Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Viterbo (Agenzia Fides) – At the close of the Mass celebrated on the esplanade of Valle Faul in Viterbo, on Sunday, September 6, the Holy Father gave a brief address prior to the recitation of the Angelus, recalling the theme chosen for his pastoral visit: “Confirm your brothers” (Lk 22:31). He then mentioned that “these words of Jesus were directed to the Apostle Peter during the Last Supper, entrusting to him the task of being the pastor of his entire Church here on earth” and that for many centuries now, the Diocese of Viterbo “has distinguished itself by a singular bond of affection and communion with the Successor of Peter.”
Benedict XVI then quoted St. Leo the Great, born in ancient Tuscia, Pope Sabinian, born in Blera; and Paul III, born in Canino. In addition, Viterbo was home to the Roman Pontiffs for the entire second half of the 13th Century; five of them were elected there and four of them are buried there; and fifty Popes have visited the city. The Pope continued: “These figures have a historical significance, but I would like to stress their spiritual value above all at this moment. Viterbo has been justly named 'City of Popes,' and for you this constitutes a further stimulus to live and witness to the Christian faith, the same faith that the holy martyrs Valentino and Ilario -- who rest in the cathedral -- gave their lives for. They are the first of a long line of saints, martyrs and blesseds from your land.”
The Pope concluded his address, saying that he had felt the Lord's call to “Confirm your brothers,” addressed today to him “with singular intensity,” and asked for prayers “that I might be able to carry out the mission of the pastors of the entire flock of Christ.” He also assured his constant remembrance in the Lord for the Diocese of Viterbo, “so that its different articulation...will tend more and more to a complete unity and fraternal communion, indispensable conditions for offering the world an efficacious evangelical testimony.”
After the Angelus, the Holy Father addressed the participants in the International Congress “Men and Religions” with these words: “I would now like to address a cordial greeting to the participants in the International Congress 'Men and Religions,' which is convening in Krakow on the theme: 'Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue.' Numerous figures and representatives of the various religions -- invited by the Archdiocese of Krakow and the Community of Sant'Egidio -- are gathered to reflect and pray for peace, 70 years after the outbreak of World War II. We cannot fail to recall the dramatic events that brought on one of the most terrible conflicts in history, that caused tens of millions of deaths and provoked so much suffering among the beloved Polish people; a conflict that saw the tragedy of the Holocaust and the extermination of many other innocent people. May the memory of these events move us to pray for the victims and for those who still carry wounds in their bodies and hearts; may it also be an admonishment to all not to repeat such barbarities and to intensify the efforts to create in our time, marked by conflicts and oppositions, an enduring peace, transmitting above all to the new generations, a culture and a lifestyle shaped by love, solidarity and esteem for the other. In this perspective, what is especially important is the contributions that religions can and must make in promoting forgiveness and reconciliation against violence, racism, totalitarianism and the extremism that disfigure the image of the Creator in man, erase God from the horizon and, consequently, lead to the scorn of man himself. May the Lord help you to build peace beginning from love and from mutual understanding (cf. "Caritas in Veritate," no. 72).” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 7/9/2009)
