Pope Francis received more than 50, 000 pilgrims gathered in Rome within the framework of the XIII Pilgrimage of the Altar Servers 2024, which is being celebrated from July 29 to August 2. The Pope expressed that the altar servers are “servants” of the wounded Heart of Jesus, “who heals our wounds, who saves us from death, who gives us eternal life.”
The pilgrims represent 88 dioceses from 20 European countries. This year’s motto is “With You” and is based on the words of Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
The Pope stressed that the motto “is an expression that encapsulates the mystery of our life, the mystery of love.”
In this regard, he said that the culmination of the motto of the pilgrimage is in the Mass and in the Eucharist, because God is there, in his real presence, with all those who wish to come closer. “The priest sees this mystery pass through his hands every day; and you see it too, when you serve at the altar,” said the Holy Father.
“And when we receive Holy Communion, we can experience that Jesus is ‘with us’ spiritually and physically. He tells you: ‘I am with you,’ but not with words, he tells you in that gesture, in that act of love that is the Eucharist,” he added.
He also said that each altar boy can also respond to Jesus: “I am with you,” not with words, “but with your heart and with your body, with your love.”
“Precisely because He is with us, we too can truly be with Him,” Pope Francis said.
This is the key point, according to the Pope, because altar servers can also share this company of God with those they meet on their way. “If you minister in your heart and in your flesh, like Mary, the mystery of God who is with you, then you become capable of being with others in a new way,” he said.
In this way, altar boys can approach their neighbours, not with words, but with actions, gestures, with their hearts and with concrete closeness, “crying with those who cry, rejoicing with those who rejoice, without judgment, without prejudice, without closeness, without exclusion,” he said.
Finally, the Pope thanked the pilgrims for coming to Rome and for “sharing the joy of belonging to Jesus” and “being servants of his Love.”
Several groups of altar boys were seen on Monday in various basilicas in Rome — including the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere and the Church of the Gesù — preparing and celebrating liturgies as part of their pilgrimage to the Eternal City.
In addition to liturgical celebrations, the altar servers will participate in various activities throughout the week, such as cultural visits to museums and social exchanges with other international pilgrims, as well as music, film and theatre festivals.
A centre for pastoral vocational support and advice has also been set up in a location close to St. Peter’s Square.
“It is a very special moment of joy and blessing that sees us gathered in Rome,” declared Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg and president of Coetus Internationalis Ministrantium (CIM), which is organizing the event.
“This is very important, especially for young people today,” he said, adding that the pilgrimage is an experience of plurality and unity, “in the face of daily news of wars, suffering and injustice.”