Vatican City, 23 May 2016 – After today's Angelus prayer, the Pope mentioned that yesterday in Cosenza, Italy, Fr. Francesco Maria Greco was proclaimed blessed. The founder of the Little Workers of the Sacred Heart, Fr. Greco exercised his ministry between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, inspiring the religious and social life of his city, Acri. "Let us give thanks to God for this exemplary priest", said Francis, "and applause for all the good priests in Italy".

He went on to comment that tomorrow the first World Humanitarian Summit will begin in Istanbul, Turkey, with the aim of analysis ways of resolving dramatic humanitarian situations caused by conflicts, environmental problems and extreme poverty, and urged all present to accompany with prayer the participants in the summit, "so that they commit themselves fully to achieving the main humanitarian objective: saving the life of every human being, excluding no-one, especially the innocent and the helpless". The Holy See, which will take part in this Humanitarian Summit, will be represented by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

"On Tuesday 24 May", he continued, "let us join spiritually with Catholic faithful in China, who on this day will celebrate with particular devotion the memory of the Blessing Virgin Mary 'Help of Christians', venerated in the Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai. Let us ask Mary to give all her sons and daughters in China the capacity to discern in every situation the signs of the loving presence of God, Who always welcomes and always forgives. May Chinese Catholics, in this Year of Mercy, along with those who follow other noble religious traditions, become a concrete sign of charity and reconciliation. In this way they will promote an authentic culture of encounter and harmony for society as a whole, that harmony that is so beloved to the Chinese spirit."

Finally he greeted, among others, the Orthodox faithful of the Metropolis of Berat in Albania, thanking them for their ecumenical presence.