(ANS – Rio de Janeiro)– Like all the other cities that hosted World Youth Day, Rio de Janeiro has been invaded by pilgrims. The best image of yesterday, 22 July, is the statue of Christ the Redeemer with arms outstretched to welcome all. When Pope Francis arrived in the afternoon, he was immediately welcomed with great warmth and affection.

The monument of Christ the Redeemer, which rises above the mountain of Corcovado, is recognised as the symbol of the city of Rio de Janeiro, and indeed of the whole of Brazil. The image of the Risen Christ is also one of the elements that make up the logo of WYD 2013, and it is undoubtedly a distinguishing feature of this Brazilian version of WYD. The statue was inaugurated in 1931 and since then has stood over the city holding it in a great embrace.

Yesterday morning many young pilgrims climbed to the statue and the viewing space around it was chock-full of people. The place was swarming with groups of young people carrying flags, and wearing coloured caps and t-shirts. Young people of different languages greeted each other with handshakes and embraces, asking for a photo, enquiring where people came from, where they were staying, and, inevitably, asking for their social network contacts. Christ the Redeemer seemed to embrace them all.

The people of Rio de Janeiro and neighbouring cities like Niterói, Caxias and Iguaçú, welcomed the young people to their homes with open arms, always ready to help as volunteers or simply to give directions to those who did not know the way.

The young pilgrims, the volunteers and the people of Rio de Janeiro had an especially warm welcome for Pope Francis. They filled the city-centre and waited for the Pope to come, all the time chanting what is now the typical slogan of WYD: “We are the Pope’s young people.”

Pope Francis returned this embrace symbolically to the people as he made his way along, first in the pope-mobile and then in an ordinary car, without armour and with open windows.  The cortege stopped many times to allow the Pope to take a child in his arms for a blessing, or to shake the hands of people he met on the way. This caused problems for the security people, but it showed once more that the Pope wants to make contact with ordinary people. He is the Pope of the embrace!

With his characteristic simplicity and spontaneity, he gave his first talk in the Garden of the Guanabara Palace in Rio de Janeiro where he was welcomed by the President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff. “I have learned that to meet the Brazilian people, you have to enter by the doorway of their great heart. I allowed myself just now to knock gently on this door. I am asking permission to come in and spend this week with you.” – so said Pope Francis, and he went on to quote Peter at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple of Jerusalem: “I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have in the name of Jesus Christ …”

In his goodnight to the Salesians of the Niteróicommunity, the Rector Major commented on the Pope’s words, saying that they showed his predilection for the young:  “I have come to meet young people who have come from every part of the world, attracted  by the open arms of Christ the Redeemer. They are seeking refuge in his embrace, close to his Heart, listening afresh to his clear and powerful call: Go and make disciples of all the peoples.” Then he added, “Christ offers them space, for there is no greater force than the power that comes from the hearts of young people when they have been won over by the experience of friendship with him.” Finally, there was the invitation to pay attention to young people: “Youth is the window through which the future will enter the world.”

In conclusion, Pope Francis said: “At this moment the arms of the Pope reach out to embrace the entire nation of Brazil, with its rich human, cultural and religious complexity, From Amazonia to the Pampas, from the desert areas to Pantanal, from the small towns to the huge cities, nobody should feel excluded from the Pope’s embrace. On the day after tomorrow, God willing, I intend to remember you all at Our Lady of Aparecida, invoking her motherly protection on your homes and families. Here and now, I bless you all. Thank you for your welcome!”

In Rio de Janeiro, the Pope wants to embrace all young people!
 

Published 23/07/2013