This morning's General Audience began at 9:30am in Saint Peter's Square, where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every corner of the world.
In his speech, the Pope focused on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Egypt.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, I want to speak with you about the Apostolic voyage to Egypt which, with the help of God, I was able to accomplish in recent days. I went to that country in response to a four-part invitation: on the part of the President of the Republic, His Holiness the Orthodox Patriarch, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and the Coptic Catholic Patriarch. I thank each of them for the warm welcome that they extended to me. And I wish to thank the entire Egyptian people for their participation and for the affection with which they lived this visit of the Successor of Peter.
The President and the civil authorities undertook extraordinary efforts so that this event could take place in the best possible way; so that it could be a sign of peace, a sign of peace for Egypt and for the entire region, which unfortunately is suffering due to conflicts and terrorism. In fact, the motto of the visit was The Pope of peace in a peaceful Egypt.
My visit to the Al-Azhar University, the oldest Islamic university and the greatest academic institution in Sunni Islam, had two purposes: to promote dialogue between Christians and Muslims and, at the same time, to promote peace in the world. At Al-Azhar, I met with the Grand Imam; it was a meeting which was subsequently enlarged to include the International Conference for Peace. In that context, I offered a reflection which valued the history of Egypt as a land of civilization and a land of covenants. Throughout the world, Egypt is synonymous with ancient civilization, with treasures of art and of knowledge, and this reminds us that peace is created through education, the formation of wisdom, of a humanism that includes an integral religious dimension, a relationship with God, as the Grand Imam recalled in his speech. Peace is also created from the alliance between God and man, the foundation of the alliance between all men, based on the Ten Commandments written on the stone tablets in Sinai, but much more profoundly on the heart of every man of every time and place, laws that are summed up in the two commandments of love: for God and for our neighbour.
This same foundation was also the basis for the creation of social and civil order, in which all citizens, regardless of their origins, cultures and religions are called to collaborate. This vision of healthy secularism emerged from the exchange of speeches with the President of the Republic of Egypt, in presence of other authorities and members of the Diplomatic Corps. The great historical and religious patrimony of Egypt is its role in the middle-east region which gives it a particular task on the road toward the establishment of stable and enduring peace, which rests not on the right of force but on the force of rights.
Christians in Egypt, like Christians in other countries throughout the world, are called to be leaven of fraternity. And this is possible if they live within themselves the communion of Christ. A strong sign of communion, thank God, was made evident together with my dear brother Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of Orthodox Copts. We renewed our commitment, and even signed a Common Declaration to journey together and to commit ourselves to not repeating the Baptisms administered in our respective Churches. Together, we prayed for the martyrs of that venerable Church as a result of recent attacks that have tragically taken place; their blood enriched that ecumenical encounter, which also involved my dear brother Bartholomew, the Patriarch of Constantinople.
The second day of the trip was dedicated to the Catholic faithful. The Mass which was celebrated in the Stadium - made available to us by Egyptian authorities - was a feast of faith and of fraternity, in which we felt the living presence of the Risen Lord. Commenting on the gospel, I exhorted the small Catholic community in Egypt to relive the experience of the disciples of Emmaus: to always find in Christ, who is both Word and Bread of life, the joy of faith, the ardour of hope and the strength to bear witness in love to the fact that we have seen the Lord!
And the final moment I lived together with the priests, religious men and women and seminarians, at the Major Seminary. There are so many seminarians: this is a consolation! It was a liturgy of the Word, during which the promises of consecrated life were renewed. In that community of men and women who have chosen to give their lives to Christ for the Kingdom of God, I experienced the beauty of the Church in Egypt, and I prayed for all Christians in the Middle East, that guided by their pastors and accompanied by consecrated men and women, they may be salt and light in that land, in the midst of that people. For us, Egypt has always been a sign of hope, refuge and help. When that part of the world was hungry, Jacob, together with his sons, went there; and when Jesus was persecuted, he went there. For this reason, speaking to you about this journey allows us all to walk the journey of hope: for us, Egypt is that sign of hope both in history and today, a sign of fraternity that I wanted to tell you about.
I sincerely thank all those who made this voyage possible and all those who in various ways provided their contributions, especially the many people who offered their prayers and their sufferings. May the Holy Family of Nazareth, who emigrated to the banks of the Nile in order to escape Herod's violence, always bless and protect the Egyptian people and guide them on the road to prosperity, fraternity and peace.
Thank you.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and he himself offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
To French-speaking visitors, he said:
I am happy to welcome the French-speaking pilgrims, particularly the members of the monastic Fraternities from Jerusalem, the parishes and young people who have come from France, and the university students from Nice. During this Easter period, I invite you also to build a world of justice and peace where everyone is fraternally welcomed. May God bless you!
