Pope Leo prays with young Egyptian pilgrims in remembering Pascale Rafic, their 18 year old companion who died on her way to Rome for the Jubilee of Youth (@Vatican Media)
Pope expresses condolences on sudden death of Egyptian
pilgrim
Pope Leo expresses his deep sorrow upon receiving news of
the sudden death of an 18-year old Egyptian youth, Pascale Rafic, who was
traveling to Rome to participate in the Jubilee of Youth.
Vatican News
On Saturday morning, 2 August, Pope Leo XIV received a group
of Egyptian young people who have arrived in Rome to participate in the Jubilee
of Youth. With them leading the delegation was Jean-Marie Chami, Titular Bishop
of Tarsus and Auxiliary Bishop of the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Greek
Melkites for Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan. Tragically, one of the pilgrimage
group members, 18-year old Pascale Rafic, died earlier in the day just after
travelling to Rome to participate in the Jubilee together with them.
Pope Leo giving the
group of Egyptian pilgrims his blessing (@Vatican Media)
In welcoming the group, the Pope assured them of his
"heartfelt prayers" and invoked "the Lord’s comfort and
consolation upon Pascale’s family members, friends and all of those who grieve
her loss." While consoling the group, he acknowledged the grief we feel,
also so suddenly, but that our hope in the Risen Christ gives us hope in
remembering Pascale's new life in Christ.
“So, we thought at least, in the midst of this pain, that
you all experience for the loss of your friend, that at least to have this
opportunity to come together to pray, to renew our faith, and to ask God both
for the eternal rest of our sister but also for strengthening and consolation,
strengthening of our faith and to be renewed in hope and as Church, as brothers
and sisters, we therefore have gathered together for that reason. So we ask the
Lord to be with us, to be with all of you, as you live these days of the
pilgrimage of the Jubilee Year of Hope and that you will all also be protected
with God‘s love and God‘s grace.”
Addressing the group in English, before imparting his
apostolic blessing to them, Pope Leo encouraged them to find consolation in
God's boundless love and mercy, and the hope that never disappoints.
“It is our hope in the resurrection, that is the ultimate
source of our hope, and we speak about a Jubilee Year of Hope, our hope is in
Jesus Christ who is risen. And he calls all of us to renew our faith, calls all
of us to be friends, brothers and sisters to one another, to support one
another, and he says you too must be witnesses to that Gospel message.”
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét