Pope Francis celebrated the first ever World Children's Day this past weekend , which brought together 50,000 children from 100 countries in Rome's Olympic Stadium on Saturday, May 25, and in St. Peter's Square on unday, May 26, the Vatican Dispatch website reports today (May 29, 2024).The children (under the age of 18), accompanied by parents and grandparwents, ave him a tremendous qwelcome when he entered the Olympic Stadium on May25 afternoon on a papal jeep and drove among them.
Father Enzo Fortunato, the communications director of St. Peter's Basilica and the main organizer of this event, greeted him together with five children -- from Brazil, China, Australia , Burundi, and Italy -- representing five continents.
"You speak of life and the future . and the church -- as mother -- welcomes you and accompanies you," Francis saidas he began a lively, interactive dialogue with the children, with him asking questions and the children shouting their responses. As a Jesuit priest in parishes in Buenos Aires, he would often engage in such dialogueswith children. Among the children present were some from Ukraine and Palestine, and when he asked everyone in the stadium if they thought war" is "good'," they shouted "no!" He then asked them what they did want. and they shouted back "Peace!" He then asked them to shake hands with each other and told them "That's the way to make peace."Francis then asked them to join him in praying for children suffering from war, children who can't go to school, children who don't have enough to eat, and he invited them to recite the "Ave Maria" with him.
The three-hour festival included music, songs, artistic performancesand even a rather chaotic 10--minute soccer game with a few well--known Italian soccer stars helping the children.
Several children asked the pope questions regarding war, injustice, and why so many families are without home, food, or work. The pope, who had a big basket of candy next to him, responded in various ways, and gave each child who asked a question a sweet. He told them, "So many are without food, but we are egoists." People are without food or homes and this also "is the fruit of war; we spend money on arms."
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