This afternoon the Holy Father Francis went to Assisi on a private visit to sign the Encyclical Letter “Fratelli tutti” on fraternity and social friendship, which will be published tomorrow, the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi.

At approximately 15.00 the Holy Father arrived at the Holy Convent where he celebrated Holy Mass at the tomb of the Poverello of Assisi.

At the end of the Eucharistic celebration, the Pope thanked Msgr. Paolo Braida, of the First Section of the Secretariat of State, and two translators of the Encyclical. Then, after signing the first copy of the Document, he returned to the Vatican.

The following are the words pronounced by the Holy Father at the end of the Celebration:

Words of the Holy Father

Now I will sign the Encyclical, that will be brought to the altar by Msgr. Paolo Braida, who is responsible, in the First Section, for translations and also the Pope’s discourses. He oversees everything and this is why I wanted him to be present here, today, and to bring me the Encyclical. Two translators have come with him: don Antonio, translator in Portuguese, who translated from Spanish to Portuguese, and don Cruz, who is Spanish, and who oversaw the other translations from the Spanish original. I do so as a sign of gratitude to the entire First Section of the Secretariat of State, which has worked on the draft and translation.

[He then signs the Encyclical]

They are humble, these translators; they hide themselves away!