Pope Francis dedicated the Sunday Angelus to persecuted and suffering Christians around the world. He prayed the Angelus
on Sunday with faithful gathered in St Peter's Square for Mass to mark
the Feast of Christ the King and to close the Year of Faith proclaimed
by Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.
In brief remarks before the traditional
prayer of Marian devotion, Pope Francis greeted the pilgrims who had
come from all around the world to take part in the celebrations.
He
also had special greetings for the Ukrainian community, which is
commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Holodomor - the great famine
provoked by the Soviet Union, in which many millions of people perished.
Pope Francis also expressed gratitude to missionaries who throughout
the history of the Church have taken the Good News to the ends of the
Earth. Below, please find Vatican Radio's translation of Pope Francis'
remarks.
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Before concluding
this celebration, I wish to greet all the pilgrims, families, Church
groups, movements and associations, who have come from many countries.
Greetings also go to the participants of the National Congress of Mercy;
I also greet the Ukrainian community, which is commemorating the 80th
anniversary of the Holodomor, the "great hunger" caused by the Soviet regime, which caused millions victims.
On
this day, our gratitude goes to the missionaries who, over the
centuries, have proclaimed the Gospel and spread the seed of faith in
many parts of the world, among them Blessed Junipero Serra, the Spanish
Franciscan missionary, whose 300th birthday we are marking this Sunday.
I
would not like to conclude without a word of thanks to all those who
worked so hard during this Year of Faith: to Archbishop Rino Fisichella
[President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New
Evangelization], who guided this journey. I heartily thank him and all
his co-workers. Many thanks!
Now let us pray the Angelus
together. With this prayer, we invoke the protection of Mary, especially
for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted because of their faith.