To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Ireland, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America. In the joy of the Risen Christ, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
To German-speaking visitors, he said:
I send a cordial greeting to all the German-speaking pilgrims. Grateful for the beautiful experience I had during my trip, I invite the faithful to be leaven of fraternity, entrusting yourselves to the protection of the Holy Family. May God bless you and your families.
To Spanish-speaking visitors, he said:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I want to speak today about my recent Apostolic voyage in Egypt. The theme of the voyage was The Pope of peace in a peaceful Egypt. The first day, I had several meetings aimed at promoting dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and promoting peace. Egypt is a civilized and cultured land, and this teaches us that peace is built through education that includes the religious dimension and personal relationships with God.
I also experienced a sign of communion with my beloved brother, Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of Orthodox Copts. We renewed our commitment to walk together and signed a Joint Declaration, in which we committed ourselves to seek ways to not repeat Baptism that has been administered in our respective Churches. Accompanied also by the Patriarch of Constantinople, we prayed for the martyrs who died as a result of the recent attacks; may their blood strengthen ecumenical dialogue and the entire Church.
The second day was dedicated to the Catholic faithful. I encouraged them to kindle within themselves the experience of the disciples of Emmaus. Then, I met with priests, religious men and women and seminarians. In them, I saw the beauty of the Church in Egypt and prayed with them for all Christians throughout the Middle East.
I cordially greet the Spanish-speaking pilgrims, especially the groups from Spain and Latin America. May the Holy Family of Nazareth, who emigrated to the land of the Nile to escape Herod's violence bless and protect the people of Egypt; and grant to all of you the gift of peace and goodness in your lives. Thank you very much.
To Portuguese-speaking visitors, he said:
Dear Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, welcome! I greet you all with great affection and joy, especially the groups who have come from Brazil: the members of the Brazilian Federation of Medical Academies, as well as the faithful from Ribeirão Preto, Londrina and Caratinga. May God's blessing descend upon you and upon your families.
To Arabic-speaking visitors, he said:
I extend a cordial greeting to Arabic-speaking pilgrims, in particular those who have come from Egypt and from the Middle East. I thank all the people who made this voyage possible and I thank Egypt, ùm el dùgna, for having invited me and for the generous and warm welcome. May the Lord bless you all and protect you from the evil one!
To Polish-speaking visitors, he said:
I cordially greet all Poles. Today is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland and your national feast: applause for the Queen of Poland, everyone! Listen lovingly and attentively to the advice of your Queen, who you address with the words: You are the great pride of our nation. In your daily choices, follow the path of accord and reciprocal good will. Make the most important decision by seeing truth, the common good and peace. Be open and sensitive to the needs of your brothers and sisters. With all my heart, I bless your country, you who are present, your fellow citizens in Poland and throughout the world. Long live Poland!
To Croatian-speaking visitors, he said:
I sincerely greet Croatian pilgrims, especially the priests, professors and seminarians and the students from Diocesan schools within the Diocese of Požega,who are here with your Bishop, His Excellency,
Antun Škvorčević. You have come near to the tomb of the Apostle Peter to confirm your own faith on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of your foundation. Dear friends, with Paschal joy, I thank God for all the gifts he gives to you. Go forward in Christian hope and courage, responding every day to the call of Jesus to follow him as his disciples. In this journey, you are accompanied by the Blessed Virgin and by Saint John Paul II, who created your Diocese. I assure you of my spiritual closeness and I impart to you and to all your families my Apostolic blessing. May Jesus and Mary be praised!
To Italian-speaking visitors, he said:
I offer a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking faithful.
I am pleased to welcome the students from the Pontifical Saint Paul Missionary College of Rome and those who are taking part in the course offered by the Pontifical Faculty of Auxilium Education Sciences.
I greet the civil network of mayors for the reception of the province of Varese; the faithful form Albanella; the members of the Arsenal of Peace from Torino and the July 24 Association.
On the Feastday of Saints Philip and James, I hope our remembrance of the Apostles, who joyfully proclaimed the Risen Christ, will help us all to grow in faith and encourage us to bear witness to the gospel.
Finally, I send a greeting to the young people, to the sick and to those who have been newly wed. At the beginning of the month of May, let us invoke the heavenly intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Dear young people, learn to pray with the simple and effective prayer of the rosary; dear sick people, may Our Lady be your support in the midst of your suffering; dear newly weds, imitate her love for God and for our brothers and sisters!
