At the conclusion of this celebration, I warmly greet all of you present, the young people in particular. Dear young people, I exhort you to continue your journey both in your dioceses and during your cross-continental pilgrimage, which will lead you next year to Krakow, the homeland of St John Paul II, the initiator of the World Youth Day. The theme of that great Meeting: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Mt 5:7), is well in tune with the Holy Year of Mercy. Let yourselves be filled by the Father’s tenderness, so as to spread it around you!

Let us now address our Mother Mary in prayer, that she may help us to live Holy Week with faith. She too was present when Jesus entered Jerusalem praised by the crowd; but her heart, as that of the Son, was willing to sacrifice. Let us learn from her, the faithful Virgin, to follow the Lord even when his way leads to the Cross.

I entrust to her intercession the victims of last Tuesday’s air disaster, among whom was also a group of German students.

Angelus Domini…

After the Angelus:

I wish you a Holy Week in contemplation of the Mystery of Jesus Christ.