Cardinal Parolin to the 200,000 teenagers in St. Peter's Square: "The embrace of the Church and the affection of Pope Francis are with you"

The Jubilee of Adolescents ended yesterday, with a Mass for Pope Francis celebrated on the 2nd Sunday of Easter, known in Italy as ‘Domenica in Albis’. Around 200,000 boys and girls filled St. Peter's Square. Presiding over the celebration was Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who began his homily with a prayer for the Holy Father, on the second day of the novendiali mourning period: "The Shepherd that the Lord gave to his people, Pope Francis, has ended his earthly life and left us,” said the former Vatican Secretary of State. “And yet, the Gospel tells us that precisely in these moments of darkness the Lord comes to us with the light of the resurrection, to illuminate our hearts. Pope Francis reminded us of this right from his election and repeated it often, placing that joy of the Gospel at the center of his pontificate."

Then, turning to the adolescents, the cardinal added: "The joy of Easter, which sustains us in the hour of trial and sadness, is something that can almost be touched in this square today; it is imprinted above all on your faces, dear young people who have come from all over the world to celebrate the Jubilee. I address a special greeting to you, hoping you can feel the embrace of the Church and the affection of Pope Francis, who would have liked to meet you, look you in the eye, pass among you and greet you".

The Jubilee of Adolescents, which took place in the context of prayer and mourning for the death of the Pope, began on Friday 25 April, when tens of thousands of boys and girls from dioceses throughout Italy and from across the world passed through the Holy Door of St. Peter's and said their last farewell to the late Pope, whose coffin was in the Basilica for the veneration of the faithful. In the afternoon, they poured into the area around the Roman Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in EUR to take part in the prayer of the "Via Lucis".

Then, on Saturday 26 April, many teenagers, with their youth leaders, teachers and priests took part in the funeral of Pope Francis, in an atmosphere of silence and meditation. In the afternoon, the groups participated in the so-called “Dialogues in the city”, hosted in various piazzas of Rome and organized by Azione Cattolica Italiana, Agesci and the Association of Guides and Scouts of Europe, Cor, and the Associazione Alpha Italia.