Pope Francis meets with Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem

Vatican City, 16 April 2013: Pope Francis met on Monday the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, with an official delegation from the Patriarchate. This audience gave Pope Francis an opportunity to become more acquainted with the Church in Jerusalem and its pastoral problems.

“He is a very humble man. He has the time, the patience to listen to what we have to say,” said Patriarch Twal, speaking to Vatican Radio after his meeting with the Pope. He said Pope Francis was very well informed about the situation of Christians who have fled the middle east. The Patriarch noted that many Christians who have left the region had settled in Latin America; some, in Argentina were under the pastoral care of then Cardinal Bergoglio. “He is very aware about . . . the Christians from the middle east who are living and working in the diaspora. He knows very well their situation.”

"Pope Francis is a man who loves his people and a pastor who wants to live with his flock," said William Shomali, auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem. Speaking to AsiaNews, he recounted the meeting they had with the Holy Father in the Vatican. For the prelate, the visit shows "Francis's great humility". After the meeting, the pope surprised the delegation by having lunch with them at the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

"The audience was very simple," the prelate explained. "The pope first met Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem, in private. He then listened to each one of us, and gave us a rosary."

"Shortly after we went back to Saint Martha, Pope Francis joined us, and in an informal way, sat down at the table with the entire delegation."

"On our return, we shall tell the faithful in the Holy Land about then pope's great love for the Church that lives and prays in the places where Jesus Christ lived," Bishop Shomali said.

Source: VR Eng / AsiaNews