Pope Francis eats with the poor in Florence

Pope Francis eats with the poor in Florence

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on his visit to the Italian city of Florence on Tuesday (Nov. 10) sat down for lunch with the city's poor at St. Francis' Soup Kitchen (Mensa di San Francesco Poverino).

In between his meeting with the National Congress of the Italian Church and celebrating Mass in the city’s football stadium, the Pope sat down for lunch with 60 of the city’s poorest citizens, both Italians and of other nationalities.

Many had lost both their jobs and their homes, but thanks to the work of the Catholic Church's charity, Caritas, who runs the meal kitchen where the lunch took place, they had not lost their dignity.

Pope Francis was given a meal voucher when he arrived and ate off a plastic plate, just like the rest of those gathered with him, emphasising his teaching that the Church must be with and accompany the marginalised and those on the peripheries of society.

Earlier in the day the Holy Father made a speech to workers in Prato's main square before meeting briefly with the sick in the Basilica of Annunciation.

(Jonh Waters)

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