The Pope arrives in Hungary and asks Orbán to accept immigrants as a “sign of Christianity”

Pope Francis arrived this Friday at Budapest and, in his first speech before the Hungarian Government, he has warned of the dangers of growing nationalism in Europe. Furthermore, he asked Hungary to accept the immigrants along with the rest of the continent because that would be a true sign of Christianity.

In a tough speech addressed to government leaders, including Prime Minister Viktor Orbánwhich has had a series of run-ins with the European Union, Francis also urged to reject the “self-referential forms of populism” and strictly nationalist interests.

Francis asked for the return to the “European spirit” envisioned by the founders of modern Europe after World War II, stating that nations had to “look beyond national borders“.

[El Papa anuncia que las mujeres y los laicos votarán por primera vez en el Sínodo de los obispos]

Regarding the question of migratory flows arriving in Europe from the Middle East and Africa, it became clear that Orbán, 59, and the Pope They have divergent points of view. Francisco stressed his opinion that migrants fleeing poverty should be welcomed.

Instead Orbán, whose government built a steel fence on the Serbian border to keep immigrants out, has refused to allow Hungary to become a “country of immigrants” as, according to him, others in Europe have become. In fact, the Prime Minister of Hungary already asked Francisco in 2021during the Pope’s last visit, “not to let may Christian Hungary perish“.

“Those who profess themselves to be Christians, in the company of witnesses of the faith, are called to bear witness and join efforts with everyone to cultivate a humanism inspired by the Gospel and that moves along two fundamental paths: recognizing ourselves as beloved children of the Father and love us like brothersFrancis said in his speech at the presidential palace overlooking the Danube River.

Pope quoted Saint Stephenfounder of Christian Hungary in the 11th century: “In this sense, Saint Stephen bequeathed to his son extraordinary words of fraternity when he told him that those who arrive with different languages ​​and customs ‘adorn the country'”, Francis declared, citing the mandate of the saint of ‘welcome foreigners with kindness and hold them in esteem’.

war in ukraine

The Pope spoke on the same day for the first time on a large scale in almost two months, leaving some twenty dead. In this regard, Francis once again called for an end to the war, asking “creative efforts for peace” to drown those he called “soloists of the war”.

[El Papa Francisco devuelve al Opus a la “tropa”: reforma la institución y acaba con sus privilegios]

The three-day visit is his first trip since he was admitted in the hospital for bronchitis in March. Cheerful-looking Francisco, who suffers from a knee ailment, used a cane to walk welcoming dignitaries and children dressed in national costumes at the airport. In the last arrivals, he used a wheelchair.

Asked by the media about his state of health on the flight from Rome, the Pope joked that “I am still alive” and that “stubborn weeds never die”.

Also walked with a cane to individually greet reporters in his section of the plane, whereas on some recent trips he would remain seated and reporters would come to him.

Francis is keeping his promise to make an official visit to Hungary after a stop of only seven hours to close a Church congress in Budapest in 2021, on the way to slovakiaIt will leave many feeling slighted.