican, the month of May kicked off with the swearing in of 34 new Swiss Guards. These men swore to faithfully serve Pope Francis and his successors.
In the middle of the month, the Vatican doctrinal office released a new document on alleged Marian apparitions. It stated that the Vatican will not declare whether alleged apparitions are real, but rather simply clarify if they are fraudulent or have doctrinal problems. The document also emphasizes that diocesan bishops must set up a commission to study the phenomenon in question.
In May, Pope Francis continued to travel. He visited the Italian city of Verona, famous as the setting of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. There, he took part in the “Peace Arena 2024” meeting and had lunch with the inmates of Verona's Montorio Prison, which has one of the highest suicide rates of all prisons in Italy.
At the end of the month, Pope Francis held the first ever World Children's Day, where over 50,000 people from all over the world gathered to kickoff the weekend event in Rome's Olympic Stadium.
POPE FRANCIS
Take a good look; take a good look; give me your hand—this is a gesture of peace. And now I would like you all to make this gesture with the little boy or girl next to you. A gesture of peace, all together! All together! This is the gesture of peace! Peace always is possible! Thank you!
The purpose of the initiative was for children to gather and reflect on their importance in the future of the world. The weekend closed with a Mass in St. Peter's Square.
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