We ask you, urgently: don’t scroll past this
Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources—essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you.Help Now >
Pope Francis in Bulgaria: Peace is a gift and a task
FREE Catholic Classes
At an interreligious meeting in Bulgaria Monday, Pope Francis told Orthodox, Muslim, and other religious leaders that peace is both a gift and a task.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
5/6/2019 (5 years ago)
Published in Europe
Keywords: Pope Francis, Bulgaria, gift and a task
Sofia, Bulgaria, (CNA) - "Peace requires and demands that we adopt dialogue as our path, mutual understanding as our code of conduct, and reciprocal understanding as our method and standard," Pope Francis said in Sofia May 6.
A children's choir sang "We are the world" as Pope Francis entered Nezavisimost Square for the "meeting for peace" with five other religious leaders representing the Orthodox, Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, and Armenian Apostolic traditions.
"Peace is both a gift and a task; it must be implored and worked for, received as a blessing and constantly sought as we strive daily to build a culture in which peace is respected as a fundamental right," Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis recited St. Francis' prayer "Make me an instrument of your peace," before delivering his reflection on peace.
The pope called St. Francis "a true peacemaker," who showed "deep respect for the beauty of creation and for all those whom he encountered on his pilgrim way."
"Each of us is called to follow in his footsteps by becoming a peacemaker, an artisan of peace," he said. "With the fire of love, we can melt the icy chill of war and conflict."
The outdoor interreligious meeting included musical performances by Bulgarian singers for a small ticketed audience using umbrellas and ponchos due to the rain.
"Let there be peace on earth: in our families, in our hearts, and above all in those places where so many voices have been silenced by war, stifled by indifference and ignored due to the powerful complicity of interest groups," Francis said.
Nezavisimost Square, also called Independence Square, is surrounded by former Communist party buildings. The red star and other communist symbols were removed from the buildings during Bulgaria's democratization following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989.
The square is also located above the site of the 4th century Council of Serdica, which was convened at the request of Pope Julius I to address the Ayrian heresy.
"For many centuries, the Bulgarians of Sofia belonging to different cultural and religious groups gathered in this place for meetings and discussions. May this symbolic place become a witness to peace," Pope Francis said.
The interreligious peace meeting concluded the pope's second day in Bulgaria. On Tuesday, Pope Francis will travel to North Macedonia. It will be the first papal visit in the history of the recently renamed country.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
5 Ways to keep Jesus in your Christmas celebrations this year
-
Get your oven mitts ready, it's time to bake Christmas cookies!
-
Celebrate Sunday Mass - 12.22.24
-
Bone Box Inscribed with Name of Jesus' Brother Unveiled as 'Most Significant Relic from Time of Christ'
-
Miracle of St. Januarius' Blood Liquefies in Naples
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Tuesday, December 24, 2024
- St. Adele: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, December 24, 2024
- Christmas Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, December 24, 2024
- Daily Readings for Monday, December 23, 2024
- St. John of Kanty: Saint of the Day for Monday, December 23, 2024
- Christmas Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Monday, December 23, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.