Photo gallery “God bless Romania!” What Pope Francis to the faithful to his visit to Romania had transmitted to Francis
“Let's go together” was the motto of Pope Francis's only visit to Romania, June 31-June 2019. The itinerary of the apostolic journey in Romania included cities such as Bucharest, Iaşi, Şumuleu-Ciuc and Blaj.
The Holy Father was first received at the Cotroceni Palace, the headquarters of the Presidential Administration, where he also had two meetings with President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă. In the opening of the ceremony, Pope Francis spoke about emigration, welcomed religious freedom and condemned the horrors of the communist regime. The motto “Let's go together” sends to the cry “Unity! Unity!” of the crowd of believers who participated, in 1999, in the visit of Pope John Paul II in our country.
You can see here several images from the Romanian Television Archive with Pope Francis's visit to Romania.
“I pay tribute to the sacrifice so many sons and daughters of Romania who, through their culture, through the heritage of their values and work, enrich the countries in which they emigrated, and through the fruits of their efforts help their remaining families. This, ”said Pope Francis in Cotroceni, according to Vatican News. The Sovereign Pontiff blessed Romania and hated prosperity and abundance.
At the Cathedral of the Salvation of the People: “I come as a brother”
His visit continued with a meeting with Patriarch Daniel and a visit to the Cathedral of the Salvation of the People, where he met with the Romanian believers. “I come like a brother, because the love that brings us closer than the history that has removed us,” said the Sovereign Pontiff when he entered the Cathedral of the Salvation of the People. Then he led a prayer in Has all the believers present. The same day, Pope Francis officiated the Liturgy at Saint Joseph's Cathedral in Bucharest.
“The symbol of dialogue, unity and fraternity ”
On June 1, on the second day of his visit to Romania, he went to the Sanctuary Marian from Șumuleu Ciuc, in Harghita county, where he officiated the Liturgy. In his sermon he evoked the annual pilgrimage of Pentecost from Șumuleu Ciuc, which is a symbol of dialogue and fraternity.
“With joy and grateful to God I am here today, together with you, dear brothers and sisters, in this beloved Sanctuar Marian, rich in history and faith, where, as sons, we come to meet our mother and recognize ourselves as brothers. […] This annual pilgrimage belongs to the inheritance of Transylvania, but brings honor to the Romanian and Hungarian traditions at the same time; He participates in him and faithful of other confessions and is the symbol of dialogue, unity and fraternity; A call to recover the testimonies of faith that has become life and life that have become hope, “said Pope Francis in Şumuleu Ciuc, according to Vatican News.
Why did he apologize to the Roma community in Blaj
The next destination in Pope Francis in Romania was the city of Iași, where it was welcomed by 150,000 pilgrims at Saint Maria Cathedral. The Sovereign Pontiff shared with the believers, blessed several sick people and prayed with those present.
“Thank you for being with your sick, and you, the sick, thank you for carrying the disease, giving it to the Lord,” Pope Francis told all the believers present.
On the last day of his visit to Romania, on Sunday, June 2, 2019, the Sovereign Pontiff went to Blaj, where he beat seven martyrs, who were persecuted for their faith during the communist regime: Valeriu Traian Frențiu, Vasile Aftenie, Ioan Suciu, Tit Liviu Chinese, Ioan Bălan, Alexandru Rusu. They are celebrated every year on June 2.
Also in Blaj, Pope Francis met with the members of the Roma community who asked for forgiveness, on behalf of the Catholic Church, for the discrimination they have been subjected to over time. “I ask for forgiveness for the suffering you have lived, because we did not know how to value you more and defend you in your diversity. […] Every day we have a choice between being Abel or Cain. Let's choose the path of Jesus, even if it is harder, “said the Pontiff.
In September 2020, a commemorative plaque in memory of the aposolic visit in Romania of Pope Francis was revealed to the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Bucharest, by the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest, Aurel Percar.
