At 2:45pm today - the liturgical Commemoration of the all the faithful departed, the Holy Father, Pope Francis travelled to the American Cemetery in Nettuno (a town within the metropolitan city of Rome) where he celebrated Mass. Upon his arrival, the Pope aid flowers at a few of the tombs, including the tombs of one unknown person, one Italian-American and one Jew. The Pope was then welcomed inside the sacristy by the Bishop of Albano, His Excellency, Marcello Semeraro; the Director of the Cemetery, Melanie Resto; the Mayor of Nettuno, Angelo Casto; and the Mayor of Anzio, Luciano Bruschini.
Beginning at 3:00pm, the Holy Father celebrated the Mass.
At the conclusion of the celebration, the Pope paid a visit to the Ardeatine Caves where he paused in prayer at the Memorial to war victims who were massacred there during the Second World War. The Holy Father was welcomed by the Honourable Commissioner and by the Director of the Shrine. Also in attendance were members of the Italian National Association of Families of Martyrs who have Died for the Freedom of their Country (ANFIM). At 6:00pm, His Holiness returned to the Vatican.
Today, all of us are gathered here in hope. Every one of us, in our hearts, can repeat the words of Job which we have heard in the first reading: I know that my Redeemer lives and on the last day I shall rise again. This is our hope of encountering God, of all of us meeting God as his children: and this hope is sure. Paul was clear in his belief about this in the second reading: Hope does not disappoint.
Many times, hope begins and is rooted in many human wounds, in many human suffering ... and these moments of suffering, of woundedness, of suffering make us look toward heaven and say: I believe that my Redeemer lives. But stop it, Lord. This is the prayer that sometimes escapes our lips, when we look at this cemetery. I know, Lord, that these brothers of ours are with you. I am sure of it. This is what we say. But please, Lord, stop. Never again. No more war. No more useless suffering, like Benedict XV said. It is better to hope without such destruction: young people ... thousands, thousands, thousands, thousands ... broken dreams. No more, Lord. This is what we must say today, as we pray for all the dead, but in this place, we pray especially for these young men; today as the world is once more in the midst of war, as we are preparing to plunge once more into war. No more, Lord. No more. With war, we lose everything.
I remember an elderly woman who was looking at the ruins of Hiroshima, with the wisdom of resignation but also with much pain, with the lamenting resignation of knowing that women can live forever, because it is their charism; she said: Men do everything they can to declare and to fight a war, and in the end they destroy themselves. This is the meaning of war: we destroy ourselves. Surely, that woman, that elderly woman, she had lost a son and nephews; she was now all alone and she was crying in her heart and shedding tears. If today is a day of hope, today is also a day for tears. Tears like those that women felt and experienced when the mail arrived: You, dear lady, have the honour of knowing that your husband was a hero for his country; that your sons were heroes for their country. These are tears that humanity should never forget. This suffering in the heart of humanity that has not learned its lesson and seems not to want to learn either!
How many times throughout history have men thought about declaring war, convinced that what they are doing will lead to a new world, convinced that they are creating a new springtime? And they end up in an inferno, terrible, cruel, with the kingdom of terror and death. Today, let us pray for all those who have died, but especially for the young people, in a moment while many of them are dying in everyday battles as part of this peace meal war. Let us also pray for those who have died today, those who have died in wars, including babies, the innocent ones. This is the fruit of war: death. And may the Lord grant us the grace to cry.
Following the conclusion of the Mass, the Holy Father travelled to the Ardeatine Caves where he spent time in prayer at the memorial to victims of a Second World War massacre. The Ardeatine caves are located on the south-eastern outskirts of Rome, on the site of a disused volcanic ash quarry.
It was there on March 24, 1944 that German occupying troops carried out a massacre of 335 Italian men of all ages and backgrounds. They were shot at close range, in retaliation for a partisan attack in the city centre the previous day that had killed 33 German policemen.
God of Abraham, of Isaac, God of Jacob: with this name, You presented Yourself to Moses when You revealed to him Your desire to free your people from the slavery of Egypt.
God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, God who binds Himself in a pact with humanity, God who binds Himself with a covenant of faithful love forever, merciful and compassionate to every man and every people suffering oppression. I have observed the misery of my people, I have heard their cry, I know their sufferings.
God of the faces and names, God of each of the 335 men murdered here, on March 24, 1944, whose remains lie in these tombs. You, Lord, know their faces and their names: all, even those of the 12, who remain unknown to us. To You, no one is unknown. God of Jesus, our Father in Heaven: thanks to Him, the Risen Christ, we know that your name – God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob – means You are not the God of the dead but of the living, that Your faithful covenant of love is stronger than death and is a guarantee of resurrection.
O Lord, in this place devoted to the memory of the fallen for freedom and justice, may we throw off the shackles of selfishness and indifference, and through the burning bush of this mausoleum, listen silently to Your name: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of Jesus, God of the living. Amen.