In his speech, the Pope focused on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Egypt.
After having summarized his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, I want to speak with you about the Apostolic voyage to Egypt which, with the help of God, I was able to accomplish in recent days. I went to that country in response to a four-part invitation: on the part of the President of the Republic, His Holiness the Orthodox Patriarch, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and the Coptic Catholic Patriarch. I thank each of them for the warm welcome that they extended to me. And I wish to thank the entire Egyptian people for their participation and for the affection with which they lived this visit of the Successor of Peter.
The President and the civil authorities undertook extraordinary efforts so that this event could take place in the best possible way; so that it could be a sign of peace, a sign of peace for Egypt and for the entire region, which unfortunately is suffering due to conflicts and terrorism. In fact, the motto of the visit was The Pope of peace in a peaceful Egypt.
My visit to the Al-Azhar University, the oldest Islamic university and the greatest academic institution in Sunni Islam, had two purposes: to promote dialogue between Christians and Muslims and, at the same time, to promote peace in the world. At Al-Azhar, I met with the Grand Imam; it was a meeting which was subsequently enlarged to include the International Conference for Peace. In that context, I offered a reflection which valued the history of Egypt as a land of civilization and a land of covenants. Throughout the world, Egypt is synonymous with ancient civilization, with treasures of art and of knowledge, and this reminds us that peace is created through education, the formation of wisdom, of a humanism that includes an integral religious dimension, a relationship with God, as the Grand Imam recalled in his speech. Peace is also created from the alliance between God and man, the foundation of the alliance between all men, based on the Ten Commandments written on the stone tablets in Sinai, but much more profoundly on the heart of every man of every time and place, laws that are summed up in the two commandments of love: for God and for our neighbour.
This same foundation was also the basis for the creation of social and civil order, in which all citizens, regardless of their origins, cultures and religions are called to collaborate. This vision of healthy secularism emerged from the exchange of speeches with the President of the Republic of Egypt, in presence of other authorities and members of the Diplomatic Corps. The great historical and religious patrimony of Egypt is its role in the middle-east region which gives it a particular task on the road toward the establishment of stable and enduring peace, which rests not on the right of force but on the force of rights.
Christians in Egypt, like Christians in other countries throughout the world, are called to be leaven of fraternity. And this is possible if they live within themselves the communion of Christ. A strong sign of communion, thank God, was made evident together with my dear brother Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of Orthodox Copts. We renewed our commitment, and even signed a Common Declaration to journey together and to commit ourselves to not repeating the Baptisms administered in our respective Churches. Together, we prayed for the martyrs of that venerable Church as a result of recent attacks that have tragically taken place; their blood enriched that ecumenical encounter, which also involved my dear brother Bartholomew, the Patriarch of Constantinople.
The second day of the trip was dedicated to the Catholic faithful. The Mass which was celebrated in the Stadium - made available to us by Egyptian authorities - was a feast of faith and of fraternity, in which we felt the living presence of the Risen Lord. Commenting on the gospel, I exhorted the small Catholic community in Egypt to relive the experience of the disciples of Emmaus: to always find in Christ, who is both Word and Bread of life, the joy of faith, the ardour of hope and the strength to bear witness in love to the fact that we have seen the Lord!
And the final moment I lived together with the priests, religious men and women and seminarians, at the Major Seminary. There are so many seminarians: this is a consolation! It was a liturgy of the Word, during which the promises of consecrated life were renewed. In that community of men and women who have chosen to give their lives to Christ for the Kingdom of God, I experienced the beauty of the Church in Egypt, and I prayed for all Christians in the Middle East, that guided by their pastors and accompanied by consecrated men and women, they may be salt and light in that land, in the midst of that people. For us, Egypt has always been a sign of hope, refuge and help. When that part of the world was hungry, Jacob, together with his sons, went there; and when Jesus was persecuted, he went there. For this reason, speaking to you about this journey allows us all to walk the journey of hope: for us, Egypt is that sign of hope both in history and today, a sign of fraternity that I wanted to tell you about.
I sincerely thank all those who made this voyage possible and all those who in various ways provided their contributions, especially the many people who offered their prayers and their sufferings. May the Holy Family of Nazareth, who emigrated to the banks of the Nile in order to escape Herod's violence, always bless and protect the Egyptian people and guide them on the road to prosperity, fraternity and peace.
Thank you.
The Holy Father's catechesis was then summarized in various languages, and he himself offered particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
To French-speaking visitors, he said:
I am happy to welcome the French-speaking pilgrims, particularly the members of the monastic Fraternities from Jerusalem, the parishes and young people who have come from France, and the university students from Nice. During this Easter period, I invite you also to build a world of justice and peace where everyone is fraternally welcomed. May God bless you!
