Pope Francis welcomed a delegation of the Archconfraternity of Saints John the Baptist and Evangelist of the Knights of Malta from Catanzaro, Calabria in the Vatican. He acknowledged the celebration of Mary, the Most Holy, Mother of God. He noted that she is the protector of their confraternity, which honours her with the title of Hodegetria, ‘she who shows the way,’ referring to Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The Pope reflected on the image of Mary holding the Savior in her arms, representing the event of love to which the confraternity bears witness by adoring the Eucharist, serving others, and walking through the history of their city. He offered a reflection on the verbs “to adore,” “to serve,” and “to walk,” emphasizing the importance of prayer, both personal and communal, and the connection between adoration and service.
Pope Francis encouraged the members of the confraternity to cultivate prayer and to serve others, highlighting that each time they care for the poor, visit the sick, and accompany those who suffer, they are serving the Lord. He also reflected on the verb “to walk,” reminding them that Jesus calls us to follow Him with perseverance, keeping the torch of faith alight during the earthly pilgrimage.
The Pope expressed his gratitude to the confraternity for their generosity, particularly for offering the Easter candle every year to the Lateran Basilica, along with a donation for the Pope’s charity. He urged the members of the confraternity to continue with hope along the path of generosity, assuring them that “the Lord will always accompany you.