the only true gift is peace

Francisco’s story in a podcast made by VaticanNews on the occasion of their anniversary today. The pontiff recalled the meeting with the elderly as the most beautiful moment and when asked about his dreams he confided three words: “Brotherhood, tears and smiles.” This morning in Santa Marta, a mass with the cardinals who were present in Rome.

Vatican City () – A mass celebrated early in the morning in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta together with all the cardinals who were present in Rome. This is how Pope Francis remembered today the tenth anniversary of his election as successor to Peter, which took place on March 13, 2013.

The Vatican Press Office has not released any text or other details about the celebration. But VaticanNews published today the “Popecast“, a podcast made with Pope Francis precisely on the occasion of this day and broadcast through Vatican Radio channels. A brief account, more than an interview proper, in which the pontiff reviews these ten years from his point of view view.

“Time is ‘hurry’… it’s in a hurry,” he commented, “when you want to grab today, it’s already yesterday. Living like this is something new. These ten years have been like this: a tension, living in tension.” When asked what had been the most beautiful moment, Francis cited the meeting in Saint Peter’s Square with the elderly on September 28, 2014: “The elderly are wisdom, and they help me so much. I am also old, am I not?” ?”.

As for the worst moment, his thoughts turned to the many occasions on which he has come across the subject of war: from visiting the graves of fallen soldiers to the many conflicts that continue to stain the world with blood. “I think of the mothers who receive the letter of a son killed in the war: this makes me suffer a lot,” says the Pope. “I did not imagine that he would be the Pope of the Third World War. I thought that Syria was a singular event – he added -, but then came Yemen, the tragedy of the Rohingya. Behind the wars is the arms industry. It hurts me to see the dead, young people – whether Russian or Ukrainian, I don’t care – who don’t come back. It’s hard”.

Hence the only gift that he would really like to receive on this tenth anniversary: ​​”Peace,” he answered without hesitation, “peace is needed.”

Finally, when asked on the podcast about his dreams for the future, the Pope confided three words: “Brotherhood, tears and smiles. Human fraternity: we are all brothers,” he summed up. “And then learn not to be afraid to cry and smile. When a person knows how to cry and smile, they have their feet on the ground and their eyes on the horizon of the future. But if a person does not know how to cry, it means that something is wrong And if he has forgotten to smile, even worse”.