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Pope Francis led the first World Children's Day this weekend, with a kick-off event at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, in dialogue with 50,000 exuberant children on May 25, 2024.
Tye 87-year-old Pontiff seemed completely at home among the children, smiling and completely relaxed, as he interacted with child after child, drawing the braver ones into conversation, and generously handing out candy to all.
The Pontiff, who had met children from Ukraine and Palestine in the morning, asked the younger generation to be bearers of peace.
The shrill cries of 50,000 children tore through the skies of Rome as Pope Francis entered the arena. In this stadium, where the traditional heated soccer matches between Lazio and Roma take place, the Pope arrived to preach peace -- and to delight handfuls of children with his huge basket brimming with candy (seen to his right in the picture below).
The idea for such a day was first put to the Pope last summer by a certain Alessandro, aged 9. The child suggested that the Pope launch a special event for children, just as the Pontiff was about to embark on World Youth Day in Lisbon.
Shortly before the Pontiff's triumphal entry in the papamobile, delegations of children of dozens of nationalities paraded around the track of Rome's stadium. Flags from Ukraine and Palestine rubbed shoulders with those of the Democratic Republic of Congo, China, and Argentina.
"I'm taking children from Gaza and Nazareth with me," the Palestinian flag-bearer told I.Media. "We are here to free the children of Palestine. We are praying for this today," he added.
Earlier in the morning, Pope Francis had received some 30 children from war zones at the Vatican, some of them missing limbs from war injuries.
"We're here with children from several countries, we have children from Ukraine, from the hospital (in Lviv - ed. note), these are children who have lost their legs, their hands and also their parents. They are here with their doctors, very good doctors who have saved their lives," Father Marcin Schmidt, a Polish missionary and Secretary General of the 5P Global Foundation, told the Pope, according to Vatican media.
In the Olimpico stadium, Pope Francis invited children not to remain insensitive in the face of the evils that damage society, asking them to challenge their parents in the face of injustice.
One charming girl from South Korea told the Pope that before she would ask her question, she wanted to show a video. The girl herself was the star of the film clip, which showed her giving up her rain coat to a homeless woman tucked under the columns of St. Peter's.
The Pope congratulated the girl for her acting, and then encouraged the children to be peacemakers by asking hard questions to adults, and to God.
"Daddy, Mommy, why are there children who have nothing to eat? Dad, Mom, why are there people sleeping in the street? Dad, Mom, why are there people who don't have a job?" he improvised. "And ask God too! You can make a real revolution with these questions!"
A soccer match and a handful of Italian stars
The Pope symbolically kicked off a soccer match between two teams made up of children and a handful of stars, including the famous Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Other Italian celebrities enlivened the rest of the festivities, such as singer-songwriter Renato Zero or Al Bano and his hit "Felicita," sung in chorus in the mostly Italian-filled stands.
One particularly moving moment was when a blind girl from Palestine, after greeting the Pope and taking the candy he placed in her hand, wowed the crowd with her beautiful, clear singing voice. Showing no fear to perform, she sang out a song in various languages.
Children presented the Pope with a variety of presents, including the "cross of joy" -- a replica of the large, colorful cross that presided over the event. A 60-member delegation from Israel and Palestine also presented the Pope with a photo-medallion of his visit to the Holy Land, which took place 10 years ago.
At one moment, the Holy Father teased two children wearing matching yellow hats, switching the hats back and forth on their heads.
A boy showed the Pope a picture of them together on an airplane, explaining that he was one of those who accompanied the Holy Father on a flight from Lesbos in 2016. "You've grown!" the Pope exclaimed.
"Dear children, let us go ahead with joy," the Pope said, after lamenting that "we have to go home now."
Joy is good for the soul. Dear children, Jesus said in the Gospel that He loves you, do you know how much Jesus loves you? I can’t you hear! [Children respond] “Yes!” And the devil, does he love you? [Children respond] “No!” Well done! Courage and keep going forward.
