A word of thanks

At the conclusion of the Mass celebrated in Saint Peter's Square for the Day of Catechists, His Excellency, Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization offered a few words of greeting to the Holy Father on behalf of the catechists.

Then the Holy Father led the recitation of the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who were present in Saint Peter's Square.

Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis

prior to the recitation of the Angelus

(In Italian)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Before concluding this celebration, I want to greet you all and to thank you for your participation, especially the catechists who have come from so many parts of the world.

I greet most especially my brother, His Beatitude Youhanna X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and of all the East.  His presence invites us to pray once more for peace in Syria and in the Middle East.

I greet the pilgrims who have come from Assisi on horseback, as well as the Italian Alpini club who are celebrating 150 years of their existence.

(In Spanish)

I affectionately greet the pilgrims from Nicaragua, remembering that the pastors and faithful of that beloved nation are joyfully celebrating the centenary of the canonical foundation of their ecclesiastical province.

(In Italian)

With joy, we remember that yesterday in Croatia, Miroslav Bulesic, a diocesan priest who died a martyr's death in 1947 was Beatified.  We prais the Lord who gives the helpless the strength of outstanding witness.

We now call upon the Virgin Mary with the words of the Angelus.