To English-speaking visitors, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Ireland, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America. In the joy of the Risen Christ, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!
To German-speaking visitors, he said:
I send a cordial greeting to all the German-speaking pilgrims. Grateful for the beautiful experience I had during my trip, I invite the faithful to be leaven of fraternity, entrusting yourselves to the protection of the Holy Family. May God bless you and your families.
To Spanish-speaking visitors, he said:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I want to speak today about my recent Apostolic voyage in Egypt. The theme of the voyage was The Pope of peace in a peaceful Egypt. The first day, I had several meetings aimed at promoting dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and promoting peace. Egypt is a civilized and cultured land, and this teaches us that peace is built through education that includes the religious dimension and personal relationships with God.
I also experienced a sign of communion with my beloved brother, Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of Orthodox Copts. We renewed our commitment to walk together and signed a Joint Declaration, in which we committed ourselves to seek ways to not repeat Baptism that has been administered in our respective Churches. Accompanied also by the Patriarch of Constantinople, we prayed for the martyrs who died as a result of the recent attacks; may their blood strengthen ecumenical dialogue and the entire Church.
The second day was dedicated to the Catholic faithful. I encouraged them to kindle within themselves the experience of the disciples of Emmaus. Then, I met with priests, religious men and women and seminarians. In them, I saw the beauty of the Church in Egypt and prayed with them for all Christians throughout the Middle East.
I cordially greet the Spanish-speaking pilgrims, especially the groups from Spain and Latin America. May the Holy Family of Nazareth, who emigrated to the land of the Nile to escape Herod's violence bless and protect the people of Egypt; and grant to all of you the gift of peace and goodness in your lives. Thank you very much.
To Portuguese-speaking visitors, he said:
Dear Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, welcome! I greet you all with great affection and joy, especially the groups who have come from Brazil: the members of the Brazilian Federation of Medical Academies, as well as the faithful from Ribeirão Preto, Londrina and Caratinga. May God's blessing descend upon you and upon your families.
To Arabic-speaking visitors, he said:
I extend a cordial greeting to Arabic-speaking pilgrims, in particular those who have come from Egypt and from the Middle East. I thank all the people who made this voyage possible and I thank Egypt, ùm el dùgna, for having invited me and for the generous and warm welcome. May the Lord bless you all and protect you from the evil one!
To Polish-speaking visitors, he said:
I cordially greet all Poles. Today is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland and your national feast: applause for the Queen of Poland, everyone! Listen lovingly and attentively to the advice of your Queen, who you address with the words: You are the great pride of our nation. In your daily choices, follow the path of accord and reciprocal good will. Make the most important decision by seeing truth, the common good and peace. Be open and sensitive to the needs of your brothers and sisters. With all my heart, I bless your country, you who are present, your fellow citizens in Poland and throughout the world. Long live Poland!
To Croatian-speaking visitors, he said:
I sincerely greet Croatian pilgrims, especially the priests, professors and seminarians and the students from Diocesan schools within the Diocese of Požega,who are here with your Bishop, His Excellency,
Antun Škvorčević. You have come near to the tomb of the Apostle Peter to confirm your own faith on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of your foundation. Dear friends, with Paschal joy, I thank God for all the gifts he gives to you. Go forward in Christian hope and courage, responding every day to the call of Jesus to follow him as his disciples. In this journey, you are accompanied by the Blessed Virgin and by Saint John Paul II, who created your Diocese. I assure you of my spiritual closeness and I impart to you and to all your families my Apostolic blessing. May Jesus and Mary be praised!
To Italian-speaking visitors, he said:
I offer a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking faithful.
I am pleased to welcome the students from the Pontifical Saint Paul Missionary College of Rome and those who are taking part in the course offered by the Pontifical Faculty of Auxilium Education Sciences.
I greet the civil network of mayors for the reception of the province of Varese; the faithful form Albanella; the members of the Arsenal of Peace from Torino and the July 24 Association.
On the Feastday of Saints Philip and James, I hope our remembrance of the Apostles, who joyfully proclaimed the Risen Christ, will help us all to grow in faith and encourage us to bear witness to the gospel.
Finally, I send a greeting to the young people, to the sick and to those who have been newly wed. At the beginning of the month of May, let us invoke the heavenly intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Dear young people, learn to pray with the simple and effective prayer of the rosary; dear sick people, may Our Lady be your support in the midst of your suffering; dear newly weds, imitate her love for God and for our brothers and sisters!
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