Lombardi: "Sense of anticipation and participation" ahead of WYDRio
(Vatican Radio/VIS) – In a press conference held this morning the director of the
Holy See Press Office, Federico Lombardi S.J., presented information on Pope Francis'
imminent apostolic visit to Rio de Janeiro for the 28th World Youth Day. Fr. Lombardi
reviewed the Holy Father's programme for the week he will spend in Brazil, explaining
that this journey is “particularly significant in his continent, and this naturally
lends it a particular sense of anticipation and participation”. “As we know”,
Fr. Lombardi continued, “it was not his decision to make his first trip to Latin America,
but rather it was his predecessor Benedict XVI who had confirmed that World Youth
Day would be held in Brazil, and had confirmed that 'the Pope' would be present, as
at all the World Youth Days, even though the Pope in this case would not have been
him. Therefore, Pope Francis is assuming the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI's pontificate
in making this trip. You will recall that practically the same thing happened at the
last change of pontificate: Benedict XVI's first trip was to Germany, his homeland,
to Cologne for the World Youth Day decided by his predecessor John Paul II”. “The
trip had already been decided but the programme has also been adapted, we might indeed
say intensified and enriched with further events with the change of pontificate. The
plan that had been drawn up for Pope Benedict XVI was less demanding, whereas with
Pope Francis, some elements have been added, such as the pilgrimage to Aparecida,
or the vist to the favelas, to the hospital, the meeting with the Comite de Celam.
There are elements which were not scheduled in the first programme for the trip, intended
for Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Francis has maintained the same days – that is, the trip
was expected to take place from 22 to 29 July even before the change of pontificate
– but more events have been planned for this period, especially the pilgrimage to
Aparecida which will occupy a day that had in the previous draft programme been intended
as a day of rest”. “Of course, the Holy Father was invited by the bishops who
organised and promoted the World Youth Day”, added Fr. Lombardi: Orani Tempesti, archbishop
of Rio de Janeiro, and Cardinal Damasceno Assis, president of the National Conference
of Bishops of Brazil, and naturally also by the president Dilma Rousseff, “who came
to the Vatican “for the inauguration of the pontificate and who met Francesco the
following day, explicitly inviting him to Brazil. The Pope confirmed immediately,
just a few days after his election, that he intended to travel to Brazil for World
Youth Day, and this helped to speed up preparations”.