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POPE FRANCIS

MORNING MEDITATION IN THE CHAPEL OF THE
DOMUS SANCTAE MARTHAE

Melancholy is not Christian

Friday, 10 May 2013

 

(by L'Osservatore Romano, Weekly ed. in English, n. 20, 15 May 2013)

 

Pope Francis spoke of joy on Friday morning, 10 May, at Mass in the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae. He described his high spirits due to the presence, in his own residence, of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria. The Holy Father transmitted his joy to the faithful present at the celebration.

“Today”, he said, “there's a good reason for joy in this house”, where we are hosting “the Pope of Alexandria, the Patriarch of the See of St Mark”. He went on to explain the reason for his joy: “He is a brother who comes to visit the Church of Rome to talk, to make a journey together. He is a brother bishop, a bishop like Balthasar, a bishop like me, and he carries his Church forward. Let us ask the Lord to bless him and help him in his ministry to carry forward the Coptic Church; and for us too, because we know that we walk together on this journey. This is a true joy, a little joy today. Let us give thanks to the Lord for this joy”.

Pope Francis welcomed the Head of the Coptic Church of Egypt on Thursday, 9 May, when he first arrived Santa Marta — where he was staying until 13 May — with his entourage. This morning the official audience was held.

Taking part in Mass, among others, were a group of journalists, technicians and administrators from Vatican Radio, with Director General Fr Federico Lombardi, Administrative Director Alberto Gasbarri and the Head of Promotion and Development Fr Lech Rynkiewicz.



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