Below is a translation of Pope Francis’ Angelus address today, following the Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square:
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Before the Angelus
At the end of this celebration, I affectionately greet all of you here, particularly young people.
Dear young people, I urge you to continue your journey both in your dioceses and in your pilgrimage across the continents, which will carry you all next year to Krakow, the homeland of St. John Paul II, who first initiated the World Youth Days. The theme of that great meeting: «Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy» (Mt 5,7), fits in well with the Holy Year of Mercy. Let yourselves be filled by the tenderness of the Father, so you can spread it around you!
And now we turn in prayer to Mary our Mother, so she can help us to live with faith this Holy Week. She also was present when Jesus entered Jerusalem and was cheered by the crowd; but her heart, like that of the Son, was ready for sacrifice. We learn from you, faithful Virgin, to follow the Lord even when His way leads to the Cross.
I entrust to Mary’s intercession the victims of the Germanwings plane crash last Tuesday, among which there was also a group of German students.
Angelus Domini …
[Original text: Italian] [Translation by Deborah Castellano Lubov]
