Pope Francis tells Faithful "Do not forget: pray for the Church... And in bad times we pray even more..." and venerates Relics in Bari

 Pope Francis is to traveled to the southern Italian city of Bari today where he addressed a meeting of bishops from countries bordering the Mediterranean and celebrated Holy Mass.  The meeting Pope Francis was scheduled to address is organized and promoted by the Italian Bishops’ Conference and is entitled “Mediterranean, peace frontier”. It takes place from 19 to 23 February and is expected to bring together more than 50 bishops from 19 Mediterranean nations in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

Pope Francis on Sunday made his way into the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas and venerated the Saint's relics which are kept under the altar and were moved to Bari in 1087 from Myra, in present-day Turkey. The Dominican fathers, custodians of the Basilica, accompanied the Pope in this moment of recollection. VISIT OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS TO BARI
ON THE OCCASION OF THE REFLECTION AND SPIRITUALITY MEETING
"MEDITERRANEAN FRONTIER OF PEACE"

GREETING FROM THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE FAITHFUL IN FRONT OF THE BASILICA OF S. NICOLA

Churchyard of the Basilica of San Nicola (Bari)
Sunday, February 23 2020

Good morning, good morning to you all!

I would like to thank you, because I know that you have helped, you are helping, with your prayers, the work of the Pastors here. Thank you, because prayers are precisely the strength, the strength of a Christian community. The shepherds pray, but they must work in these days of reflection. But they felt accompanied and secure with your prayers. I thank you so much for this work, for this apostolate to pray, pray for the Church. Do not forget: pray for the Church, for the Pastors ... And in bad times we pray even more, because the Lord must always come to solve problems.

Now I would like to give you the blessing, but first of all let us pray to Our Lady. She prayed a lot during her life. He prayed a lot, always, accompanying the Church.

Ave Maria…

Blessing

And thank you, thank you very much!
Full Text + Image Vatican.va - Unofficial Translation