After his catechesis, the Pope greeted the faithful from different countries, including French-speaking pilgrims and in particular the sick and disabled from Lyon and from the Notre-Dame de Vie Institute in the Philippines.

Addressing the Spanish speakers, he said, “Let us pray that the Virgin Mary help us keep our heart attentive to the needs of the people who surround us, so that they may experience the love God has for them”.

“I offer my heartfelt greeting to Brazilian faithful from Araguari, Lorena and Manaus, and all Portuguese-speaking pilgrims: thank you for your presence and, above all, your prayers. To the Virgin Mary I entrust your steps in the service of the growth of the human and divine dignity of our brothers and sisters”.

Among the Arabic-speaking faithful, the Pope gave special mention to those from the Holy Land, Egypt and the Middle East.

Finally, he gave a cordial welcome to Italian-speaking faithful, greeting the participants in the course for missionaries organised by the Pontifical Salesian University and the heads of the Apostolic Union of the Clergy, accompanied by the Bishop Luigi Mansi of Andria. He also greeted a delegation from the municipality of Fanano, with Bishop Francesco Cavina of Carpi, thanking them for the gift of a statue of mercy.

He concluded by addressing the young, the sick and newly-weds. “Last Sunday the Extraordinary Jubilee came to a close. However, God’s merciful heart has not closed to us, sinners, and He will never cease to inundate us with His grace. In the same way, let us never close our hearts and let us never stop performing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. May the experience of God’s love and forgiveness that we have lived during this Holy Year remain in us as a permanent inspiration to charity towards our brothers”.