2023-04-30 12:03:54
The central square of Kossuth Lajos, in the Hungarian capital, was the place chosen to listen to the last mass of the Supreme Pontiff in Budapest. Within the framework of the World Eucharistic Congress, 50,000 people gathered to listen to Franciscoa crowd that the Pope urged to “do not selfishly close the doors to those who are mired in suffering or poverty”.
At 9 in the morning and under a spring sun and in the middle of a strong security device, Francisco arrived aboard the “popemobile” to offer mass to his faithful following three days of visits in Hungary.
In the followingnoon, the 86-year-old Argentine pontiff will deliver a final address to representatives of the cultural and scientific world at the Catholic University of Budapest. Hours later, he will give his traditional press conference on the plane back to Rome.
Pope Francis wants to visit Argentina in 2024, whoever governs
The present Ukrainian war
During the day before, Francisco asked “Eradicate the evils of indifference” during a meeting with refugees, mostly Ukrainians.
The war in Ukraine – a country that shares a border with Hungary – was one of the central themes of this second papal visit in less than two years to the central European country.
“Please, let’s open the doors!”, the Pope asked before a massive audience and in the presence of the Hungarian prime minister, the nationalist Viktor Orbán, who defends a hard line once morest migrants.
“It is sad and it hurts to see closed doors: the closed doors of our selfishness towards those who walk with us every day (…), the closed doors of our indifference towards those who are plunged into suffering and poverty”, he emphasized.
The Church “begged” politicians to put aside “petty interests” to get out of the crisis
Francis maintained throughout his visit to Hungary a speech critical of Orbán’s policy, who justifies his opposition to the reception of migrants or refugees by the defense of “Christian civilization”.
Since the start of the conflict, in February 2022, more than two million Ukrainians have transited through Hungarian soil, although only 35,000 requested the “temporary protection” status implemented by the European Union (EU), according to data from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
True to his style, Francisco had a meeting outside the announced program. On Saturday followingnoon he met with the mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, a staunch opponent of Orbán. Just as he also did with Metropolitan Hilarion, the former head of foreign relations for the Orthodox Church who was fired for his reluctance regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Before traveling to Hungary, Pope Francis asked once more “let us not forget the afflicted Ukrainians”
The happiness of his followers
One month following his hospitalization for bronchitis, the Supreme Pontiff was active and looking good. Levente Kiss, a 21-year-old Hungarian student interviewed by the AFP agency, highlighted: “It’s something unique, fascinating, to see the Pope so close.”
“Although his opinion does not always correspond to that of different organizations or the government, it is important that beyond political speeches, we fulfill our Christian mission,” said the same young man.
The Argentine is the second pope to visit Hungary, following John Paul II in 1991 and 1996. The Argentine pope’s agenda includes a trip to Lisbon (Portugal) in August and, the following month, a visit to Marseille (France) and Mongolia. The tour will be subject to the state of health that has been bad for some time.
NT
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