Pope Francis recalls that he will come to France only for the migration issue
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By Le Figaro with AFP and EP
Posted
Pope Francis on the plane bringing him back from WYD in Lisbon, August 6, 2023. MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI / AFP
“I
will go to Marseilles, but not to France”, insisted the head of the
Church in the plane which brought him back on Sunday from WYD in Lisbon,
recalling that the migrants are the only object of this visit planned
for September.
The message is clear: Pope Francis will not
come to France in September either for a political visit or to meet the
French, but for the migrants. “I will go to Marseille, not to France“, Pope Francis insisted again on the plane which brought him back from the WYD in Lisbon on Sunday.
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While ruling out having a “issuewith France, the 86-year-old pope explained himself. “The problem that worries me is the Mediterranean problem, that’s why I’m going to Franceon September 22 and 23, he said.
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“The Mediterranean is a cemetery. But it is not the largest: the
largest cemetery is in North Africa. It’s awful. That’s why I go to
Marseille“, continued in front of the journalists the Argentinian
Jesuit, who made the migration question a cornerstone of his
pontificate. “The bishops meet to reflect on the drama of migrants“.
Thus, the diocese of Marseilles will organize from September 18 to 24
meetings around themes such as economic inequalities, migrations and
climate change, to which the pope is invited to meet the bishops and
young people.
“In Marseille, but not in France”
“I went to Strasbourg (in 2014, editor’s note), I will go to Marseille, but not to Franceinsisted the pope. “Last week, President Macron told me of his intention to come“,
he added, meaning that the meeting of the French president was optional
in his trip. The Pope is due to speak with the President of the
Republic on September 23 in the afternoon, before celebrating mass at
the Vélodrome stadium. Mass open to the public, which will follow a
prayer in memory of migrants who disappeared at sea.
The pope had already declared to surrenderin Marseille, but not in France“, remarks that had caused incomprehension among some French Catholics. Asked if he had “something against Francethe pope replied:No!“. “On
that, it’s a policy. I visit the small European countries, the big ones
(Spain, France, England…) I leave them for later, for the end. I want
to start small“, he specified.
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