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Pope Francis turns 88: Italy celebrates its spiritual leader!
Italy's leaders congratulate Pope Francis on his 88th birthday and honor his inspiring teachings for peace and human dignity.
Pope Francis turns 88: Italy celebrates its spiritual leader!
Rome, December 17, 2024 – A very special day for Pope Francis, who celebrates his 88th birthday today! The Italian government warmly congratulated him. “His words and teachings are an inspiration to us all,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said emotionally on social media. She wishes that his path continues to be illuminated with faith and hope. President Sergio Mattarella also paid tribute to the Pope and emphasized that his messages represent an important source of support in difficult times of doubt and fear. “His teachings help promote peace, freedom and mutual respect,” Mattarella continued. He also referred to the encyclical “Dilexit nos,” which emphasizes human dignity that goes beyond material things.
The pope, who has served as head of the Catholic Church since 2013 and touched the hearts of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, is known for modestly celebrating his birthday. Instead of brilliant celebrations, he sees his name day on April 26th as an important moment. At the same time, a significant international pilgrimage of 50,000 altar boys took place on St. Peter's Square that day, during which Francis emphasized the importance of community and togetherness in his address. “‘With you’ is an expression that contains the mystery of our life, the mystery of love,” the Pope explained, encouraging the young pilgrims to grow in their willingness to serve God and others. “Love one another as I have loved you,” was his message to the assembled altar boys, many from Germany, as they gathered around the pope.
A special occasion for the church
The holidays of the Holy Year 2025, which has the motto “Pilgrims of Hope” and begins on Christmas Eve, are already casting their shadows. Mattarella, who also hoped the Pope will not be disappointed in the challenges ahead, strengthens the connection between the Pope and Italian society.
The celebrations and the intensive interaction between the Pope and the young altar boys illustrate how important the bonds within the church are. The encouragement of solidarity and the peace that the Pope strives for in the long term make this day all the more meaningful. As Pope Francis summarized, it is about living “with you” in action and sharing the love of God.