The first World Children’s Day was held this Saturday, May 25, chaired by Pope Francis before a crowd gathered at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.
Between songs and prayers, thousands of children from 77 countries around the world met the Holy Father. All together they listened to various testimonies and questions from some of the children present.
Eugenia of Ukraine, who now lives in Italy with her family, told the Holy Father: “The first thing I want to say is that I want peace. “I don’t want the war to continue between Ukraine and Russia, which are two very important countries for me.”
Victor, a Palestinian Catholic baptized in Bethlehem, then asked the Pontiff: “What fault do we children have if we were born in Bethlehem or Jerusalem or Gaza? We just want to play, study and live free like so many other children in the world.”
For his part, little Mateo from Argentina encouraged the other children that “as we do every day at school, I want us to continue asking to be more similar to Jesus and have his heart. Thank you, Pope Francis, for this first World Children’s Day. We love you very much and we pray for you.”
At the time of the questions, the Colombian Jerónimo asked the Pope if peace is always possible, to which the Holy Father responded that yes, it is always possible, “forgiving and asking for forgiveness,” as can be done at school if there is some problem.
Lia Marise, from Burundi, asked the Holy Father what they can do to improve the world, to which Pope Francis replied that they can do it by speaking kindly, playing together and helping others.
Riccardo, from Italy, said: “I want to ask you how to love everyone, everyone, everyone?”, to which Pope Francis responded that we should start with those who are close: “If I don’t love my partner or schoolmate, if I don’t love the boy or girl who is nearby, I can’t move on. We must begin to love little by little.”
To the question from Luis Gabriel from Nicaragua about why there are people in the world who do not have a home or a job, the Holy Father responded “This is humanity’s fault. I ask you a favour, every day when you pray, you do so for the children who suffer this injustice. Today Luis Gabriel has touched our hearts.”