From & nbspEuronews
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Papa Leo celebrated his 70th birthday on Sunday from St. Peter Square in the Vatican, where he blessed the believers who gathered for the prayer of Angelus and thanked them for their desires.
“My dear, you seem to know that today I close 70,” Leo said. “I thank the Lord, my parents and everyone who remembered me in their prayers,” Pontiff added when the crowd burst into applause. On the square, hundreds of believers kept banners “Happy Birthday” in English, Italian and Spanish, balloons and congratulatory messages.
The Vatican announced that the dad had wishes from around the world, including projects of young patients in the Pediatric Hospital of Bambino Heso in Rome, which he visited in August.
In many plans, children wished peace in the world. One child painted dad Leo to say: “Don’t worry, I will take it”, holding the flag of the world, between the pigeons with an olive branch and the basil of St. Peter, painted in the white and yellow colors of the Vatican flag.
‘Huge learning curve’
In an interview, published on Sunday on the website of the journalist Alice Allen, dad Leo spoke about the “huge crooked learning”, which he went as a pontiff, comparing her to “throw you straight.”
The first American dad in history said that he quickly found his steps as a shepherd of the Catholic Church around the world, but found that the diplomatic role of Pontifical is more demanding.
“A completely new element in this position is that you are suddenly at the level of the world leader,” he said. “I study a lot and feel big problems, but not paid.”
Desires from leaders and church circles
In addition to Catholics around the world, Pontiff also received a lot of desires from state leaders. Among the first who wished him was the president of Italy, Sergio Matarella.
“From the very beginning of your high witch, you turned to the entire international community, and to the individual conscience of strong attractiveness to this“ unarmed and disarmament of the world, ”which opens hearts,” the president of the Italian wrote in his message.
He added: “You reminded us with St. Augustine that” we are time. ” This is all of us, and, in particular, for those who have a state position to make conditions, open a horizontal dialogue, justice and protection of the dignity of each person. ”
The Prime Minister of Italy George Melony also sent a special message, thanking dad Leo for his sermon, which is called the source of inspiration. His teachings, he noted, “offer reliable and sustainable leadership in extremely complex times, when certainty seems to be shocked, and the changes are sudden and deep.”
From Germany, the episcopal conference congratulated Pope Leo as describing him as a “bridge builder” and welcome his ability to unite.
“We look with admiration and emotions in the first months of your ministry. With your visible presence for many faithful, with numerous functions, hearings and meetings during the saint, you show that the church is among people, ”said Bishop George Betsing.