A young people with long history

(Vatican Radio) Intermittent, sometimes heavy rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the tens of thousands of Albanians who turned out for the Papal Mass on Sunday morning in Tirana.

Listen to Christopher Wells report:

 

The theme of hope has been prominent during this journey: the hope for peace, the hope for a better future, the hope for a new springtime for the Catholic Faith in Albania. It’s a hope that you can feel in the air – and it was that spirit of hope that inspired Pope Francis’ remarks in his homily that that people of Albania are a young people. The Albanians who came out to greet Pope Francis, whether young or old in years, gave the impression of a young people going forward in hope.

That youthful attitude is something Pope Francis has called for throughout his pontificate, and it was clear Sunday morning that the Holy Father saw in the crowds here in Tirana the evangelical missionary spirit he has called for so often.

But if it is a young nation, it is also a country with a history, a sad history that has likewise played a great role in Pope Francis’ voyage. The legacy of almost 50 years of communist oppression has left its mark on the land and the people. “Those who were afraid of the truth,” the Pope said, “did everything they could to banish God from the hearts of men and women, and to exclude Christ and the Church from the history of your country.” Their attempt was frustrated, and the atheistic regime was only able to produce an army of martyrs, one more glorious chapter in the history of the Church in Albania.

A young people with a long history. A people going forward, with God, in hope. It’s no surprise that Pope Francis sees in Albania a model for the world.