At the conclusion of the visit to the Ardeatine Caves, immediately after returning to the Vatican, the Holy Father went to the Grotto beneath the Vatican Basilica to spend a moment in private prayer for the souls of the Supreme Pontiffs who hare buried there, and for all the dead.
Beginning at 3:00pm, the Holy Father celebrated the Mass.
At the conclusion of the celebration, the Pope paid a visit to the Ardeatine Caves where he paused in prayer at the Memorial to war victims who were massacred there during the Second World War. The Holy Father was welcomed by the Honourable Commissioner and by the Director of the Shrine. Also in attendance were members of the Italian National Association of Families of Martyrs who have Died for the Freedom of their Country (ANFIM). At 6:00pm, His Holiness returned to the Vatican.
Homily of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the Mass celebrated at the
American Cemetery in Nettuno
Today, all of us are gathered here in hope. Every one of us, in our hearts, can repeat the words of Job which we have heard in the first reading: I know that my Redeemer lives and on the last day I shall rise again. This is our hope of encountering God, of all of us meeting God as his children: and this hope is sure. Paul was clear in his belief about this in the second reading: Hope does not disappoint.
Many times, hope begins and is rooted in many human wounds, in many human suffering ... and these moments of suffering, of woundedness, of suffering make us look toward heaven and say: I believe that my Redeemer lives. But stop it, Lord. This is the prayer that sometimes escapes our lips, when we look at this cemetery. I know, Lord, that these brothers of ours are with you. I am sure of it. This is what we say. But please, Lord, stop. Never again. No more war. No more useless suffering, like Benedict XV said. It is better to hope without such destruction: young people ... thousands, thousands, thousands, thousands ... broken dreams. No more, Lord. This is what we must say today, as we pray for all the dead, but in this place, we pray especially for these young men; today as the world is once more in the midst of war, as we are preparing to plunge once more into war. No more, Lord. No more. With war, we lose everything.
I remember an elderly woman who was looking at the ruins of Hiroshima, with the wisdom of resignation but also with much pain, with the lamenting resignation of knowing that women can live forever, because it is their charism; she said: Men do everything they can to declare and to fight a war, and in the end they destroy themselves. This is the meaning of war: we destroy ourselves. Surely, that woman, that elderly woman, she had lost a son and nephews; she was now all alone and she was crying in her heart and shedding tears. If today is a day of hope, today is also a day for tears. Tears like those that women felt and experienced when the mail arrived: You, dear lady, have the honour of knowing that your husband was a hero for his country; that your sons were heroes for their country. These are tears that humanity should never forget. This suffering in the heart of humanity that has not learned its lesson and seems not to want to learn either!
How many times throughout history have men thought about declaring war, convinced that what they are doing will lead to a new world, convinced that they are creating a new springtime? And they end up in an inferno, terrible, cruel, with the kingdom of terror and death. Today, let us pray for all those who have died, but especially for the young people, in a moment while many of them are dying in everyday battles as part of this peace meal war. Let us also pray for those who have died today, those who have died in wars, including babies, the innocent ones. This is the fruit of war: death. And may the Lord grant us the grace to cry.
Following the conclusion of the Mass, the Holy Father travelled to the Ardeatine Caves where he spent time in prayer at the memorial to victims of a Second World War massacre. The Ardeatine caves are located on the south-eastern outskirts of Rome, on the site of a disused volcanic ash quarry.
It was there on March 24, 1944 that German occupying troops carried out a massacre of 335 Italian men of all ages and backgrounds. They were shot at close range, in retaliation for a partisan attack in the city centre the previous day that had killed 33 German policemen.
Prayer of His Holiness, Pope Francis
at the Ardeatine Caves
God of Abraham, of Isaac, God of Jacob: with this name, You presented Yourself to Moses when You revealed to him Your desire to free your people from the slavery of Egypt.
God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, God who binds Himself in a pact with humanity, God who binds Himself with a covenant of faithful love forever, merciful and compassionate to every man and every people suffering oppression. I have observed the misery of my people, I have heard their cry, I know their sufferings.
God of the faces and names, God of each of the 335 men murdered here, on March 24, 1944, whose remains lie in these tombs. You, Lord, know their faces and their names: all, even those of the 12, who remain unknown to us. To You, no one is unknown. God of Jesus, our Father in Heaven: thanks to Him, the Risen Christ, we know that your name – God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob – means You are not the God of the dead but of the living, that Your faithful covenant of love is stronger than death and is a guarantee of resurrection.
O Lord, in this place devoted to the memory of the fallen for freedom and justice, may we throw off the shackles of selfishness and indifference, and through the burning bush of this mausoleum, listen silently to Your name: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, God of Jesus, God of the living. Amen.
At the conclusion of the visit to the Ardeatine Caves, immediately after returning to the Vatican, the Holy Father went to the Grotto beneath the Vatican Basilica to spend a moment in private prayer for the souls of the Supreme Pontiffs who hare buried there, and for all the dead.
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