(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.04.2024).- In the Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis received an audience of about 50 pilgrims from Amsterdam, on the occasion of the city’s 750th anniversary. The delegation included a choir that performed some pieces for the Pope during the audience (Diga Maria). Among the participants were also the Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Holy See, Annemieke Ruigrok, former Minister Ed Nijpels, and former European Parliament member Maria Martens. A new variety of tulip was presented to the Pope, which will be named after his latest encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti’.
Flowers and bulbs for the Vatican Gardens were presented to the Pontiff by Paul Russel, president of the Amsterdam KSBW foundation. The visit also aimed to introduce the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam. The history of the city, now one of the most international in the world, is linked to the Catholic Church, which, among other things, donated lands and city rights.
In the afternoon of the same Saturday, Monsignor Hendriks celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica (in Italian) with chants by the Amsterdam choir. Below is the English translation of the Pope’s speech:
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I offer a warm welcome to your pilgrimage group from Amsterdam. I greet Bishop Hendriks, Mr Ed Nijpels, the members of the Catholic Foundation for the Promotion of Welfare Work in Amsterdam, the Russell family, the Rector and Choir of Saint Nicholas Basilica and each of one of you individually.
The reason for your visit is the 750th anniversary of the City of Amsterdam, the celebration of which will begin this year. The founding and growth of Amsterdam are linked to our faith and the Catholic Church. A key moment in the city’s history is the Eucharistic miracle that took place in 1345 and is still commemorated today by a silent procession and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Modern Amsterdam is a city where many persons serve the poor and migrants, cooperating with the work of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, the Church’s pastoral outreach to drug addicts, the Sant’Egidio community and a variety of other initiatives.
Your city is also home to people of many different nationalities, called to live together as brothers and sisters. Its churches, in particular, are places where people from all social and cultural backgrounds can come together. I thank you most heartily for your commitment to making this happen!
It is my hope that you will continue to live and work in your magnificent city with God’s blessing, and that, inspired and sustained by the Eucharist, you will keep bearing joyful witness to our faith and to practical love of our neighbour. May your efforts to promote fraternity and solidarity among the people of Amsterdam bear abundant fruit.
I ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of all, to strengthen you in faith, hope and charity. I bless you most cordially and I accompany you with my best wishes. And I ask you, please, to pray for me. Thank you!
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