Pope Francis in Hungary: Seeking peace safely issue

2023-04-21 16:27:39

Friday in a week’s time: Pope Francis flies to Hungary. At a press briefing this Friday (April 21), Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni provided information on the program and topics of the three-day pastoral visit to the capital, Budapest.

Many Catholic believers work in NGOs and charities, said the spokesman for the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference, Csaba Török, on Tuesday at a …

Stefanie Stahlhofen – Vatican City

For Pope Francis it will be the 41st trip abroad, he has visited 60 countries so far. In 2021 he was already in Hungary – for a short visit at the end of the 52nd International Eucharistic World Congress. At the time, the Pope also promised to come back for a pastoral visit, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni recalled. He also pointed out that Pope Francis’ current trip to Hungary is different due to the war in neighboring Ukraine:

“Surely we can expect words of pain in the face of this conflict and the search for peace”

“As is well known, we will be only a few hundred meters from the Ukrainian border. (…) and therefore also from the war. So surely we can expect words of pain in the face of this conflict and the search for peace. The war also creates refugees, whom Pope Francis will meet at one of his meetings. Many from Ukraine, but also from other countries, who are trying to reach Europe, and thus also Hungary, via the Balkan route,” Bruni explained on the Pope’s visit to Budapest.

How many refugees Pope Francis will meet on Saturday in the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary and where they come from is not yet known. What is certain, however, is that Ukrainian refugees are also present.

“A Europe of the peoples that, because of its history, also has its own responsibility for global peace”

Immediately after the meeting with refugees and the poor, Pope Francis will visit the Greek Catholic community in the neighboring Church of the Protection of the Virgin Mary – an appointment that has not yet been published in the program. Bruni explained when asked that he could not say anything about other possible meetings of the Pope that were not previously mentioned in the program – possibly in private form, for example with victims of abuse or with Metropolitan Hilarion. The planned program is known, the rest will be seen. The Pope spokesman named environmental protection and ecumenism, the many saints and blessed that Hungary has produced, the role of Christians in Europe and the political situation in Europe as further possible topics:

Here in the audio: Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni on Pope Francis’ trip to Hungary (audio contribution from Radio Vatican)

“The question can be asked about the role of Europe and Europeans today, in the political sphere, but also in society and culture. A Europe of the peoples which, due to its history, also has its own responsibility for global peace. It is also clear that there will be an opportunity to reach out to Christians in Hungary and talk about the challenges many young people are facing.”

Pope Francis would have the opportunity to do so on Saturday afternoon at a youth meeting in the “Laszlo Papp” sports arena, which, according to the Vatican, offers space for around 205,000 people. Hungary’s political squad will meet the Catholic Church leader on Friday Closing Mass with midday prayer in the afternoon, another encounter with the world of science and culture at the Faculty of Computer Science and Bionics of the Catholic Peter Pazmany University is on the program.During his three-day visit to Budapest, Pope Francis also visits a center for the blind and he meets as usual in private form with the members of the Jesuit order to which he himself belongs.Also on this trip there will be a meeting with bishops, priests, religious, seminarians and pastoral workers.

Pope Francis in a wheelchair during his trip to Africa in February 2023

Usual healthcare professionals

As usual, Pope Francis will be accompanied on his trip to Hungary by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and the Holy See’s Foreign Representative, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher. Also present are Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, Substitute in the Secretariat of State, and Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches; the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Archbishop Robert Francis Prevost; and the Prefect of the Dicastery of Communications, Paolo Ruffini. Pope Francis is also accompanied by the usual medical professionals, according to Vatican spokesman Bruni. The 86-year-old pope had been in the hospital for a few days shortly before Easter due to a respiratory infection; Due to knee problems, he has been traveling in a wheelchair or with a walking stick for some time – even on the most recent trips, the wheelchair was always with him.

(vatican news – sst)