Vatican
City, 17 December 2013 (VIS) – Today Pope Francis celebrates his
77th birthday, and congratulations have arrived in the Vatican from
all over the world. However, also in his city of birth, Buenos Aires,
citizens are celebrating the birthday of their former archbishop: the
parishioners of the diaconate of Boca-Barrajas, one of the most
popular and troubled areas of the city, will spend the day in Plaza
Constitucion where a “missionary tent” has been erected to
welcome the “invisible” inhabitants of the capital. The area
hosts a large railway station and the principal bus terminal, where
the “street people” of the city gather - migrants, the
unemployed, the homeless, prostitutes – and where every year the
then Archbishop Bergoglio used to celebrate Mass for the victims of
human trafficking.
In
Italy, the Constitutional Court sent a telegram to the Pope, through
the secretary of State, Archbishop Pietro Parolin, congratulating him
for his “profound and intense pastoral work in the defence of the
dignity of the human person and for peace in the world”. The
Episcopal Conference sent him a message referring to his “tireless
apostolic ministry which offers words of life and mercy, opening up
paths and spreading hope”. Today, or later, on Wednesday morning,
Pope Francis will receive a special gift: a visit from a delegation
from the football team San Lorenzo de Buenos Aires, which the Pope
supports, and who will bring with them the Cup of the “Inicial”
Championship, which they won last Sunday. In the Roman parish of San
Lorenzo in Piscibus, the San Lorenzo International Youth Centre –
very close to the Vatican – various groups of young people will
offer twenty-four hours of Eucharistic adoration in homage to Pope
Francis, in shifts throughout the day and the night, joined by the
Catholic Knights Templar.
The
birthday celebrations will not end today. On Friday, 20 December, the
Roman Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs will offer a
concert in honour of the Pope, with the participation of numerous
Italian and foreign artists who, as well as performing musical
pieces, will also read significant passages from the Pope's work. The
repertory will include the “Misa Criolla”, by the Argentine
composer Ariel Ramirez, one of the Pope's favourite works, which will
be performed by the Basilica's Schola Cantorum choir using popular
Argentine instruments, and with the participation of the Chilean
soprano Macarena Valenzuela.
This
morning, Pope Francis requested that Mass be celebrated in the Santa
Marta chapel with the staff of the guesthouse, in order to celebrate
in a “family” environment. Today's Gospel, rich in the names of
Jesus' ancestors, offered the Pope the opportunity to mention the
names of several of the staff present during his homily. Cardinal
Angelo Sodano, representing the College of Cardinals, concelebrated
with the Pope, who also received congratulations from Secretary of
State Archbishop Pietro Parolin on behalf of all his collaborators at
the Secretariat of State.
The
Almoner of His Holiness, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, when offering
his congratulations to the Pope, was accompanied by four homeless
people from the area near the Vatican. The Holy Father invited them
all to dine with him in the Domus Santa Maria refectory.
All
those who wish to congratulate the Pope by Internet are invited to do
so at:
https://www.facebook.com/news.va.en
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