This weekend, Pope Francis is making a two-day Apostolic Visit to the southern French city of Marseille.
The Holy Father will be in the city on Friday and Saturday for the concluding session of the Mediterranean Meetings.
These are Church-led initiatives or conferences held annually in a different city or town in Mediterranean countries.
This year in Marseilles, the Mediterranean Meetings have brought
together about 70 Catholic Bishops and 120 young people, aged 20 to 35,
from all over the Mediterranean. There are also several Muslims and
participants of other faiths.
For the Holy Father, the visit offers an occasion to promote fraternity throughout the Mediterranean.
The visit will encourage religious leaders to forge their own unique
course in their desire to serve the people of an area so dear to Pope
Francis.
Logistical hurdles
Regarding logistics, Pope Francis is arriving in the middle of the
Rugby World Cup 2023 in Marseille. It is an intense week for the city,
bustling with excitement.
Our Vatican News team covering the papal visit faced challenges
getting a taxi. We wondered how the Rugby games and the Pope’s visit
would play out.
Eventually, when we found a taxi, and we asked our driver what he
thought of Pope Francis coming to the city. His reply was very
instructive.
“We all believe in one God,” he said. “Anyone who believes in God and
works for peace in the Mediterranean, I want to listen to them. I am
interested in this visit,” was his reply.
Diversity on display in Marseille
For Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, the Archbishop of Marseille, one of
the major highlights will be the Mass which Pope Francis will celebrate
at the Orange Vélodrome stadium.
The Mass is scheduled for Saturday afternoon before the Pope returns to the Vatican. Over 50,000 people are expected to attend.
This Mass, said Cardinal Aveline, will “bring together Marseille in all its diversity.”
French President Emmanuel Macron is also expected to attend the Mass.
The last time a Pope visited Marseille was in 1533 when Clement VII of Florence visited the city to celebrate a marriage.
Five centuries later, Pope Francis’ weekend visit is already making history
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